WorldWideScience

Sample records for nonroad engine growth

  1. 75 FR 11880 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; California Nonroad Compression...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-12

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [AMS-FRL-9126-4] California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control... to the control of emissions from either of the following new nonroad engines or nonroad vehicles... other requirements relating to emissions control of new engines not listed under section 209(e)(1). The...

  2. 77 FR 50500 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; California Nonroad Compression...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-21

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [AMS-FRL 9716-8] California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; California Nonroad Compression Ignition Engines--In-Use Fleets; Authorization Request... emissions control of new engines not listed under section 209(e)(1). The section 209(e) rule and its...

  3. 78 FR 721 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Transport Refrigeration Units...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-04

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards... requirements related to the control of emissions from non-new nonroad engines or vehicles. Section 209(e)(2... requirements relating to the control of emissions from new nonroad spark-ignition engines smaller than 50...

  4. "Peer Review: Nonroad (NR) Updates to Population Growth, Compression Ignition (CI) Criteria, Toxic Emission Factors and Speciation Profiles"

    Science.gov (United States)

    This report focuses on the methodology for estimating growth in NR engine populations as used in the MOVES201X-NONROAD emission inventory model. MOVES NR growth rates start with base year engine populations and estimate growth in the populations of NR engines, while applying cons...

  5. 2005 nonroad engine fleet characterization in the Canadian Lower Fraser Valley : final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mak, J.; Chan, N.; Campbell, K.; Preston, K.; Bolechowsky, K.

    2007-12-01

    Metro Vancouver conducts an emission inventory for the Lower Fraser Valley on a five year basis. This report presented an estimate of the nonroad engine fleet population and emissions in the Canadian portion of the Lower Fraser Valley (CLFV). The nonroad engine fleet includes internal combustion engines of different fuel types used in mobile equipment such as on-road vehicles, aircraft, locomotives and ocean-going marine vessels. Some examples of nonroad equipment that were estimated included agricultural tractors; airport ground equipment; forklifts; excavators; generator sets; lawn mowers; railroad maintenance equipment; pleasure boats; and off-road motorcycles. The purpose of the study was to assist Metro Vancouver and other levels of government in determining what progress has been made in improving air quality, as well as the effect of policies and regulations on the environment in terms of nonroad vehicles. The report presented the objectives of the nonroad engine fleet characterization project which were to review the current data on nonroad engine populations and associated information, and confirm or improve the data through appropriate means; prepare estimates of 2005 emissions in the CLFV based on the revised engine counts using the United States Environmental Protection Agency's nonroad 2005 model; and prepare backcasts and forecasts of the 2005 nonroad engine emission estimates for 1990 to 2030 in five-year increments. Results were presented and analysed into the following 9 equipment type categories: agricultural, airport ground support, commercial, construction, industrial, lawn and garden, railway maintenance, recreational marine and recreational off-road vehicle. Four fuel types were considered for each type of equipment, notably gasoline, diesel, liquefied petroleum gases and compressed natural gas. The report described the methodologies and sources and presented the equipment population data. Emission results for carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides

  6. 76 FR 24872 - California State Nonroad Engine and Vehicle Pollution Control Standards; Authorization of Tier II...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-03

    ... Pollution Control Standards; Authorization of Tier II Marine Inboard/Sterndrive Spark Ignition Engine... requirement relating to the control of emissions for certain new nonroad engines or vehicles.\\1\\ Section 209(e... control of emissions from either of the following new nonroad engines or nonroad vehicles subject to...

  7. 78 FR 724 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Off-Highway Recreational Vehicles...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-04

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9766-2] California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control...\\ California State Nonroad Engine and Vehicle Pollution Control Standards; Authorization of State Standards... standards and other requirements relating to the control of emissions from such vehicles or engines if...

  8. 76 FR 7194 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Request for Authorization of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-09

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9264-3] California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control... Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) for in-use portable diesel-fueled engines 50 brake-horsepower (hp) and... within-the-scope confirmation. \\2\\ This includes: California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control...

  9. 40 CFR 80.522 - May used motor oil be dispensed into diesel motor vehicles or nonroad diesel engines?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... diesel motor vehicles or nonroad diesel engines? 80.522 Section 80.522 Protection of Environment... vehicles or nonroad diesel engines? No person may introduce used motor oil, or used motor oil blended with... later nonroad diesel engines (not including locomotive or marine diesel engines), unless both of the...

  10. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart F of... - Sampling Plans for Selective Enforcement Auditing of Nonroad Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Enforcement Auditing of Nonroad Engines A Appendix A to Subpart F of Part 89 Protection of Environment... NONROAD COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES Selective Enforcement Auditing Pt. 89, Subpt. F, App. A Appendix A to Subpart F of Part 89—Sampling Plans for Selective Enforcement Auditing of Nonroad Engines Table 1—Sampling...

  11. 77 FR 50502 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; In-Use Heavy-Duty Vehicles (As...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-21

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL 9716-9] California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; In- Use Heavy-Duty Vehicles (As Applicable to Yard Trucks and Two-Engine Sweepers); Opportunity... control of emissions from new nonroad engines which are used in construction equipment or vehicles or used...

  12. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - State Regulation of Nonroad Internal Combustion Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false State Regulation of Nonroad Internal Combustion Engines A Appendix A to Subpart A of Part 89 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Nonroad Internal Combustion Engines This appendix sets forth the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's...

  13. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart F of... - Sampling Plans for Selective Enforcement Auditing of Small Nonroad Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Enforcement Auditing of Small Nonroad Engines A Appendix A to Subpart F of Part 90 Protection of Environment...-IGNITION ENGINES AT OR BELOW 19 KILOWATTS Selective Enforcement Auditing Pt. 90, Subpt. F, App. A Appendix A to Subpart F of Part 90—Sampling Plans for Selective Enforcement Auditing of Small Nonroad Engines...

  14. 76 FR 7196 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Request for Authorization of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-09

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9264-4] California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Request for Authorization of Airborne Toxic Control Measure for In-Use Portable Diesel Engines 50... for In-Use Strategies to Control Emissions from Diesel Engines,'' 13 California Code of Regulations...

  15. Mitigation of PAH and nitro-PAH emissions from nonroad diesel engines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Z Gerald; Wall, John C; Ottinger, Nathan A; McGuffin, Dana

    2015-03-17

    More stringent emission requirements for nonroad diesel engines introduced with U.S. Tier 4 Final and Euro Stage IV and V regulations have spurred the development of exhaust aftertreatment technologies. In this study, several aftertreatment configurations consisting of diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC), diesel particulate filters (DPF), Cu zeolite-, and vanadium-based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts, and ammonia oxidation (AMOX) catalysts are evaluated using both Nonroad Transient (NRTC) and Steady (8-mode NRSC) Cycles in order to understand both component and system-level effects of diesel aftertreatment on emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and their nitrated derivatives (nitro-PAH). Emissions are reported for four configurations including engine-out, DOC+CuZ-SCR+AMOX, V-SCR+AMOX, and DOC+DPF+CuZ-SCR+AMOX. Mechanisms responsible for the reduction, and, in some cases, the formation of PAH and nitro-PAH compounds are discussed in detail, and suggestions are provided to minimize the formation of nitro-PAH compounds through aftertreatment design optimizations. Potency equivalency factors (PEFs) developed by the California Environmental Protection Agency are then applied to determine the impact of aftertreatment on PAH-derived exhaust toxicity. Finally, a comprehensive set of exhaust emissions including criteria pollutants, NO2, total hydrocarbons (THC), n-alkanes, branched alkanes, saturated cycloalkanes, aromatics, aldehydes, hopanes and steranes, and metals is provided, and the overall efficacy of the aftertreatment configurations is described. This detailed summary of emissions from a current nonroad diesel engine equipped with advanced aftertreatment can be used to more accurately model the impact of anthropogenic emissions on the atmosphere.

  16. 78 FR 50412 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Amendments to Spark Ignition Marine...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-19

    ... Engine Pollution Control Standards; Amendments to Spark Ignition Marine Engine and Boat Regulations... emission standards; enhanced evaporative emission controls for high performance sterndrive/inboard engines... requirement relating to the control of emissions from new nonroad engines which are used in construction...

  17. Speciation Profiles and Toxic Emission Factors for Nonroad Engines: DRAFT REPORT

    Science.gov (United States)

    This document details the research and development behind how MOVES2014a estimates air toxic emissions for nonroad engines and equipment run on conventional gasoline without ethanol (E0) and gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10) as well as diesel fuel, compressed natural gas (C...

  18. Effects of transient conditions on exhaust emissions from two non-road diesel engines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lindgren, M.; Hansson, P.-A.

    2004-01-01

    Growing interest in quantifying and reducing the amount of engine emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides loading the environment has led to increasingly tighter environmental regulations. However, current non-road emission standards are performed according to a steady-state test cycle, which does not include transient effects and thus underestimates the amount of emissions produced in real use of the engine. This study quantifies the effects of transients in engine speed and torque on the fuel consumption and emissions from two diesel engines intended for non-road mobile machinery. Fuel consumption and emissions from the engines were measured in an engine dynamometer during various transient load conditions. The results showed that during fast transients, the measured fuel consumption was up to twice as high as the corresponding steady-state load conditions. The effects of transients on emissions of nitrogen oxides were even greater, as were the effects of transient load increase with increasing transient conditions i. e. rate of change. The results showed that the effect of transients on fuel consumption and emissions were also dependent on the type of diesel injection pump and the engine equipment used. Furthermore, the results indicated that the air/fuel ratio was an important contributor to the emission formation process during transient loads. (Author)

  19. 76 FR 38155 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth in...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-29

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9426-9] California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control... toxic control measures for auxiliary diesel engines operated on ocean-going vessels at-berth in... control measures (ATCM) for auxiliary diesel engines operated on ocean-going vessels at-berth in...

  20. 75 FR 43975 - California State Motor Vehicle and Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Truck Idling...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-27

    ... standards) for the control of emissions from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines prior to March... approval relating to the control of emissions from any new motor vehicle or new motor vehicle engine as... relating to the control of emissions from new nonroad spark-ignition engines smaller than 50 horsepower...

  1. 75 FR 37310 - Control of Emissions From New and In-Use Nonroad Compression-Ignition Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-29

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 1039 Control of Emissions From New and In-Use Nonroad Compression- Ignition Engines CFR Correction In Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1000 to End... for my engines in model year 2014 and earlier? * * * * * Table 2 of Sec. 1039.102--Interim Tier 4...

  2. Fuel Effects on Emissions From Non-Road Engines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murtonen, T.; Nylund, N.

    2003-10-15

    The objective of this project was to study how fuel quality affects the exhaust emissions from different kinds of non-road engines. The project was divided into two parts: emissions from small gasoline engines and emissions from diesel engines. The measured small engines were a 2-stroke chainsaw engine, and a 4-stroke OHV engine, which could be used in different applications. Measurements were done with three different fuels, with and without catalyst. Also a comparison between biodegradable vs. conventional lubrication oil was done with the 2-stroke engine. Measurements were done according to ISO8178 standard. The results clearly demonstrate that using a good quality fuel (e.g. low sulphur, low aromatics) and a catalyst gives the best outcome in overall emission levels from these small engines. In the second part two different diesel engines were tested with five different fuels. Two of the fuels were biodiesel blends. The engines were chosen to represent old and new engine technology. The old engine (MY 1985) was produced before EU emission regulations were in place, and the new engine fulfilled the current EU Stage 2 emission limits. These measurements were also done according to the ISO8178 standard. With the new engine comparison with and without oxidation catalyst was done using two fuels. The results in general are similar compared to the results from the small gasoline engines: fuel quality has an effect on the emissions and when combining a good quality fuel (e.g. low sulphur, low aromatics) and an oxidation catalyst the emission levels are significantly reduced. Also some unregulated emission measurements were done but those results are not included to this report.

  3. Test/QA plan for the verification testing of diesel exhaust catalysts, particulate filters and engine modification control technologies for highway and nonroad use diesel engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    This ETV test/QA plan for heavy-duty diesel engine testing at the Southwest Research Institute’s Department of Emissions Research (DER) describes how the Federal Test Procedure (FTP), as listed in 40 CFR Part 86 for highway engines and 40 CFR Part 89 for nonroad engines, will be ...

  4. 78 FR 31536 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; In-Use Heavy Duty Vehicles (as...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-24

    ... immediately attempt to regulate new farm and construction equipment and that under any compliance pathway a... from new nonroad engines which are used in construction equipment or vehicles or used in farm equipment... with section 202(a) if: (1) There is inadequate lead time to permit the development of the necessary...

  5. Test/QA plan for the verification testing of selective catalytic reduction control technologies for highway, nonroad use heavy-duty diesel engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    This ETV test/QA plan for heavy-duty diesel engine testing at the Southwest Research Institute’s Department of Emissions Research (DER) describes how the Federal Test Procedure (FTP), as listed in 40 CFR Part 86 for highway engines and 40 CFR Part 89 for nonroad engines, will be ...

  6. Concepts to meet non-road stage IV / Tier 4 emission legislation; Konzepte fuer die Emissionsgesetzgebung. Non-Road Stage IV / Tier 4

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cartus, T.; Herrmuth, H.; Stein, G. [AVL List GmbH, Graz (Austria); Scherm, P. [Euromot - European Association of Internal Combustion Engine Mfrs., Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

    2007-12-15

    By December 2007, the EC will have to submit a new proposal for Stage IV emissions limits for Non-Road Mobile Machinery. Industry is committed to contributing to this process and has asked AVL to carry out a study as a neutral engineering company. The main topics of this study are described in this article. (orig.)

  7. Effect of compression ratio, nozzle opening pressure, engine load, and butanol addition on nanoparticle emissions from a non-road diesel engine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurya, Rakesh Kumar; Saxena, Mohit Raj; Rai, Piyush; Bhardwaj, Aashish

    2018-05-01

    Currently, diesel engines are more preferred over gasoline engines due to their higher torque output and fuel economy. However, diesel engines confront major challenge of meeting the future stringent emission norms (especially soot particle emissions) while maintaining the same fuel economy. In this study, nanosize range soot particle emission characteristics of a stationary (non-road) diesel engine have been experimentally investigated. Experiments are conducted at a constant speed of 1500 rpm for three compression ratios and nozzle opening pressures at different engine loads. In-cylinder pressure history for 2000 consecutive engine cycles is recorded and averaged data is used for analysis of combustion characteristics. An electrical mobility-based fast particle sizer is used for analyzing particle size and mass distributions of engine exhaust particles at different test conditions. Soot particle distribution from 5 to 1000 nm was recorded. Results show that total particle concentration decreases with an increase in engine operating loads. Moreover, the addition of butanol in the diesel fuel leads to the reduction in soot particle concentration. Regression analysis was also conducted to derive a correlation between combustion parameters and particle number emissions for different compression ratios. Regression analysis shows a strong correlation between cylinder pressure-based combustion parameters and particle number emission.

  8. MODELLING OF NON-ROAD TRANSIENT CYCLE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Kotus

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper describes the modeling of NRTC (Non-Road Transient Cycle test procedure based on previously measured characteristics of fuel consumption, carbon monoxide (CO, carbon dioxide (CO2, hydrocarbons (HC, nitrogen oxides (NOx and particulates (PM production. It makes possible to compare the current technical condition of an internal combustion engine of an agricultural tractor with its previous state or other tractor’s engine. Based on measured characteristics, it is also possible to model any other cycle without further measurements (NRSC test procedure, cycle for specific conditions – mountain tractor, etc.. The result may thus contribute to improving the environment by reducing the production of harmful substances emitted into the air and save money due to reduced fuel consumption.

  9. Effect of biodiesel fuel on "real-world", nonroad heavy duty diesel engine particulate matter emissions, composition and cytotoxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Nathan; Lombard, Melissa; Jensen, Kirk R; Kelley, Patrick; Pratt, Tara; Traviss, Nora

    2017-05-15

    Biodiesel is regarded by many as a "greener" alternative fuel to petroleum diesel with potentially lower health risk. However, recent studies examining biodiesel particulate matter (PM) characteristics and health effects are contradictive, and typically utilize PM generated by passenger car engines in laboratory settings. There is a critical need to analyze diesel and biodiesel PM generated in a "real-world" setting where heavy duty-diesel (HDD) engines and commercially purchased fuel are utilized. This study compares the mass concentrations, chemical composition and cytotoxicity of real-world PM from combustion of both petroleum diesel and a waste grease 20% biodiesel blend (B20) at a community recycling center operating HDD nonroad equipment. PM was analyzed for metals, elemental/organic carbon (EC/OC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (N-PAHs). Cytotoxicity in a human lung epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) following 24h exposure to the real-world particles was also evaluated. On average, higher concentrations for both EC and OC were measured in diesel PM. B20 PM contained significantly higher levels of Cu and Mo whereas diesel PM contained significantly higher concentrations of Pb. Principal component analysis determined Mo, Cu, and Ni were the metals with the greatest loading factor, suggesting a unique pattern related to the B20 fuel source. Total PAH concentration during diesel fuel use was 1.9 times higher than during B20 operations; however, total N-PAH concentration was 3.3 times higher during B20 use. Diesel PM cytotoxicity was 8.5 times higher than B20 PM (pengine sources of metals, PAH and N-PAH species, comparing tailpipe PM vs. PM collected inside the equipment cabin. Results suggest PM generated from burning petroleum diesel in nonroad engines may be more harmful to human health, but the links between exposure, composition and toxicity are not straightforward. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights

  10. EPA Nonregulatory Nonroad Duty Cycles

    Science.gov (United States)

    EPA nonregulatory, nonroad duty cycles for equipment such as agricultural tractors, backhoe loaders,crawlers tractors, excavators, arc welding skid steer loaders, and wheel loaders. Also,test procedures, laboratory methods, and emissions for this equipmen

  11. Legal regulations of restrictions of air pollution made by non-road mobile machinery-the case study for Europe: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waluś, Konrad J; Warguła, Łukasz; Krawiec, Piotr; Adamiec, Jarosław M

    2018-02-01

    The high awareness of intensification and frequency of smog phenomenon all over the world in XXI age makes for detailed analyses of the reasons of its formation and prevention. The governments of the developed countries and conscious of real hazards, including many European countries, aim to restrict the emission of harmful gases. In literature, we can find the discussions on the influence of this phenomenon on the health and life of inhabitants of contaminated areas. Some elaborations of prognostic models, descriptions of pollution sources, the manner of their restriction, and the analysis of causal-consecutive correlation are also popular. The influence of pollutions resulting from the operation of vehicles, planes, and the industry are well described. However, every machine and device which is driven with a combustion engine has the effect on the general level of anthropogenic pollutions. These drives are subject of different regulations limiting their emission for service conditions and applications. One of the groups of such machines described in European and American regulations is non-road mobile machinery. The aim of this paper is the presentation of the problem of weak analysis and application of engineering and technological tools for machinery drive emission, despite of many publications on hazards and problems of emission. These machines have the influence on both the increase of global contamination and the machine users. The regulations of the European Union take into consideration the generated hazards and restrict the emission of machine exhaust gases by approval tests-these regulations are continually improved, and the effects of these works are new emission limits in 2019. However, these activities seem to be liberal as opposed to limits of the emission for passenger and goods vehicles where the technological development of the construction is greater and the regulations are the most rigorous. During the analysis of the development of non-road

  12. Energy efficient non-road hybrid electric vehicles advanced modeling and control

    CERN Document Server

    Unger, Johannes; Jakubek, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    Analyzing the main problems in the real-time control of parallel hybrid electric powertrains in non-road applications, which work in continuous high dynamic operation, this book gives practical insight in to how to maximize the energetic efficiency and drivability of such powertrains. The book addresses an energy management control structure, which considers all constraints of the physical powertrain and uses novel methodologies for the prediction of the future load requirements to optimize the controller output in terms of an entire work cycle of a non-road vehicle. The load prediction includes a methodology for short term loads as well as for an entire load cycle by means of a cycle detection. A maximization of the energetic efficiency can so be achieved, which is simultaneously a reduction in fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Readers will gain a deep insight into the necessary topics to be considered in designing an energy and battery management system for non-road vehicles and that only a combinatio...

  13. 40 CFR 1048.330 - May I sell engines from an engine family with a suspended certificate of conformity?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false May I sell engines from an engine... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, LARGE NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Testing Production-line Engines § 1048.330 May I sell engines from an engine...

  14. Physicochemical and toxicological characteristics of particulate matter emitted from a non-road diesel engine: comparative evaluation of biodiesel-diesel and butanol-diesel blends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhi-Hui; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar

    2014-01-15

    Combustion experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of using blends of ultralow sulfur diesel (ULSD) with biodiesel or n-butanol on physicochemical and toxicological characteristics of particulate emissions from a non-road diesel engine. The results indicated that compared to ULSD, both the blended fuels could effectively reduce the particulate mass and elemental carbon emissions, with butanol being more effective than biodiesel. The proportion of organic carbon and volatile organic compounds in particles increased for both blended fuels. However, biodiesel blended fuels showed lower total particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emissions. The total number emissions of particles ≤560nm in diameter decreased gradually for the butanol blended fuels, but increased significantly for the biodiesel blended fuels. Both the blended fuels indicated lower soot ignition temperature and activation energy. All the particle extracts showed a decline in cell viability with the increased dose. However, the change in cell viability among test fuels is not statistically significant different with the exception of DB-4 (biodiesel-diesel blend containing 4% oxygen) used at 75% engine load. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. 40 CFR 1048.301 - When must I test my production-line engines?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... engines? 1048.301 Section 1048.301 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, LARGE NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Testing Production-line Engines § 1048.301 When must I test my production-line engines? (a) If you produce engines...

  16. 40 CFR 90.114 - Requirement of certification-engine information label.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... nomenclature and abbreviations provided in the Society of Automotive Engineers procedure J1930, “Electrical... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Requirement of certification-engine...) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES AT OR BELOW 19...

  17. 40 CFR 1054.690 - What bond requirements apply for certified engines?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, SMALL NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES AND... paragraph (b) of this section, include the values from your most recent balance sheet for buildings, land... values For engines with displacement falling in the following ranges . . . The per-engine bond valueis...

  18. 75 FR 8056 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; California New Nonroad Compression...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-02-23

    ... life.\\12\\ At that time, CARB also provided for implementation flexibility for post-manufacture marinizers and optional reduced- emission standard labeling requirements for ``Blue Sky Series'' CI engines...

  19. 40 CFR 1048.101 - What exhaust emission standards must my engines meet?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, LARGE NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES... from your engines may not exceed the numerical emission standards in paragraph (a) of this section. See... specified in 40 CFR part 1065, subpart H, on which the engines in the engine family are designed to operate...

  20. 40 CFR 1048.305 - How must I prepare and test my production-line engines?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... production-line engines? 1048.305 Section 1048.305 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, LARGE NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Testing Production-line Engines § 1048.305 How must I prepare and test my production-line engines? This...

  1. 40 CFR 1048.410 - How must I select, prepare, and test my in-use engines?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... my in-use engines? 1048.410 Section 1048.410 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, LARGE NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Testing In-use Engines § 1048.410 How must I select, prepare, and test my in-use engines? (a) You...

  2. 40 CFR 1048.401 - What testing requirements apply to my engines that have gone into service?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... engines that have gone into service? 1048.401 Section 1048.401 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, LARGE NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Testing In-use Engines § 1048.401 What testing requirements apply to my engines that have...

  3. 40 CFR 1048.320 - What happens if one of my production-line engines fails to meet emission standards?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ...-line engines fails to meet emission standards? 1048.320 Section 1048.320 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, LARGE NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Testing Production-line Engines § 1048.320 What happens if one of my production...

  4. 75 FR 22439 - Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Lead Emissions From Piston-Engine Aircraft Using Leaded...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-28

    ... piston-engine aircraft as well as certain high performance engines such as race cars. \\33\\ See http://www... for all remaining uses, including use as fuel in aircraft, racing cars, and nonroad engines such as.... These include the voluntary partnership between EPA and the National Association for Stock Car Auto...

  5. Driving and engine cycles

    CERN Document Server

    Giakoumis, Evangelos G

    2017-01-01

    This book presents in detail the most important driving and engine cycles used for the certification and testing of new vehicles and engines around the world. It covers chassis and engine-dynamometer cycles for passenger cars, light-duty vans, heavy-duty engines, non-road engines and motorcycles, offering detailed historical information and critical review. The book also provides detailed examples from SI and diesel engines and vehicles operating during various cycles, with a focus on how the engine behaves during transients and how this is reflected in emitted pollutants, CO2 and after-treatment systems operation. It describes the measurement methods for the testing of new vehicles and essential information on the procedure for creating a driving cycle. Lastly, it presents detailed technical specifications on the most important chassis-dynamometer cycles around the world, together with a direct comparison of those cycles.

  6. 40 CFR 1048.340 - When may EPA revoke my certificate under this subpart and how may I sell these engines again?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... under this subpart and how may I sell these engines again? 1048.340 Section 1048.340 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, LARGE NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Testing Production-line Engines § 1048.340 When may EPA revoke my...

  7. The growth of tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lysaght, M J; Reyes, J

    2001-10-01

    This report draws upon data from a variety of sources to estimate the size, scope, and growth rate of the contemporary tissue engineering enterprise. At the beginning of 2001, tissue engineering research and development was being pursued by 3,300 scientists and support staff in more than 70 startup companies or business units with a combined annual expenditure of over $600 million. Spending by tissue engineering firms has been growing at a compound annual rate of 16%, and the aggregate investment since 1990 now exceeds $3.5 billion. At the beginning of 2001, the net capital value of the 16 publicly traded tissue engineering startups had reached $2.6 billion. Firms focusing on structural applications (skin, cartilage, bone, cardiac prosthesis, and the like) comprise the fastest growing segment. In contrast, efforts in biohybrid organs and other metabolic applications have contracted over the past few years. The number of companies involved in stem cells and regenerative medicine is rapidly increasing, and this area represents the most likely nidus of future growth for tissue engineering. A notable recent trend has been the emergence of a strong commercial activity in tissue engineering outside the United States, with at least 16 European or Australian companies (22% of total) now active.

  8. 76 FR 45011 - Control of Air Pollution From Aircraft and Aircraft Engines; Proposed Emission Standards and Test...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-27

    ... Paso, TX 223 0.9 1.1 Greater Connecticut, CT 405 0.8 2.4 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX 3,045 1.3 3.4... by many types of pollution sources, such as highway and nonroad motor vehicles and engines, power...

  9. 40 CFR 89.1003 - Prohibited acts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... the definition of nonroad engine in § 89.2. After the date on which a new standard takes effect... rebuilding an engine (or rebuilding a portion of an engine or engine system). Such a deviation violates paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section. (4) For a manufacturer of a new nonroad engine subject to standards...

  10. Engineering growth factors for regenerative medicine applications.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mitchell, Aaron C.; Briquez, Priscilla S.; Hubbell, Jeffrey A.; Cochran, Jennifer R.

    2016-01-15

    Growth factors are important morphogenetic proteins that instruct cell behavior and guide tissue repair and renewal. Although their therapeutic potential holds great promise in regenerative medicine applications, translation of growth factors into clinical treatments has been hindered by limitations including poor protein stability, low recombinant expression yield, and suboptimal efficacy. This review highlights current tools, technologies, and approaches to design integrated and effective growth factor-based therapies for regenerative medicine applications. The first section describes rational and combinatorial protein engineering approaches that have been utilized to improve growth factor stability, expression yield, biodistribution, and serum half-life, or alter their cell trafficking behavior or receptor binding affinity. The second section highlights elegant biomaterial-based systems, inspired by the natural extracellular matrix milieu, that have been developed for effective spatial and temporal delivery of growth factors to cell surface receptors. Although appearing distinct, these two approaches are highly complementary and involve principles of molecular design and engineering to be considered in parallel when developing optimal materials for clinical applications.

  11. 76 FR 67184 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Large Spark-Ignition (LSI) Engines...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-31

    ... are applicable to fleets comprised of four or more pieces of equipment powered by LSI engines... comment. If you send an email comment directly to EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov...

  12. Effects of Engineered Nanomaterials on Plants Growth: An Overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagheri, Samira; Muhd Julkapli, Nurhidayatullaili; Juraimi, Abdul Shukor; Hashemi, Farahnaz Sadat Golestan

    2014-01-01

    Rapid development and wide applications of nanotechnology brought about a significant increment on the number of engineered nanomaterials (ENs) inevitably entering our living system. Plants comprise of a very important living component of the terrestrial ecosystem. Studies on the influence of engineered nanomaterials (carbon and metal/metal oxides based) on plant growth indicated that in the excess content, engineered nanomaterials influences seed germination. It assessed the shoot-to-root ratio and the growth of the seedlings. From the toxicological studies to date, certain types of engineered nanomaterials can be toxic once they are not bound to a substrate or if they are freely circulating in living systems. It is assumed that the different types of engineered nanomaterials affect the different routes, behavior, and the capability of the plants. Furthermore, different, or even opposing conclusions, have been drawn from most studies on the interactions between engineered nanomaterials with plants. Therefore, this paper comprehensively reviews the studies on the different types of engineered nanomaterials and their interactions with different plant species, including the phytotoxicity, uptakes, and translocation of engineered nanomaterials by the plant at the whole plant and cellular level. PMID:25202734

  13. Combining Off-the-Job Productivity Regression Model with EPA’s NONROAD Model in Estimating CO2 Emissions from Bulldozer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Apif M. Hajji

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Heavy duty diesel (HDD construction equipment which includes bulldozer is important in infrastructure development. This equipment consumes large amount of diesel fuel and emits high level of carbon dioxide (CO2. The total emissions are dependent upon the fuel use, and the fuel use is dependent upon the productivity of the equipment. This paper proposes a methodology and tool for estimating CO2 emissions from bulldozer based on the productivity rate. The methodology is formulated by using the result of multiple linear regressions (MLR of CAT’s data for obtaining the productivity model and combined with the EPA’s NONROAD model. The emission factors from NONROAD model were used to quantify the CO2 emissions. To display the function of the model, a case study and sensitivity analysis for a bulldozer’s activity is also presented. MLR results indicate that the productivity model generated from CAT’s data can be used as the basis for quantifying the total CO2 emissions for an earthwork activity.

  14. Growth factor effects on costal chondrocytes for tissue engineering fibrocartilage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johns, D.E.; Athanasiou, K.A.

    2010-01-01

    Tissue engineered fibrocartilage could become a feasible option for replacing tissues like the knee meniscus or temporomandibular joint disc. This study employed five growth factors insulin-like growth factor-I, transforming growth factor-β1, epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and basic fibroblast growth factor in a scaffoldless approach with costal chondrocytes, attempting to improve biochemical and mechanical properties of engineered constructs. Samples were quantitatively assessed for total collagen, glycosaminoglycans, collagen type I, collagen type II, cells, compressive properties, and tensile properties at two time points. Most treated constructs were worse than the no growth factor control, suggesting a detrimental effect, but the IGF treatment tended to improve the constructs. Additionally, the 6wk time point was consistently better than 3wks, with total collagen, glycosaminoglycans, and aggregate modulus doubling during this time. Further optimization of the time in culture and exogenous stimuli will be important in making a more functional replacement tissue. PMID:18597118

  15. 40 CFR 89.206 - Trading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Trading. 89.206 Section 89.206... EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE NONROAD COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES Averaging, Banking, and Trading Provisions § 89.206 Trading. (a) Requirements for Tier 1 engines rated at or above 37 kW. (1) A nonroad...

  16. 78 FR 15010 - Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request: Information Requirements for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-08

    ... Abstract: EPA is required under Section 183(e) of the Clean Air Act to regulate Volatile Organic Compound... marine engines, locomotives, non-road recreational vehicles, and many non-road compression-ignition and...

  17. Strain-engineered growth of two-dimensional materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Geun Ho; Amani, Matin; Rasool, Haider; Lien, Der-Hsien; Mastandrea, James P; Ager Iii, Joel W; Dubey, Madan; Chrzan, Daryl C; Minor, Andrew M; Javey, Ali

    2017-09-20

    The application of strain to semiconductors allows for controlled modification of their band structure. This principle is employed for the manufacturing of devices ranging from high-performance transistors to solid-state lasers. Traditionally, strain is typically achieved via growth on lattice-mismatched substrates. For two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, this is not feasible as they typically do not interact epitaxially with the substrate. Here, we demonstrate controlled strain engineering of 2D semiconductors during synthesis by utilizing the thermal coefficient of expansion mismatch between the substrate and semiconductor. Using WSe 2 as a model system, we demonstrate stable built-in strains ranging from 1% tensile to 0.2% compressive on substrates with different thermal coefficient of expansion. Consequently, we observe a dramatic modulation of the band structure, manifested by a strain-driven indirect-to-direct bandgap transition and brightening of the dark exciton in bilayer and monolayer WSe 2 , respectively. The growth method developed here should enable flexibility in design of more sophisticated devices based on 2D materials.Strain engineering is an essential tool for modifying local electronic properties in silicon-based electronics. Here, Ahn et al. demonstrate control of biaxial strain in two-dimensional materials based on the growth substrate, enabling more complex low-dimensional electronics.

  18. Growth of Engineering Education in India: Status, Issues, and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choudhury, Pradeep Kumar

    2016-01-01

    This article examines the growth of engineering education in India in the post-economic reform period using the secondary data published by Ministry of Human Resource Development, University Grants Commission and All India Council for Technical Education. Particularly, this article has focused on three important dimensions of engineering and…

  19. The new MTU series 4000 rail engines certified for EU IIIB; Die neuen Bahnmotoren der MTU-Baureihe 4000 fuer die Emissionsstufe EU IIIB

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wintruff, Ingo; Buecheler, Otto; Rall, Helmut; Zitzler, Guenter [MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH, Friedrichshafen (Germany)

    2011-05-15

    As of 2012, diesel locomotives in Europe must comply with the emission requirements laid down in EU Non-Road Mobile Machinery Directive 97 / 68 / EC Stage IIIB. Compared to the Stage IIIA in effect today, this will require a significant reduction of air pollutants. MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH has developed new engines for rail applications based on the 4000 series which will comply with future emissions standards due to optimisation inside the engine and the use of a diesel particulate filter. (orig.)

  20. Growth Factor Supplementation Improves Native and Engineered Meniscus Repair in Vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ionescu, Lara C.; Lee, Gregory C.; Huang, Kevin L.; Mauck, Robert L.

    2012-01-01

    Few therapeutic options exist for meniscus repair after injury. Local delivery of growth factors may stimulate repair and create a favorable environment for engineered replacement materials. In this study, we assessed the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) (a pro-mitotic agent) and transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGF-β3) (a pro-matrix formation agent) on meniscus repair and the integration/maturation of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds for meniscus tissue engineering. Circular meniscus repair constructs were formed and refilled with either native tissue or scaffolds. Repair constructs were cultured in serum-containing media for 4 and 8 weeks with various growth factor formulations, and assessed for mechanical strength, biochemical content, and histological appearance. Results showed that either short-term delivery of bFGF or sustained delivery of TGF-β3 increased integration strength for both juvenile and adult bovine tissue, with similar findings for engineered materials. While TGF-β3 increased proteoglycan content in the explants, bFGF did not increase DNA content after 8 weeks. This work suggests that in vivo delivery of bFGF or TGF-β3 may stimulate meniscus repair, but that the time course of delivery will strongly influence success. Further, this study demonstrates that electrospun scaffolds are a promising material for meniscus tissue engineering, achieving comparable or superior integration compared to native tissue. PMID:22698946

  1. An engineering approach for examining crack growth and stability in flawed structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shih, C.F.; German, M.D.; Kumar, V.

    1981-01-01

    Progress made in two research programmes, sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), to identify viable parameters for characterising crack initiation and continued extension are summarised. An engineering/design methodology, based on these parameters, for the assessment of crack growth and instability in engineering structures which are stressed beyond the regime of applicability of linear elastic fracture mechanics is developed. The ultimate goal in the development of such a methodology is to establish an improved basis for analysing the effect of flaws (postulated or detected) on the safety margins of pressure boundary components of light water-cooled type nuclear steam supply systems. The methodology can also be employed for structural integrity analyses of other engineering components. Extensive experimental and analytical investigations undertaken to evaluate potential criteria for crack initiation and growth and the selection of the final criteria for analysing crack growth and stability in flawed structures are summarised. The experimental and analytical results obtained to date suggest that parameters based on the J-integral and the crack tip opening displacement, delta, are the most promising. This is not surprising since, from a theoretical basis, the two approaches are similar if certain conditions are met. An engineering/design approach for the assessment of crack growth and instability in flawed structures is outlined. (author)

  2. International Trade as an Engine of Growth in Developing Countries ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study examines international trade as an engine of growth in developing countries, a case study of Nigeria. A review of the literature reveals that countries that are more open to international trade tends to experience higher growth rate and per-capital income than countries who do not trade or closed economy.

  3. Immobilization and Application of Electrospun Nanofiber Scaffold-based Growth Factor in Bone Tissue Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Guobao; Lv, Yonggang

    2015-01-01

    Electrospun nanofibers have been extensively used in growth factor delivery and regenerative medicine due to many advantages including large surface area to volume ratio, high porosity, excellent loading capacity, ease of access and cost effectiveness. Their relatively large surface area is helpful for cell adhesion and growth factor loading, while storage and release of growth factor are essential to guide cellular behaviors and tissue formation and organization. In bone tissue engineering, growth factors are expected to transmit signals that stimulate cellular proliferation, migration, differentiation, metabolism, apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Bolus administration is not always an effective method for the delivery of growth factors because of their rapid diffusion from the target site and quick deactivation. Therefore, the integration of controlled release strategy within electrospun nanofibers can provide protection for growth factors against in vivo degradation, and can manipulate desired signal at an effective level with extended duration in local microenvironment to support tissue regeneration and repair which normally takes a much longer time. In this review, we provide an overview of growth factor delivery using biomimetic electrospun nanofiber scaffolds in bone tissue engineering. It begins with a brief introduction of different kinds of polymers that were used in electrospinning and their applications in bone tissue engineering. The review further focuses on the nanofiber-based growth factor delivery and summarizes the strategies of growth factors loading on the nanofiber scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. The perspectives on future challenges in this area are also pointed out.

  4. 40 CFR 80.521 - What are the standards and identification requirements for diesel fuel additives?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Motor Vehicle Diesel Fuel; Nonroad, Locomotive, and Marine Diesel Fuel; and ECA Marine Fuel Motor... consumer in diesel motor vehicles or nonroad diesel engines. [69 FR 39171, June 29, 2004] ... identification requirements for diesel fuel additives? 80.521 Section 80.521 Protection of Environment...

  5. Fiscal Policy as an Engine of Economic Growth in Nigeria | Zhattau ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Economic growth is a powerful engine for generating long-term standard of living. There are many strategies through which a country may attain self-reliance. Fiscal policy has been identified as a means of generating growth. Taxation, major source of government revenue as well government expenditure are important ...

  6. 40 CFR 1039.125 - What maintenance instructions must I give to buyers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE NONROAD COMPRESSION-IGNITION...-related components that were not in widespread use with nonroad compression-ignition engines before 2011... franchised dealers or any other service establishments with which you have a commercial relationship. You may...

  7. Effect of spent engine oil on germination and growth parameters of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigated the effects of spent engine oil on the germination and growth parameters of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis). Fluted pumpkin was grown on soils contaminated with 20ml, 40ml, 60ml, 80ml and 100ml of spent engine oil to obtain 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5% contaminations respectively and monitored for ...

  8. 40 CFR 80.501 - What fuel is subject to the provisions of this subpart?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) REGULATION OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Motor Vehicle Diesel Fuel...) Motor vehicle diesel fuel. (2) Nonroad, locomotive, or marine diesel fuel. (3) Diesel fuel additives. (4... for use as fuel in diesel motor vehicles or nonroad diesel engines or is blended with diesel fuel for...

  9. 40 CFR 90.908 - National security exemption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false National security exemption. 90.908... Exemption of Nonroad Engines from Regulations § 90.908 National security exemption. (a)(1) Any nonroad... defense, will be considered exempt from this part for purposes of national security. No request for...

  10. 76 FR 38153 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-29

    ... Standards; Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations; Opportunity for Public Hearing and Comment AGENCY... engines on commercial harbor craft. CARB has requested that EPA issue a new authorization under [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. California's Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations In a...

  11. 40 CFR 80.591 - What are the product transfer document requirements for additives to be used in diesel fuel?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Motor Vehicle Diesel Fuel; Nonroad, Locomotive, and Marine Diesel Fuel; and ECA Marine Fuel... content requirements for use in diesel motor vehicles and nonroad engines.”; or (2) For those additives... requirements for use in model year 2007 and newer diesel motor vehicles or model year 2011 and newer diesel...

  12. Grain-boundary engineering applied to grain growth in a high temperature material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huda, Z.

    1993-01-01

    Crystallography of grain boundaries are determined for a high temperature material, before and after grain growth processes, so as to study the induction of special properties useful for application in components of a gas-turbine engine. The philosophy of grain-boundary engineering is applied to grain growth in APK-6, a powder formed nickel-base superalloy so as to establish the possible structure/property relationships. The alloy in the as received condition is shown to possess a strong texture and contained coincident site lattices (CSL) boundaries with most boundaries having sigma values in the range of 3 > sigma > 25. A normal grain-growth heat treatment result in a good population of low angle grain boundaries, and drastically reduces the proportion of CSL boundaries. A strong [011] annealing texture is observed after an intermediate grain growth; most grain boundaries, here, tend to be high angle indicating a possibility of possessing special properties. (author)

  13. Mobile Source Emissions Regulatory Compliance Data Inventory

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Mobile Source Emissions Regulatory Compliance Data Inventory data asset contains measured summary compliance information on light-duty, heavy-duty, and non-road engine manufacturers by model, as well as fee payment data required by Title II of the 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act, to certify engines for sale in the U.S. and collect compliance certification fees. Data submitted by manufacturers falls into 12 industries: Heavy Duty Compression Ignition, Marine Spark Ignition, Heavy Duty Spark Ignition, Marine Compression Ignition, Snowmobile, Motorcycle & ATV, Non-Road Compression Ignition, Non-Road Small Spark Ignition, Light-Duty, Evaporative Components, Non-Road Large Spark Ignition, and Locomotive. Title II also requires the collection of fees from manufacturers submitting for compliance certification. Manufacturers submit data on an annual basis, to document engine model changes for certification. Manufacturers also submit compliance information on already certified in-use vehicles randomly selected by the EPA (1) year into their life and (4) years into their life to ensure that emissions systems continue to function appropriately over time.The EPA performs targeted confirmatory tests on approximately 15% of vehicles submitted for certification. Confirmatory data on engines is associated with its corresponding submission data to verify the accuracy of manufacturer submission beyond standard business rules.Section 209 of the 1990 Amendments to the Clea

  14. Hybrid cellular automaton modeling of nutrient modulated cell growth in tissue engineering constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, C A; Lin, Tze-Hung; Chen, Shih-Di; Huang, Hsing-I

    2010-01-21

    Mathematic models help interpret experimental results and accelerate tissue engineering developments. We develop in this paper a hybrid cellular automata model that combines the differential nutrient transport equation to investigate the nutrient limited cell construct development for cartilage tissue engineering. Individual cell behaviors of migration, contact inhibition and cell collision, coupled with the cell proliferation regulated by oxygen concentration were carefully studied. Simplified two-dimensional simulations were performed. Using this model, we investigated the influence of cell migration speed on the overall cell growth within in vitro cell scaffolds. It was found that intense cell motility can enhance initial cell growth rates. However, since cell growth is also significantly modulated by the nutrient contents, intense cell motility with conventional uniform cell seeding method may lead to declined cell growth in the final time because concentrated cell population has been growing around the scaffold periphery to block the nutrient transport from outside culture media. Therefore, homogeneous cell seeding may not be a good way of gaining large and uniform cell densities for the final results. We then compared cell growth in scaffolds with various seeding modes, and proposed a seeding mode with cells initially residing in the middle area of the scaffold that may efficiently reduce the nutrient blockage and result in a better cell amount and uniform cell distribution for tissue engineering construct developments.

  15. The use of biodiesel blends on a non-road generator and its impacts on ozone formation potentials based on carbonyl emissions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chai, Ming; Lu, Mingming; Liang, Fuyan; Tzillah, Aisha; Dendramis, Nancy; Watson, Libya

    2013-01-01

    In this study, emissions of carbonyl compounds from the use B50 and B100 were measured with a non-road diesel generator. A total of 25 carbonyl compounds were identified in the exhaust, including 10 with laboratory-synthesized standards. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein were found as the most abundant carbonyl compounds emitted for both diesel and biodiesel. The sulphur content of diesel fuels and the source of biodiesel fuels were not found to have a significant impact on the emission of carbonyl compounds. The overall maximum incremental reactivity (MIR) was the highest at 0 kW and slightly increased from 25 to 75 kW. The MIR of B100 was the highest, followed by diesel and B50, which is consistent with the emission rates of total carbonyl compounds. This suggests that the use of biodiesel blends may be more beneficial to the environment than using pure biodiesel. -- Highlights: •Carbonyl compound emission from biodiesel blends combustion on a non-road generator. •25 compounds were identified, including 10 by laboratory-synthesized standards. •Sources of biodiesel have insignificant impacts on carbonyl compounds emission. •Sulphur contents have insignificant impacts on carbonyl compounds emission. •MIR of emitted carbonyls decreases in the following order: B100, diesel, B50. -- The study found that B50 resulted in lower total carbonyl emission rates and ozone formation potential resultant from these compounds, whereas both increased with B100

  16. The effect of growth factors on both collagen synthesis and tensile strength of engineered human ligaments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagerty, Paul; Lee, Ann; Calve, Sarah; Lee, Cassandra A; Vidal, Martin; Baar, Keith

    2012-09-01

    Growth factors play a central role in the development and remodelling of musculoskeletal tissues. To determine which growth factors optimized in vitro ligament formation and mechanics, a Box-Behnken designed array of varying concentrations of growth factors and ascorbic acid were applied to engineered ligaments and the collagen content and mechanics of the grafts were determined. Increasing the amount of transforming growth factor (TGF) β1 and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 led to an additive effect on ligament collagen and maximal tensile load (MTL). In contrast, epidermal growth factor (EGF) had a negative effect on both collagen content and MTL. The predicted optimal growth media (50 μg/ml TGFβ, IGF-1, and GDF-7 and 200 μM ascorbic acid) was then validated in two separate trials: showing a 5.7-fold greater MTL and 5.2-fold more collagen than a minimal media. Notably, the effect of the maximized growth media was scalable such that larger constructs developed the same material properties, but larger MTL. These results show that optimizing the interactions between growth factors and engineered ligament volume results in an engineered ligament of clinically relevant function. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Extracellular matrix and growth factor engineering for controlled angiogenesis in regenerative medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mikaël M Martino

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Blood vessel growth plays a key role in regenerative medicine, both to restore blood supply to ischemic tissues and to ensure rapid vascularization of clinical-size tissue-engineered grafts. For example, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF is the master regulator of physiological blood vessel growth and is one of the main molecular targets of therapeutic angiogenesis approaches. However, angiogenesis is a complex process and there is a need to develop rational therapeutic strategies based on a firm understanding of basic vascular biology principles, as evidenced by the disappointing results of initial clinical trials of angiogenic factor delivery. In particular, the spatial localization of angiogenic signals in the extracellular matrix is crucial to ensure the proper assembly and maturation of new vascular structures. Here we discuss the therapeutic implications of matrix interactions of angiogenic factors, with a special emphasis on VEGF, as well as provide an overview of current approaches, based on protein and biomaterial engineering that mimic the regulatory functions of extracellular matrix to optimize the signaling microenvironment of vascular growth factors.

  18. Measurement of PM and its chemical composition in real-world emissions from non-road and on-road diesel vehicles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Cui

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available With the rapid growth in the number of both non-road and on-road diesel vehicles, the adverse effects of particulate matter (PM and its constituents on air quality and human health have attracted increasing attentions. However, studies on the characteristics of PM and its composition emitted from diesel vehicles are still scarce, especially under real-world driving conditions. In this study, six excavators and five trucks that provided a wide range of emission standards and operation modes were tested, and PM emissions and their constituents – including organic carbon (OC, elemental carbon (EC, water-soluble ions (WSIs, elements, and organic species like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, n-alkanes, and hopanes – as well as steranes were analyzed and characterized. The average emission factors for PM (EFPM from excavator and truck emissions were 829 ± 806 and 498 ± 234 mg kg−1 fuel, respectively. EFPM and PM constituents were significantly affected by fuel quality, operational mode, and emission standards. A significant correlation (R2 = 0. 79, p < 0. 01 was found between EFPM for excavators and the sulfur contents in fuel. The highest average EFPM for working excavators was 904 ± 979 mg kg−1 fuel as a higher engine load required in this mode. From pre-stage 1 to stage 2, the average EFPM for excavators decreased by 58 %. For trucks, the average non-highway EFPM at 548 ± 311 mg kg−1 fuel was higher than the highway EFPM at 497 ± 231 mg kg−1 fuel. Moreover, the reduction rates were 63.5 and 65.6 % when switched from China II and III to China IV standards, respectively. Generally, the PM composition emitted from excavators was dominated by OC (39. 2 ± 21. 0 % and EC (33. 3 ± 25. 9 %; PM from trucks was dominated by EC (26. 9 ± 20. 8 %, OC (9. 89 ± 12 %, and WSIs (4. 67 ± 5. 74 %. The average OC ∕ EC ratios for

  19. 77 FR 9916 - California State Motor Vehicle and Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Mobile Cargo...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-21

    ... performance standards for engines equipped in newly purchased, leased, or rented (collectively known as... section 209 proceeding is to: Consider all evidence that passes the threshold test of materiality and... regulations also set forth in- use performance standards applicable to non-new yard and non-yard trucks. To...

  20. Engineering approach for examining crack growth and stability in flawed structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shih, C.F.

    1980-01-01

    Progress made in two research programs sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), to identify viable parameters for characterizing crack initiation and continued extension, and to develop an engineering/design methodology, based on these parameters, for the assessment of crack growth and instability in engineering structures which are stressed beyond the regime of applicability of linear elastic fracture mechanics is reported. The goal in the development of such methodology is to establish an improved basis for analyzing the effect of flaws (postulated or detected) on the safety margins of pressure boundary components of light water-cooled type nuclear steam supply systems. The methodology can also be employed for structural integrity analyses of other engineering structures

  1. Proceedings of defect engineering in semiconductor growth, processing and device technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashok, S.; Chevallier, J.; Sumino, K.; Weber, E.

    1992-01-01

    This volume results from a symposium that was part of the 1992 Spring Meeting of the Materials Research Society, held in San Francisco from April 26 to May 1, 1992. The symposium, entitled Defect Engineering in Semiconductor Growth, Processing and Device Technology, was the first of its kind at MRS and brought together academic and industrial researchers with varying perspectives on defects in semiconductors. Its aim was to go beyond defect control, and focus instead on deliberate and controlled introduction and manipulation of defects in order to engineer some desired properties in semiconductor materials and devices. While the concept of defect engineering has at least a vague perception in techniques such as impurity/defect gettering and the use of the EL2 level in GaAs, more extensive as well as subtle uses of defects are emerging to augment the field. This symposium was intended principally to encourage creative new applications of defects in all aspects of semiconductor technology. The organization of this proceedings volume closely follows the topics around which the sessions were built. The papers on grown-in defects in bulk crystals deal with overviews of intrinsic and impurity-related defects, their influence on electrical, optical and mechanical properties, as well as the use of impurities to arrest certain types of defects during growth and defects to control growth. The issues addressed by the papers on defects in thin films include impurity and stoichiometry control, defects created by plasmas and the use of electron/ion irradiation for doping control

  2. Global emission projections for the transportation sector using dynamic technology modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, F.; Winijkul, E.; Streets, D. G.; Lu, Z.; Bond, T. C.; Zhang, Y.

    2014-06-01

    In this study, global emissions of gases and particles from the transportation sector are projected from the year 2010 to 2050. The Speciated Pollutant Emission Wizard (SPEW)-Trend model, a dynamic model that links the emitter population to its emission characteristics, is used to project emissions from on-road vehicles and non-road engines. Unlike previous models of global emission estimates, SPEW-Trend incorporates considerable detail on the technology stock and builds explicit relationships between socioeconomic drivers and technological changes, such that the vehicle fleet and the vehicle technology shares change dynamically in response to economic development. Emissions from shipping, aviation, and rail are estimated based on other studies so that the final results encompass the entire transportation sector. The emission projections are driven by four commonly-used IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) scenarios (A1B, A2, B1, and B2). With global fossil-fuel use (oil and coal) in the transportation sector in the range of 128-171 EJ across the four scenarios, global emissions are projected to be 101-138 Tg of carbon monoxide (CO), 44-54 Tg of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 14-18 Tg of non-methane total hydrocarbons (THC), and 3.6-4.4 Tg of particulate matter (PM) in the year 2030. At the global level, a common feature of the emission scenarios is a projected decline in emissions during the first one or two decades (2010-2030), because the effects of stringent emission standards offset the growth in fuel use. Emissions increase slightly in some scenarios after 2030, because of the fast growth of on-road vehicles with lax or no emission standards in Africa and increasing emissions from non-road gasoline engines and shipping. On-road vehicles and non-road engines contribute the most to global CO and THC emissions, while on-road vehicles and shipping contribute the most to NOx and PM emissions. At the regional level, Latin America and East Asia are the two

  3. Adhesive protein interactions with chitosan: consequences for valve endothelial cell growth on tissue-engineering materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuy, Janet L; Beckstead, Benjamin L; Brown, Chad D; Hoffman, Allan S; Giachelli, Cecilia M

    2003-11-01

    Stable endothelialization of a tissue-engineered heart valve is essential for proper valve function, although adhesive characteristics of the native valve endothelial cell (VEC) have rarely been explored. This research evaluated VEC adhesive qualities and attempted to enhance VEC growth on the biopolymer chitosan, a novel tissue-engineering scaffold material with promising biological and chemical properties. Aortic VEC cultures were isolated and found to preferentially adhere to fibronectin, collagen types IV and I over laminin and osteopontin in a dose-dependent manner. Seeding of VEC onto comparison substrates revealed VEC growth and morphology to be preferential in the order: tissue culture polystyrene > gelatin, poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide), chitosan > poly(hydroxy alkanoate). Adhesive protein precoating of chitosan did not significantly enhance VEC growth, despite equivalent protein adsorption as to polystyrene. Initial cell adhesion to protein-precoated chitosan, however, was higher than for polystyrene. Composite chitosan/collagen type IV films were investigated as an alternative to simple protein precoatings, and were shown to improve VEC growth and morphology over chitosan alone. These findings suggest potential manipulation of chitosan properties to improve amenability to valve tissue-engineering applications. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. A nanoparticulate injectable hydrogel as a tissue engineering scaffold for multiple growth factor delivery for bone regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dyondi D

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Deepti Dyondi,1 Thomas J Webster,2 Rinti Banerjee11Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India; 2Nanomedicine Laboratories, Division of Engineering and Department of Orthopedics, Brown University, Providence, RI, USAAbstract: Gellan xanthan gels have been shown to be excellent carriers for growth factors and as matrices for several tissue engineering applications. Gellan xanthan gels along with chitosan nanoparticles of 297 ± 61 nm diameter, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, and bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7 were employed in a dual growth factor delivery system to promote the differentiation of human fetal osteoblasts. An injectable system with ionic and temperature gelation was optimized and characterized. The nanoparticle loaded gels showed significantly improved cell proliferation and differentiation due to the sustained release of growth factors. A differentiation marker study was conducted, analyzed, and compared to understand the effect of single vs dual growth factors and free vs encapsulated growth factors. Dual growth factor loaded gels showed a higher alkaline phosphatase and calcium deposition compared to single growth factor loaded gels. The results suggest that encapsulation and stabilization of growth factors within nanoparticles and gels are promising for bone regeneration. Gellan xanthan gels also showed antibacterial effects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, the common pathogens in implant failure.Keywords: bone tissue engineering, bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, hydrogel, nanoparticles, osteoblasts

  5. 40 CFR 89.903 - Application of section 216(10) of the Act.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... system) that is not used in a motor vehicle is deemed a nonroad engine if it meets the definition in... obtained by writing to the following address: Chief, Selective Enforcement Auditing Section, Engine...

  6. 40 CFR 1054.230 - How do I select emission families?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, SMALL NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES AND EQUIPMENT... control for engine operation, other than governing (mechanical or electronic). (9) The numerical level of... family. You may include dedicated-fuel versions of this same engine model in the same engine family, as...

  7. 40 CFR 90.612 - Exemptions and exclusions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... of an engine at a dealership, private use, or other purpose that the Administrator determines is not... provided the importer demonstrates to the Administrator that the engine is used to propel a nonroad vehicle...

  8. Engineering catalytic activity via ion beam bombardment of catalyst supports for vertically aligned carbon nanotube growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, A. E.; Nikolaev, P.; Amama, P. B.; Zakharov, D.; Sargent, G.; Saber, S.; Huffman, D.; Erford, M.; Semiatin, S. L.; Stach, E. A.; Maruyama, B.

    2015-09-01

    Carbon nanotube growth depends on the catalytic activity of metal nanoparticles on alumina or silica supports. The control on catalytic activity is generally achieved by variations in water concentration, carbon feed, and sample placement on a few types of alumina or silica catalyst supports obtained via thin film deposition. We have recently expanded the choice of catalyst supports by engineering inactive substrates like c-cut sapphire via ion beam bombardment. The deterministic control on the structure and chemistry of catalyst supports obtained by tuning the degree of beam-induced damage have enabled better regulation of the activity of Fe catalysts only in the ion beam bombarded areas and hence enabled controllable super growth of carbon nanotubes. A wide range of surface characterization techniques were used to monitor the catalytically active surface engineered via ion beam bombardment. The proposed method offers a versatile way to control carbon nanotube growth in patterned areas and also enhances the current understanding of the growth process. With the right choice of water concentration, carbon feed and sample placement, engineered catalyst supports may extend the carbon nanotube growth yield to a level that is even higher than the ones reported here, and thus offers promising applications of carbon nanotubes in electronics, heat exchanger, and energy storage.

  9. Lignocellulosic Biobutanol as Fuel for Diesel Engines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Pexa

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Energy recovery of lignocellulosic waste material in the form of liquid fractions can yield alcohol-based fuels such as bioethanol or biobutanol. This study examined biobutanol derived from lignocellulosic material that was then used as an additive for diesel engines. Biobutanol was used in fuel mixtures with fatty acid methyl ester (FAME obtained by esterification of animal fat (also a waste material in the amounts of 10%, 30%, and 50% butanol. 100% diesel and 100% FAME were used as reference fuels. The evaluation concerned the fuel’s effect on the external speed characteristics, harmful exhaust emissions, and fuel consumption while using the Non-Road Steady Cycle test. When the percentage of butanol was increased, the torque and the power decreased and the brake specific fuel consumption increased. The main advantage of using biobutanol in fuel was its positive effect on reducing the fuel’s viscosity.

  10. 40 CFR Appendix B to Subpart E of... - Tables

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ...) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE NONROAD COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES Exhaust Emission Test... Variable-Speed Engines Test segment Mode number Engine speed 1 Observed torque 2 (percent of max. observed... 0 5.0 0.15 1 Engine speed (non-idle): ± 2 percent of point. Engine speed (idle): Within manufacturer...

  11. 40 CFR 89.120 - Compliance with emission standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ...). (c) For each nonroad engine family, except Tier 1 engine families with rated power at or above 37 kW... representing an engine family have emissions less than or equal to each emission standard, that family complies with the emission standards. (b) If any test engine representing an engine family has emissions greater...

  12. Effects of Intermediate Ethanol Blends on Legacy Vehicles and Small Non-Road Engines, Report 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Knoll, Keith [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); West, Brian [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Clark, Wendy [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Graves, Ronald [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Orban, John [Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, OH (United States); Przesmitzki, Steve [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Theiss, Timothy [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2009-02-01

    This report (February 2009) is an update of the original version, which was published in October 2008. This report is the result of the U.S. Department of Energy's test program to evaluate the potential impacts of intermediate ethanol blends on legacy vehicles and other engines. The purpose of the test program is to assess the viability of using intermediate blends as a contributor to meeting national goals in the use of renewable fuels.

  13. Substrate engineering for Ni-assisted growth of carbon nano-tubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kolahdouz, Z.; Kolahdouz, M. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nano-electronic Laboratory, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghanbari, H. [Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mohajerzadeh, S. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nano-electronic Laboratory, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Naureen, S. [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) Kista (Sweden); Radamson, H.H., E-mail: rad@kth.se [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) Kista (Sweden)

    2012-10-01

    The growth of carbon multi-walled nano-tubes (MWCNTs) using metal catalyst (e.g. Ni, Co, and Fe) has been extensively investigated during the last decade. In general, the physical properties of CNTs depend on the type, quality and diameter of the tubes. One of the parameters which affects the diameter of a MWCNT is the size of the catalyst metal islands. Considering Ni as the metal catalyst, the formed silicide layer agglomerates (island formation) after a thermal treatment. One way to decrease the size of Ni islands is to apply SiGe as the base for the growth. In this study, different methods based on substrate engineering are proposed to change/control the MWCNT diameters. These include (i) well-controlled oxide openings containing Ni to miniaturize the metal island size, and (ii) growth on strained or partially relaxed SiGe layers for smaller Ni silicide islands.

  14. Experimental investigation and phenomenological model development of flame kernel growth rate in a gasoline fuelled spark ignition engine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salvi, B.L.; Subramanian, K.A.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Experimental measurement of the flame kernel growth rate (FKGR) in SI engine. • FKGR is the highest at MBT timing as compared with retarded and advanced timings. • FKGR decreases with increase in engine speed. • FKGR is correlated with equivalence ratio, charge density, in-cylinder pressure and engine speed. - Abstract: As flame kernel growth plays a major role in combustion of premixed-charge in spark ignition engines for higher energy efficiency and less emission, the experimental study was carried out on a single cylinder spark ignition research engine for measurement of flame kernel growth rate (FKGR) using spark plug fibre optics probe (VisioFlame sensor). The FKGR was measured on the engine at different power output with varied spark ignition timings and different engine speeds. The experimental results indicate that the FKGR was the highest with the maximum brake torque (MBT) spark timing and it decreases with increase in the engine speed. The FKGR at engine speed of 1000 RPM was the highest of 1.81 m/s with MBT timing (20° bTDC) as compared to 1.6 m/s (15° bTDC), 1.67 m/s (25° bTDC), and 1.61 m/s (30° bTDC) with retarded and advanced timing. In addition to this, a phenomenological model was developed for calculation of FKGR. It was observed from the model that FKGR is function of equivalence ratio, engine speed, in-cylinder pressure and charge density. The experimental results and methodology emerged from this study would be useful for optimization of engine parameters using the FKGR and also further development of model for alternative fuels

  15. Soil engineering facilitates Downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.) growth - A case study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Some exotic plants are able to engineer new host soils and engender characteristics that potentially increase their growth. We hypothesized that this positive feedback may be a facet in the competitiveness of the exotic annual grass downy brome. Using rhizotrons in the greenhouse, we compared the gr...

  16. 40 CFR 1048.405 - How does this program work?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Section 1048.405 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, LARGE NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Testing In-use Engines § 1048.405 How does this program work? (a) You must test in-use engines, for exhaust emissions, from the...

  17. 77 FR 497 - Control of Emissions From New Nonroad Compression-Ignition Engines: Approval of New Scheduled...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-05

    ... machine operating habit to fill the DEF at each fuel fill interval, and from a vehicle design standpoint... shut down or idle only (with no power) when no DEF is present in the DEF tank (or the system is no... manufacturers may also use a reduction in engine power or equipment utility to provide more dramatic notice that...

  18. AIR CONTAMINANT EXPOSURE DURING THE OPERATION OF LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT

    Science.gov (United States)

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated the Small Engine Exposure Study (SEES) to evaluate potential exposures among users of small, gasoline-powered, non-road spark-ignition (SI) lawn and garden engines. Equipment tested included riding tractors, walk-behind la...

  19. Data structure for estimating emissions from non-road sources

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sorenson, S C; Kalivoda, M; Vacarro, R; Trozzi, C; Samaras, Z; Lewis, C A

    1997-03-01

    The work described in the following is a portion of the MEET project (Methodologies for Estimation Air Pollutant Emissions from Transport). The overall goal of the MEET project is to consolidate and present methodologies which can be used to estimate air pollutant emissions from various types of traffic sources. One of the goals of MEET is to provide methodologies to be used in the COMMUTE project also funded by DG VII. COMMUTE is developing computer software which can be used to provide emissions inventories on the European scale. Although COMMUTE is viewed as a prime user of the information generated in MEET, the MEET results are intended to be used in a broader area, and on both smaller and larger spatial scales. The methodologies and data presented will be useful for planners on a more local scale than a national or continental basis. While most attention in previous years has been concentrated on emissions from road transport, it has become increasingly apparent in later years that the so-called off road transportation contributes significantly to the emission of air pollutants. The three most common off-road traffic modes are Air Traffic, Rail Traffic, and Ship or Marine traffic. In the following, the basic structure of the methods for estimating the emissions from these sectors will be given and of the input and output data associated with these calculations. The structures will of necessity be different for the different types of traffic. The data structures in the following reflect these variations and uncertainties. In some instances alternative approaches to emissions estimation will be suggested. The user must evaluate the amount and reliability of available data for the application at hand, and select the method which would be expected to give the highest accuracy. In any event, a large amount of uncertainty is inherent in the estimation of emissions from the non-road traffic sources, particularly those involving rail and maritime transport. (EG)

  20. 75 FR 958 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; 2002 Base Year Emission...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-07

    ... period of 2002 through 2008. The volatile organic compound (VOC) MVEB is 41.2 tons per day (tpd) and the... and recordkeeping requirements, Volatile organic compounds. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. Dated... gasoline engines, non-road diesel engines (Tier I and Tier II), marine engine standards, emission standards...

  1. Microcapsule Technology for Controlled Growth Factor Release in Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Della Porta, Giovanna; Ciardulli, Maria C; Maffulli, Nicola

    2018-06-01

    Tissue engineering strategies have relied on engineered 3-dimensional (3D) scaffolds to provide architectural templates that can mimic the native cell environment. Among the several technologies proposed for the fabrication of 3D scaffold, that can be attractive for stem cell cultivation and differentiation, moulding or bioplotting of hydrogels allow the stratification of layers loaded with cells and with specific additives to obtain a predefined microstructural organization. Particularly with bioplotting technology, living cells, named bio-ink, and additives, such as biopolymer microdevices/nanodevices for the controlled delivery of growth factors or biosignals, can be organized spatially into a predesigned 3D pattern by automated fabrication with computer-aided digital files. The technologies for biopolymer microcarrier/nanocarrier fabrication can be strategic to provide a controlled spatiotemporal delivery of specific biosignals within a microenvironment that can better or faster address the stem cells loaded within it. In this review, some examples of growth factor-controlled delivery by biopolymer microdevices/nanodevices embedded within 3D hydrogel scaffolds will be described, to achieve a bioengineered 3D interactive microenvironment for stem cell differentiation. Conventional and recently proposed technologies for biopolymer microcapsule fabrication for controlled delivery over several days will also be illustrated and critically discussed.

  2. 40 CFR 89.405 - Recorded information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... at maximum power and torque. (10) Maximum air flow. (11) Air inlet restriction. (12) Exhaust pipe diameter(s). (13) Maximum exhaust system backpressure. (c) Test data; general. (1) Engine-system...) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE NONROAD COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES Exhaust Emission Test...

  3. The interplay between tissue growth and scaffold degradation in engineered tissue constructs

    KAUST Repository

    O’Dea, R. D.

    2012-09-18

    In vitro tissue engineering is emerging as a potential tool to meet the high demand for replacement tissue, caused by the increased incidence of tissue degeneration and damage. A key challenge in this field is ensuring that the mechanical properties of the engineered tissue are appropriate for the in vivo environment. Achieving this goal will require detailed understanding of the interplay between cell proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and scaffold degradation. In this paper, we use a mathematical model (based upon a multiphase continuum framework) to investigate the interplay between tissue growth and scaffold degradation during tissue construct evolution in vitro. Our model accommodates a cell population and culture medium, modelled as viscous fluids, together with a porous scaffold and ECM deposited by the cells, represented as rigid porous materials. We focus on tissue growth within a perfusion bioreactor system, and investigate how the predicted tissue composition is altered under the influence of (1) differential interactions between cells and the supporting scaffold and their associated ECM, (2) scaffold degradation, and (3) mechanotransduction-regulated cell proliferation and ECM deposition. Numerical simulation of the model equations reveals that scaffold heterogeneity typical of that obtained from μCT scans of tissue engineering scaffolds can lead to significant variation in the flow-induced mechanical stimuli experienced by cells seeded in the scaffold. This leads to strong heterogeneity in the deposition of ECM. Furthermore, preferential adherence of cells to the ECM in favour of the artificial scaffold appears to have no significant influence on the eventual construct composition; adherence of cells to these supporting structures does, however, lead to cell and ECM distributions which mimic and exaggerate the heterogeneity of the underlying scaffold. Such phenomena have important ramifications for the mechanical integrity of

  4. A Study to Improve the Role of Nuclear Energy Technology for the National New Growth Engine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, H. J.; Oh, K. B.; Chung, W. S.; Yun, S. W.; Jeong, Ik; Lee, J. H.; Won, B. C.

    2006-04-01

    This Paper aimed at looking for the new growth engines in the nuclear R and D field which leads the national prosperity and people's welfare in the 21st Century. As new growth engines in the nuclear R and D field, 17 innovative technologies(eight nuclear energy innovation system technologies and nine radiation fusion technologies) were selected. Selected technologies were evaluated through a expert group's peer review in accordance with criteria such as the aspect of technology, economy, and national strategy. In accordance with the expected commercialization time of the innovative technologies in the leading countries, these were categorized into two or three groups and In the aspect of their technology development level, 20 ∼ 40% technological gaps were shown. According to the business aspect, it was expected that innovative nuclear technologies selected as the new growth engines would have world markets of the range of 0.01 ∼ 100 billion $/year and the sales of 0.001 ∼ 10 billion $/year. Technology development strategy was suggested through colligation of the expert survey and an innovation theory. From the viewpoint of innovation stage, most of new growth engines in the nuclear R and D field were in position of the transitional phase(world) and the adaption stage(home). It was required that process and product technologies should be standardization in accordance with each innovation stage. For the successful commercialization, it was more important that R and D capability in R and D institutions should be improved and that appropriate funding and R and D infra should be well established and supportive. The results of this study will contribute to the establishment of the effective technology development strategy in the nuclear R and D field

  5. Tissue Engineering Using Transfected Growth-Factor Genes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madry, Henning; Langer, Robert S.; Freed, Lisa E.; Trippel, Stephen; Vunjak-Novakovic, Gordana

    2005-01-01

    A method of growing bioengineered tissues includes, as a major component, the use of mammalian cells that have been transfected with genes for secretion of regulator and growth-factor substances. In a typical application, one either seeds the cells onto an artificial matrix made of a synthetic or natural biocompatible material, or else one cultures the cells until they secrete a desired amount of an extracellular matrix. If such a bioengineered tissue construct is to be used for surgical replacement of injured tissue, then the cells should preferably be the patient s own cells or, if not, at least cells matched to the patient s cells according to a human-leucocyteantigen (HLA) test. The bioengineered tissue construct is typically implanted in the patient's injured natural tissue, wherein the growth-factor genes enhance metabolic functions that promote the in vitro development of functional tissue constructs and their integration with native tissues. If the matrix is biodegradable, then one of the results of metabolism could be absorption of the matrix and replacement of the matrix with tissue formed at least partly by the transfected cells. The method was developed for articular chondrocytes but can (at least in principle) be extended to a variety of cell types and biocompatible matrix materials, including ones that have been exploited in prior tissue-engineering methods. Examples of cell types include chondrocytes, hepatocytes, islet cells, nerve cells, muscle cells, other organ cells, bone- and cartilage-forming cells, epithelial and endothelial cells, connective- tissue stem cells, mesodermal stem cells, and cells of the liver and the pancreas. Cells can be obtained from cell-line cultures, biopsies, and tissue banks. Genes, molecules, or nucleic acids that secrete factors that influence the growth of cells, the production of extracellular matrix material, and other cell functions can be inserted in cells by any of a variety of standard transfection techniques.

  6. Latent Transforming Growth Factor-beta1 Functionalised Electrospun Scaffolds Promote Human Cartilage Differentiation: Towards an Engineered Cartilage Construct

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erh-Hsuin Lim

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundTo overcome the potential drawbacks of a short half-life and dose-related adverse effects of using active transforming growth factor-beta 1 for cartilage engineering, a cell-mediated latent growth factor activation strategy was developed incorporating latent transforming growth factor-β1 (LTGF into an electrospun poly(L-lactide scaffold.MethodsThe electrospun scaffold was surface modified with NH3 plasma and biofunctionalised with LTGF to produce both random and orientated biofunctionalised electrospun scaffolds. Scaffold surface chemical analysis and growth factor bioavailability assays were performed. In vitro biocompatibility and human nasal chondrocyte gene expression with these biofunctionalised electrospun scaffold templates were assessed. In vivo chondrogenic activity and chondrocyte gene expression were evaluated in athymic rats.ResultsChemical analysis demonstrated that LTGF anchored to the scaffolds was available for enzymatic, chemical and cell activation. The biofunctionalised scaffolds were non-toxic. Gene expression suggested chondrocyte re-differentiation after 14 days in culture. By 6 weeks, the implanted biofunctionalised scaffolds had induced highly passaged chondrocytes to re-express Col2A1 and produce type II collagen.ConclusionsWe have demonstrated a proof of concept for cell-mediated activation of anchored growth factors using a novel biofunctionalised scaffold in cartilage engineering. This presents a platform for development of protein delivery systems and for tissue engineering.

  7. 40 CFR 89.105 - Certificate of conformity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certificate of conformity. 89.105... and Certification Provisions § 89.105 Certificate of conformity. Every manufacturer of a new nonroad compression-ignition engine must obtain a certificate of conformity covering the engine family, as described...

  8. 40 CFR 1039.245 - How do I determine deterioration factors from exhaust durability testing?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE NONROAD... CFR 89.112 are considered to rely on established technology for gaseous emission control, except that... factors for an engine family with established technology based on engineering analysis instead of testing...

  9. Cartilage tissue engineering: Role of mesenchymal stem cells along with growth factors & scaffolds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M B Gugjoo

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Articular cartilage injury poses a major challenge for both the patient and orthopaedician. Articular cartilage defects once formed do not regenerate spontaneously, rather replaced by fibrocartilage which is weaker in mechanical competence than the normal hyaline cartilage. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs along with different growth factors and scaffolds are currently incorporated in tissue engineering to overcome the deficiencies associated with currently available surgical methods and to facilitate cartilage healing. MSCs, being readily available with a potential to differentiate into chondrocytes which are enhanced by the application of different growth factors, are considered for effective repair of articular cartilage after injury. However, therapeutic application of MSCs and growth factors for cartilage repair remains in its infancy, with no comparative clinical study to that of the other surgical techniques. The present review covers the role of MSCs, growth factors and scaffolds for the repair of articular cartilage injury.

  10. Engineered nanomaterials for plant growth and development: A perspective analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Sandeep Kumar; Das, Ashok Kumar; Patel, Manoj Kumar; Shah, Ashish; Kumar, Vinay; Gantait, Saikat

    2018-07-15

    With the overwhelmingly rapid advancement in the field of nanotechnology, the engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have been extensively used in various areas of the plant system, including quality improvement, growth and nutritional value enhancement, gene preservation etc. There are several recent reports on the ENMs' influence on growth enhancements, growth inhibition as well as certain toxic impacts on plant. However, translocation, growth responses and stress modulation mechanisms of ENMs in the plant systems call for better and in-depth understanding. Herein, we are presenting a comprehensive and critical account of different types of ENMs, their applications and their positive, negative and null impacts on physiological and molecular aspects of plant growth, development and stress responses. Recent reports revealed mixed effects on plants, ranging from enhanced crop yield, epi/genetic alterations, and phytotoxicity, resulting from the ENMs' exposure. Creditable research in recent years has revealed that the effects of ENMs on plants are species specific and are variable among plant species. ENM exposures are reported to trigger free radical formation, responsive scavenging, and antioxidant armories in the exposed plants. The ENMs are also reported to induce aberrant expressions of microRNAs, the key post-transcriptional regulators of plant growth, development and stress-responses of plants. However, these modulations, if judiciously done, may lead to improved plant growth and yield. A better understanding of the interactions between ENMs and plant responses, including their uptake transport, internalization, and activity, could revolutionize crop production through increased disease resistance, nutrient utilization, and crop yield. Therefore, in this review, we are presenting a critical account of the different selected ENMs, their uptake by the plants, their positive/negative impacts on plant growth and development, along with the resultant ENM-responsive post

  11. The Effects of Spent Engine Oil on Soil Properties and Growth of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The effect of spent engine oil (SEO) on soil properties and growth of maize (Zea mays L.) was investigated. Five treatments (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 l/kg) of the spent oil were applied to soil in perforated poly bags with maize stands at four weeks after sowing. Soil analysis showed that SEO had no effect on both the pH and ...

  12. Strategies to engineer tendon/ligament-to-bone interface: Biomaterials, cells and growth factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Font Tellado, Sonia; Balmayor, Elizabeth R; Van Griensven, Martijn

    2015-11-01

    Integration between tendon/ligament and bone occurs through a specialized tissue interface called enthesis. The complex and heterogeneous structure of the enthesis is essential to ensure smooth mechanical stress transfer between bone and soft tissues. Following injury, the interface is not regenerated, resulting in high rupture recurrence rates. Tissue engineering is a promising strategy for the regeneration of a functional enthesis. However, the complex structural and cellular composition of the native interface makes enthesis tissue engineering particularly challenging. Thus, it is likely that a combination of biomaterials and cells stimulated with appropriate biochemical and mechanical cues will be needed. The objective of this review is to describe the current state-of-the-art, challenges and future directions in the field of enthesis tissue engineering focusing on four key parameters: (1) scaffold and biomaterials, (2) cells, (3) growth factors and (4) mechanical stimuli. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Assessment of Methane Emissions – Impact of Using Natural Gas Engines in Unconventional Resource Development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nix, Andrew [West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States); Johnson, Derek [West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States); Heltzel, Robert [West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States); Oliver, Dakota [West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)

    2018-04-08

    Researchers at the Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines, and Emissions (CAFEE) completed a multi-year program under DE-FE0013689 entitled, “Assessing Fugitive Methane Emissions Impact Using Natural Gas Engines in Unconventional Resource Development.” When drilling activity was high and industry sought to lower operating costs and reduce emissions they began investing in dual fuel and dedicated natural gas engines to power unconventional well equipment. From a review of literature we determined that the prime-movers (or major fuel consumers) of unconventional well development were the service trucks (trucking), horizontal drilling rig (drilling) engines, and hydraulic stimulation pump (fracturing) engines. Based on early findings from on-road studies we assessed that conversion of prime movers to operate on natural gas could contribute to methane emissions associated with unconventional wells. As such, we collected significant in-use activity data from service trucks and in-use activity, fuel consumption, and gaseous emissions data from drilling and fracturing engines. Our findings confirmed that conversion of the prime movers to operate as dual fuel or dedicated natural gas – created an additional source of methane emissions. While some gaseous emissions were decreased from implementation of these technologies – methane and CO2 equivalent emissions tended to increase, especially for non-road engines. The increases were highest for dual fuel engines due to methane slip from the exhaust and engine crankcase. Dedicated natural gas engines tended to have lower exhaust methane emissions but higher CO2 emissions due to lower efficiency. Therefore, investing in currently available natural gas technologies for prime movers will increase the greenhouse gas footprint of the unconventional well development industry.

  14. 40 CFR 1054.115 - What other requirements apply?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, SMALL NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES AND EQUIPMENT... § 1054.145(c), engines must meet applicable emission standards at all specified atmospheric pressures, except that for atmospheric pressures below 94.0 kPa you may rely on an altitude kit for all testing if...

  15. 40 CFR 91.607 - Test procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... weekends or holidays. (iii) If the manufacturer's service or target is less than the minimum rate specified... target. (3) Service accumulation must be completed on a sufficient number of test engines during... nonroad engine sales for the United States market for the applicable year of 7,500 or greater must...

  16. Mechanotransduction and Growth Factor Signalling to Engineer Cellular Microenvironments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cipitria, Amaia; Salmeron-Sanchez, Manuel

    2017-08-01

    Engineering cellular microenvironments involves biochemical factors, the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the interaction with neighbouring cells. This progress report provides a critical overview of key studies that incorporate growth factor (GF) signalling and mechanotransduction into the design of advanced microenvironments. Materials systems have been developed for surface-bound presentation of GFs, either covalently tethered or sequestered through physico-chemical affinity to the matrix, as an alternative to soluble GFs. Furthermore, some materials contain both GF and integrin binding regions and thereby enable synergistic signalling between the two. Mechanotransduction refers to the ability of the cells to sense physical properties of the ECM and to transduce them into biochemical signals. Various aspects of the physics of the ECM, i.e. stiffness, geometry and ligand spacing, as well as time-dependent properties, such as matrix stiffening, degradability, viscoelasticity, surface mobility as well as spatial patterns and gradients of physical cues are discussed. To conclude, various examples illustrate the potential for cooperative signalling of growth factors and the physical properties of the microenvironment for potential applications in regenerative medicine, cancer research and drug testing. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Application of chitosan scaffolds on vascular endothelial growth factor and fibroblast growth factor 2 expressions in tissue engineering principles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ariyati Retno Pratiwi

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Tissue engineering has given satisfactory results as biological tissue substitutes to restore, replace, or regenerate tissues that have a defect. Chitosan is an organic biomaterial often used in the biomedical field. Chitosan has biocompatible, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. Chitosan is osteoconductive, suitable for bone regeneration applications. Bone defect healing begins with inflammatory phase as a response to the presence of vascular injury, so new vascularization is required. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF and basic fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2 are indicators of the beginning of bone regeneration process, playing an important role in angiogenesis. Purpose: This research was aimed to determine the effects of chitosan scaffold application on the expressions of VEGF and FGF2 in tissue engineering principles. Method: Chitosan was dissolved in CH3COOH and NaOH to form a gel. Chitosan gel was then printed in mould to freeze dry for 24 hours. Those rats with defected bones were divided into two groups. Group 1 was the control group which defected bones were not administrated with chitosan scaffolds. Group 2 was the treatment group which defected bones were administrated with chitosan scaffolds. Those rats were sacrificed on day 14. Tissue preparations were made, and then immunohistochemical staining was conducted. Finally, a statistical analysis was conducted using Kruskal Wallis test. Result: There was no significant difference in the expressions of VEGF and FGF2 between the control group and the treatment group (p>0.05. Conclusion: Chitosan scaffolds do not affect the expressions of VEGF and FGF2 during bone regeneration process on day 14 in tissue engineering principles

  18. 40 CFR 1054.103 - What exhaust emission standards must my handheld engines meet?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... emission family are designed to operate. You must meet the numerical emission standards for hydrocarbons in... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, SMALL NONROAD SPARK...

  19. 40 CFR 1054.105 - What exhaust emission standards must my nonhandheld engines meet?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... emission family are designed to operate. You must meet the numerical emission standards for hydrocarbons in... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, SMALL NONROAD SPARK...

  20. NOx, Soot, and Fuel Consumption Predictions under Transient Operating Cycle for Common Rail High Power Density Diesel Engines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. H. Walke

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Diesel engine is presently facing the challenge of controlling NOx and soot emissions on transient cycles, to meet stricter emission norms and to control emissions during field operations. Development of a simulation tool for NOx and soot emissions prediction on transient operating cycles has become the most important objective, which can significantly reduce the experimentation time and cost required for tuning these emissions. Hence, in this work, a 0D comprehensive predictive model has been formulated with selection and coupling of appropriate combustion and emissions models to engine cycle models. Selected combustion and emissions models are further modified to improve their prediction accuracy in the full operating zone. Responses of the combustion and emissions models have been validated for load and “start of injection” changes. Model predicted transient fuel consumption, air handling system parameters, and NOx and soot emissions are in good agreement with measured data on a turbocharged high power density common rail engine for the “nonroad transient cycle” (NRTC. It can be concluded that 0D models can be used for prediction of transient emissions on modern engines. How the formulated approach can also be extended to transient emissions prediction for other applications and fuels is also discussed.

  1. 40 CFR 89.611 - Exemptions and exclusions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... unavailable to the public on a daily basis, display of a nonroad engine at a dealership, private use, or other... vehicle used solely for competition and obtains prior written approval from the Administrator. A...

  2. 40 CFR 89.205 - Banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Banking. 89.205 Section 89.205... EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE NONROAD COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES Averaging, Banking, and Trading Provisions § 89.205 Banking. (a) Requirements for Tier 1 engines rated at or above 37 kW. (1) A manufacturer...

  3. 40 CFR 90.205 - Banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Banking. 90.205 Section 90.205... EMISSIONS FROM NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES AT OR BELOW 19 KILOWATTS Certification Averaging, Banking, and Trading Provisions § 90.205 Banking. (a)(1) Beginning August 1, 2007, a manufacturer of a Class I engine...

  4. Engineered Photorespiratory Bypass Pathways Improve Photosynthetic Efficiency and Growth as Temperature Increases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavanagh, A. P.; South, P. F.; Ort, D. R.; Bernacchi, C.

    2017-12-01

    In C3 plants grown under ambient [CO2] at 25°C, 23% of the fixed carbon dioxide is lost to photorespiration, the energy expensive metabolic pathway that recycles toxic compounds produced by Rubisco oxygenation reactions. Furthermore, rates of photorespiration increase with rising temperature, as higher temperatures favor increased Rubisco oxygenation. Modelling suggests that the absence of photorespiration could improve gross photosynthesis by 12-55% under projected climate conditions; however, this is difficult to measure empirically, as photorespiration interacts with several metabolic pathways and is an essential process for all C3 plants grown at ambient [O2]. Introduced biochemical bypasses to the native photorespiration pathway hold promise as a strategy to mitigate the impact of temperature on photorespiratory losses. We grew tobacco containing engineered pathways to bypass photorespiration under ambient and elevated temperatures (+5°C) in the field to determine if bypassing photorespiration could mitigate high temperature induced losses in growth and physiology. Our preliminary results show that engineered plants have a higher quantum efficiency under heated conditions than do non-engineered plants, resulting in up to 20% lower yield losses under heated conditions compared to non-engineered plants. These results support the theoretical modelling of temperature impacts on photorespiratory losses, and suggest the bypassing photorespiration could be an important strategy to increase crop yields.

  5. Growth factor stimulation improves the structure and properties of scaffold-free engineered auricular cartilage constructs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata G Rosa

    Full Text Available The reconstruction of the external ear to correct congenital deformities or repair following trauma remains a significant challenge in reconstructive surgery. Previously, we have developed a novel approach to create scaffold-free, tissue engineering elastic cartilage constructs directly from a small population of donor cells. Although the developed constructs appeared to adopt the structural appearance of native auricular cartilage, the constructs displayed limited expression and poor localization of elastin. In the present study, the effect of growth factor supplementation (insulin, IGF-1, or TGF-β1 was investigated to stimulate elastogenesis as well as to improve overall tissue formation. Using rabbit auricular chondrocytes, bioreactor-cultivated constructs supplemented with either insulin or IGF-1 displayed increased deposition of cartilaginous ECM, improved mechanical properties, and thicknesses comparable to native auricular cartilage after 4 weeks of growth. Similarly, growth factor supplementation resulted in increased expression and improved localization of elastin, primarily restricted within the cartilaginous region of the tissue construct. Additional studies were conducted to determine whether scaffold-free engineered auricular cartilage constructs could be developed in the 3D shape of the external ear. Isolated auricular chondrocytes were grown in rapid-prototyped tissue culture molds with additional insulin or IGF-1 supplementation during bioreactor cultivation. Using this approach, the developed tissue constructs were flexible and had a 3D shape in very good agreement to the culture mold (average error <400 µm. While scaffold-free, engineered auricular cartilage constructs can be created with both the appropriate tissue structure and 3D shape of the external ear, future studies will be aimed assessing potential changes in construct shape and properties after subcutaneous implantation.

  6. Coupling growth-factor engineering with nanotechnology for therapeutic angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinha Roy, Rituparna; Soni, Shivani; Harfouche, Rania; Vasudevan, Pooja R; Holmes, Oliver; de Jonge, Hugo; Rowe, Arthur; Paraskar, Abhimanyu; Hentschel, Dirk M; Chirgadze, Dimitri; Blundell, Tom L; Gherardi, Ermanno; Mashelkar, Raghunath A; Sengupta, Shiladitya

    2010-08-03

    Therapeutic angiogenesis is an emerging paradigm for the management of ischemic pathologies. Proangiogenic Therapy is limited, however, by the current inability to deliver angiogenic factors in a sustained manner at the site of pathology. In this study, we investigated a unique nonglycosylated active fragment of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor, 1K1, which acts as a potent angiogenic agent in vitro and in a zebrafish embryo and a murine matrigel implant model. Furthermore, we demonstrate that nanoformulating 1K1 for sustained release temporally alters downstream signaling through the mitogen activated protein kinase pathway, and amplifies the angiogenic outcome. Merging protein engineering and nanotechnology offers exciting possibilities for the treatment of ischemic disease, and furthermore allows the selective targeting of downstream signaling pathways, which translates into discrete phenotypes.

  7. 78 FR 28497 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Ohio; Canton-Massillon 1997 8-Hour...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-15

    ... (2) the state can document that growth and control strategy assumptions for non-motor vehicle sources... finds that growth and control strategy assumptions for non-mobile sources (i.e., area, non- road, and... documented that growth and control strategy assumptions for non-motor vehicle sources (i.e. area, non-road...

  8. 78 FR 34906 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Ohio; Lima 1997 8-Hour Ozone...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-11

    ... year inventories, and (2) the state can document that growth and control strategy assumptions for non... growth and control strategy assumptions for non-mobile sources (i.e., area, non-road, and point) have not... state has documented that growth and control strategy assumptions for non-motor vehicle sources (i.e...

  9. Probing the Conformational and Functional Consequences of Disulfide Bond Engineering in Growth Hormone by Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry Coupled to Electron Transfer Dissociation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Seger, Signe T; Breinholt, Jens; Faber, Johan H

    2015-01-01

    Human growth hormone (hGH), and its receptor interaction, is essential for cell growth. To stabilize a flexible loop between helices 3 and 4, while retaining affinity for the hGH receptor, we have engineered a new hGH variant (Q84C/Y143C). Here, we employ hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrom......Human growth hormone (hGH), and its receptor interaction, is essential for cell growth. To stabilize a flexible loop between helices 3 and 4, while retaining affinity for the hGH receptor, we have engineered a new hGH variant (Q84C/Y143C). Here, we employ hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass...

  10. Heavy-Duty Diesel Fuel Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    EPA's heavy-duty diesel fuel analysis program sought to quantify the hydrocarbon, NOx, and PM emission effects of diesel fuel parameters (such as cetane number, aromatics content, and fuel density) on various nonroad and highway heavy-duty diesel engines.

  11. Mathematical Model of Growth Factor Driven Haptotaxis and Proliferation in a Tissue Engineering Scaffold

    KAUST Repository

    Pohlmeyer, J. V.

    2013-01-29

    Motivated by experimental work (Miller et al. in Biomaterials 27(10):2213-2221, 2006, 32(11):2775-2785, 2011) we investigate the effect of growth factor driven haptotaxis and proliferation in a perfusion tissue engineering bioreactor, in which nutrient-rich culture medium is perfused through a 2D porous scaffold impregnated with growth factor and seeded with cells. We model these processes on the timescale of cell proliferation, which typically is of the order of days. While a quantitative representation of these phenomena requires more experimental data than is yet available, qualitative agreement with preliminary experimental studies (Miller et al. in Biomaterials 27(10):2213-2221, 2006) is obtained, and appears promising. The ultimate goal of such modeling is to ascertain initial conditions (growth factor distribution, initial cell seeding, etc.) that will lead to a final desired outcome. © 2013 Society for Mathematical Biology.

  12. Resetting the Growth Engines of the BRICS Countries as a Reaction to the Global Crisis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iulia Monica Oehler-Șincai

    2013-01-01

    up exports and FDI as engines of economic growth, the administrative bodies at macro and microeconomic levels understood that the internal demand represents a complementary source of growth. In contrast with the most developed countries, which intensely resorted to austerity measures, the BRICS were able to adopt stimulus measures. Such Keynesian moves were possible, as the emerging countries entered the global crisis with strong macroeconomic and financial positions. As a matter of fact, the world financial and economic crisis erupted in a moment considered by the international experts as the “most prosperous” for these countries. The general measures adopted in order to stimulate the economy in the field of fiscal policy and monetary policy were combined with specific, sectoral ones. Such measures managed even to attenuate the negative effects of the global crisis at social level. Infrastructure development though public investment projects is used by the BRICS governments as one of the principal means to stimulate economic growth and jobs creation. Our paper concludes that, for the BRICS countries, the classical engines for economic growth like exports and inward FDI are complemented by additional growth engines: internal demand (spurred by the high level of remittances from abroad, the outward FDI, innovation and infrastructure development.

  13. Proposed Rule and Related Materials for Control of Emissions of Air Pollution From Nonroad Diesel Engines Control of Air Pollution From Aircraft and Aircraft Engines; Proposed Emission Standards and Test Procedures

    Science.gov (United States)

    EPA is proposing to adopt emission standards and related provisions for aircraft gas turbine engines with rated thrusts greater than 26.7 kilonewtons. These engines are used primarily on commercial passenger and freight aircraft.

  14. Methods of Monitoring Cell Fate and Tissue Growth in Three-Dimensional Scaffold-Based Strategies for In Vitro Tissue Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leferink, Anne M; van Blitterswijk, Clemens A; Moroni, Lorenzo

    2016-08-01

    In the field of tissue engineering, there is a need for methods that allow assessing the performance of tissue-engineered constructs noninvasively in vitro and in vivo. To date, histological analysis is the golden standard to retrieve information on tissue growth, cellular distribution, and cell fate on tissue-engineered constructs after in vitro cell culture or on explanted specimens after in vivo applications. Yet, many advances have been made to optimize imaging techniques for monitoring tissue-engineered constructs with a sub-mm or μm resolution. Many imaging modalities have first been developed for clinical applications, in which a high penetration depth has been often more important than lateral resolution. In this study, we have reviewed the current state of the art in several imaging approaches that have shown to be promising in monitoring cell fate and tissue growth upon in vitro culture. Depending on the aimed tissue type and scaffold properties, some imaging methods are more applicable than others. Optical methods are mostly suited for transparent materials such as hydrogels, whereas magnetic resonance-based methods are mostly applied to obtain contrast between hard and soft tissues regardless of their transparency. Overall, this review shows that the field of imaging in scaffold-based tissue engineering is developing at a fast pace and has the potential to overcome the limitations of destructive endpoint analysis.

  15. MTU locomotive drive systems for EU emissions stage IIIB

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wintruff, Ingo [MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH, Friedrichshafen (Germany)

    2011-05-15

    Emissions limits for diesel locomotives within the European Union are regulated by EU Non-road Directive 97/68/EC which places restrictions on the pollutants NOx, particulate, CO and HC. MTU has developed suitable diesel engines for EU Emissions stage IIIB. (orig.)

  16. Engineering Programs of Tomorrow: The Role of Agricultural Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Donald M.

    Due to rapid growth of societal and technological endeavors, engineers of the future will require greater technical competence. At the same time, engineering will become more people oriented with greater emphasis placed on people input into decision making. As a result, engineering education must not only provide improved technical education but…

  17. Crack Growth-Based Predictive Methodology for the Maintenance of the Structural Integrity of Repaired and Nonrepaired Aging Engine Stationary Components

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Barron, Michael

    1999-01-01

    .... Specifically, the FAA's goal was to develop "Crack Growth-Based Predictive Methodologies for the Maintenance of the Structural Integrity of Repaired and Nonrepaired Aging Engine Stationary Components...

  18. A novel methodology for non-linear system identification of battery cells used in non-road hybrid electric vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unger, Johannes; Hametner, Christoph; Jakubek, Stefan; Quasthoff, Marcus

    2014-12-01

    An accurate state of charge (SoC) estimation of a traction battery in hybrid electric non-road vehicles, which possess higher dynamics and power densities than on-road vehicles, requires a precise battery cell terminal voltage model. This paper presents a novel methodology for non-linear system identification of battery cells to obtain precise battery models. The methodology comprises the architecture of local model networks (LMN) and optimal model based design of experiments (DoE). Three main novelties are proposed: 1) Optimal model based DoE, which aims to high dynamically excite the battery cells at load ranges frequently used in operation. 2) The integration of corresponding inputs in the LMN to regard the non-linearities SoC, relaxation, hysteresis as well as temperature effects. 3) Enhancements to the local linear model tree (LOLIMOT) construction algorithm, to achieve a physical appropriate interpretation of the LMN. The framework is applicable for different battery cell chemistries and different temperatures, and is real time capable, which is shown on an industrial PC. The accuracy of the obtained non-linear battery model is demonstrated on cells with different chemistries and temperatures. The results show significant improvement due to optimal experiment design and integration of the battery non-linearities within the LMN structure.

  19. Light-optimized growth of cyanobacterial cultures: Growth phases and productivity of biomass and secreted molecules in light-limited batch growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Ryan L; McGinley, Laura L; Purdy, Hugh M; Korosh, Travis C; Reed, Jennifer L; Root, Thatcher W; Pfleger, Brian F

    2018-03-27

    Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms whose metabolism can be modified through genetic engineering for production of a wide variety of molecules directly from CO 2 , light, and nutrients. Diverse molecules have been produced in small quantities by engineered cyanobacteria to demonstrate the feasibility of photosynthetic biorefineries. Consequently, there is interest in engineering these microorganisms to increase titer and productivity to meet industrial metrics. Unfortunately, differing experimental conditions and cultivation techniques confound comparisons of strains and metabolic engineering strategies. In this work, we discuss the factors governing photoautotrophic growth and demonstrate nutritionally replete conditions in which a model cyanobacterium can be grown to stationary phase with light as the sole limiting substrate. We introduce a mathematical framework for understanding the dynamics of growth and product secretion in light-limited cyanobacterial cultures. Using this framework, we demonstrate how cyanobacterial growth in differing experimental systems can be easily scaled by the volumetric photon delivery rate using the model organisms Synechococcus sp. strain PCC7002 and Synechococcus elongatus strain UTEX2973. We use this framework to predict scaled up growth and product secretion in 1L photobioreactors of two strains of Synechococcus PCC7002 engineered for production of l-lactate or L-lysine. The analytical framework developed in this work serves as a guide for future metabolic engineering studies of cyanobacteria to allow better comparison of experiments performed in different experimental systems and to further investigate the dynamics of growth and product secretion. Copyright © 2018 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. 40 CFR 1054.125 - What maintenance instructions must I give to buyers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... schedule cleaning or changing air filters or changing spark plugs at the least frequent interval described... aftertreatment devices, pulse-air valves, fuel injectors, oxygen sensors, electronic control units, superchargers... (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, SMALL NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES AND...

  1. 40 CFR 1054.626 - What special provisions apply to equipment imported under the Transition Program for Equipment...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... EMISSIONS FROM NEW, SMALL NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES AND EQUIPMENT Special Compliance Provisions § 1054... provisions of this section and send us an annual report, as follows: (1) Notify the Designated Compliance... and manufacturing equipment. Companies that import equipment into the United States without meeting...

  2. 40 CFR 89.123 - Amending the application and certificate of conformity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... certificate of conformity. 89.123 Section 89.123 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... of conformity. (a) The manufacturer of nonroad compression-ignition engines must notify the... be made to a product line covered by a certificate of conformity. This notification must include a...

  3. Systemic treatment with CAR-engineered T cells against PSCA delays subcutaneous tumor growth and prolongs survival of mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hillerdal, Victoria; Ramachandran, Mohanraj; Leja, Justyna; Essand, Magnus

    2014-01-01

    Adoptive transfer of T cells genetically engineered with a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) has successfully been used to treat both chronic and acute lymphocytic leukemia as well as other hematological cancers. Experimental therapy with CAR-engineered T cells has also shown promising results on solid tumors. The prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA) is a protein expressed on the surface of prostate epithelial cells as well as in primary and metastatic prostate cancer cells and therefore a promising target for immunotherapy of prostate cancer. We developed a third-generation CAR against PSCA including the CD28, OX-40 and CD3 ζ signaling domains. T cells were transduced with a lentivirus encoding the PSCA-CAR and evaluated for cytokine production (paired Student’s t-test), proliferation (paired Student’s t-test), CD107a expression (paired Student’s t-test) and target cell killing in vitro and tumor growth and survival in vivo (Log-rank test comparing Kaplan-Meier survival curves). PSCA-CAR T cells exhibit specific interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-2 secretion and specific proliferation in response to PSCA-expressing target cells. Furthermore, the PSCA-CAR-engineered T cells efficiently kill PSCA-expressing tumor cells in vitro and systemic treatment with PSCA-CAR-engineered T cells significantly delays subcutaneous tumor growth and prolongs survival of mice. Our data confirms that PSCA-CAR T cells may be developed for treatment of prostate cancer

  4. Growth Factor Stimulation Improves the Structure and Properties of Scaffold-Free Engineered Auricular Cartilage Constructs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosa, Renata G.; Joazeiro, Paulo P.; Bianco, Juares; Kunz, Manuela; Weber, Joanna F.; Waldman, Stephen D.

    2014-01-01

    The reconstruction of the external ear to correct congenital deformities or repair following trauma remains a significant challenge in reconstructive surgery. Previously, we have developed a novel approach to create scaffold-free, tissue engineering elastic cartilage constructs directly from a small population of donor cells. Although the developed constructs appeared to adopt the structural appearance of native auricular cartilage, the constructs displayed limited expression and poor localization of elastin. In the present study, the effect of growth factor supplementation (insulin, IGF-1, or TGF-β1) was investigated to stimulate elastogenesis as well as to improve overall tissue formation. Using rabbit auricular chondrocytes, bioreactor-cultivated constructs supplemented with either insulin or IGF-1 displayed increased deposition of cartilaginous ECM, improved mechanical properties, and thicknesses comparable to native auricular cartilage after 4 weeks of growth. Similarly, growth factor supplementation resulted in increased expression and improved localization of elastin, primarily restricted within the cartilaginous region of the tissue construct. Additional studies were conducted to determine whether scaffold-free engineered auricular cartilage constructs could be developed in the 3D shape of the external ear. Isolated auricular chondrocytes were grown in rapid-prototyped tissue culture molds with additional insulin or IGF-1 supplementation during bioreactor cultivation. Using this approach, the developed tissue constructs were flexible and had a 3D shape in very good agreement to the culture mold (average error tissue structure and 3D shape of the external ear, future studies will be aimed assessing potential changes in construct shape and properties after subcutaneous implantation. PMID:25126941

  5. Thailand's growth rebalancing

    OpenAIRE

    Jitsuchon, Somchai; Sussangkarn, Chalongphob

    2009-01-01

    This paper reviews Thailand's structural changes, the 1997 crisis experience, and recovery and lessons from the crisis. The paper then discusses the impacts of the subprime crisis on the Thai economy and the policy responses to date. The paper ends by discussing strategies to rebalance growth by reducing the dependence on exports as the main growth engine. The recovery from the 1997 crisis left Thailand more dependent than ever on exports as the main engine of growth, with the ratio of export...

  6. Computational metabolic engineering strategies for growth-coupled biofuel production by Synechocystis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiyan Shabestary

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Chemical and fuel production by photosynthetic cyanobacteria is a promising technology but to date has not reached competitive rates and titers. Genome-scale metabolic modeling can reveal limitations in cyanobacteria metabolism and guide genetic engineering strategies to increase chemical production. Here, we used constraint-based modeling and optimization algorithms on a genome-scale model of Synechocystis PCC6803 to find ways to improve productivity of fermentative, fatty-acid, and terpene-derived fuels. OptGene and MOMA were used to find heuristics for knockout strategies that could increase biofuel productivity. OptKnock was used to find a set of knockouts that led to coupling between biofuel and growth. Our results show that high productivity of fermentation or reversed beta-oxidation derived alcohols such as 1-butanol requires elimination of NADH sinks, while terpenes and fatty-acid based fuels require creating imbalances in intracellular ATP and NADPH production and consumption. The FBA-predicted productivities of these fuels are at least 10-fold higher than those reported so far in the literature. We also discuss the physiological and practical feasibility of implementing these knockouts. This work gives insight into how cyanobacteria could be engineered to reach competitive biofuel productivities. Keywords: Cyanobacteria, Modeling, Flux balance analysis, Biofuel, MOMA, OptFlux, OptKnock

  7. 40 CFR 89.508 - Test procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... rate does not apply on weekends or holidays. (iii) If the manufacturer's service or target is less than... the manufacturer's service target. (3) Service accumulation must be completed on a sufficient number... the Administrator. (1) A manufacturer with projected nonroad engine sales for the United States market...

  8. 40 CFR 80.610 - What acts are prohibited under the diesel fuel sulfur program?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) REGULATION OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Motor Vehicle Diesel... supply, store or transport motor vehicle diesel fuel, NRLM diesel fuel, ECA marine fuel or heating oil... transport any diesel fuel for use in motor vehicle or nonroad engines that contains greater than 0.10...

  9. 40 CFR 89.908 - National security exemption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false National security exemption. 89.908... Provisions § 89.908 National security exemption. (a)(1) Any nonroad engine, otherwise subject to this part... regulations for purposes of national security. No request for exemption is necessary. (2) Manufacturers may...

  10. 40 CFR 89.307 - Dynamometer calibration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    .../weight measurement). Dynamometer manufacturer's data, actual measurement, or the value recorded from the... master load-cell for each in-use range used. (5) The in-use torque measurement must be within 2 percent... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE NONROAD COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES Emission Test...

  11. Simultaneous cell growth and ethanol production from cellulose by an engineered yeast consortium displaying a functional mini-cellulosome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Madan Bhawna

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The recalcitrant nature of cellulosic materials and the high cost of enzymes required for efficient hydrolysis are the major impeding steps to their practical usage for ethanol production. Ideally, a recombinant microorganism, possessing the capability to utilize cellulose for simultaneous growth and ethanol production, is of great interest. We have reported recently the use of a yeast consortium for the functional presentation of a mini-cellulosome structure onto the yeast surface by exploiting the specific interaction of different cohesin-dockerin pairs. In this study, we engineered a yeast consortium capable of displaying a functional mini-cellulosome for the simultaneous growth and ethanol production on phosphoric acid swollen cellulose (PASC. Results A yeast consortium composed of four different populations was engineered to display a functional mini-cellulosome containing an endoglucanase, an exoglucanase and a β-glucosidase. The resulting consortium was demonstrated to utilize PASC for growth and ethanol production. The final ethanol production of 1.25 g/L corresponded to 87% of the theoretical value and was 3-fold higher than a similar yeast consortium secreting only the three cellulases. Quantitative PCR was used to enumerate the dynamics of each individual yeast population for the two consortia. Results indicated that the slight difference in cell growth cannot explain the 3-fold increase in PASC hydrolysis and ethanol production. Instead, the substantial increase in ethanol production is consistent with the reported synergistic effect on cellulose hydrolysis using the displayed mini-cellulosome. Conclusions This report represents a significant step towards the goal of cellulosic ethanol production. This engineered yeast consortium displaying a functional mini-cellulosome demonstrated not only the ability to grow on the released sugars from PASC but also a 3-fold higher ethanol production than a similar yeast

  12. Human osteoblast cells: isolation, characterization, and growth on polymers for musculoskeletal tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Amin, Saadiq F; Botchwey, Edward; Tuli, Richard; Kofron, Michelle D; Mesfin, Addisu; Sethuraman, Swaminathan; Tuan, Rocky S; Laurencin, Cato T

    2006-03-01

    We performed a detailed examination of the isolation, characterization, and growth of human osteoblast cells derived from trabecular bone. We further examined the morphology, phenotypic gene expression, mineralization,and growth of these human osteoblasts on polyester polymers used for musculoskeletal tissue engineering. Polylactic-co-glycolic acid [PLAGA (85:15, 50:50, 75:25)], and poly-lactic acid (L-PLA, D,L-PLA) were examined. The osteoblastic expression of key phenotypic markers osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, collagen, and bone sialoprotein at 4 and 8 weeks was examined. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction studies revealed that trabecular-derived osteoblasts were positive for all markers evaluated with higher levels expressed over long-term culture. These cells also revealed mineralization and maturation as evidenced by energy dispersive X-ray analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Growth studies on PLAGA at 50:50,75:25, and 85:15 ratios and PLA in the L and DL isoforms revealed that human osteoblasts actively grew, with significantly higher cell numbers attached to scaffolds composed of PLAGA 50:50 in the short term and PLAGA 85:15 in the long term compared with PLA (p < 0.05). We believe human cell adhesion among these polymeric materials may be dependent on differences in cellular integrin expression and extracellular matrix protein elaboration. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Engineering the growth pattern and cell morphology for enhanced PHB production by Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Hong; Chen, Jinchun; Chen, Guo-Qiang

    2016-12-01

    E. coli JM109∆envC∆nlpD deleted with genes envC and nlpD responsible for degrading peptidoglycan (PG) led to long filamentous cell shapes. When cell fission ring location genes minC and minD of Escherichia coli were deleted, E. coli JM109∆minCD changed the cell growth pattern from binary division to multiple fissions. Bacterial morphology can be further engineered by overexpressing sulA gene resulting in inhibition on FtsZ, thus generating very long cellular filaments. By overexpressing sulA in E. coli JM109∆envC∆nlpD and E. coli JM109∆minCD harboring poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) synthesis operon phbCAB encoded in plasmid pBHR68, respectively, both engineered cells became long filaments and accumulated more PHB compared with the wild-type. Under same shake flask growth conditions, E. coli JM109∆minCD (pBHR68) overexpressing sulA grown in multiple fission pattern accumulated approximately 70 % PHB in 9 g/L cell dry mass (CDM), which was significantly higher than E. coli JM109∆envC∆nlpD and the wild type, that produced 7.6 g/L and 8 g/L CDM containing 64 % and 51 % PHB, respectively. Results demonstrated that a combination of the new division pattern with elongated shape of E. coli improved PHB production. This provided a new vision on the enhanced production of inclusion bodies.

  14. 40 CFR 90.508 - Test procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... service or target is less than the minimum rate specified (12 hours per day), then the minimum daily accumulation rate shall be equal to the manufacturer's service target. (3) Service accumulation shall be... nonroad engine sales for the United States market for the applicable year of 7,500 or greater shall...

  15. Tissue engineering of bladder using vascular endothelial growth factor gene-modified endothelial progenitor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Bai-Song; Xie, Hua; Zhang, Sheng-Li; Geng, Hong-Quan; Zhou, Jun-Mei; Pan, Jun; Chen, Fang

    2011-12-01

    This study assessed the use of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene-modified endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) seeded onto bladder acellular matrix grafts (BAMGs), to enhance the blood supply in tissue-engineered bladders in a porcine model. Autologous porcine peripheral EPCs were isolated, cultured, expanded, characterized, and modified with the VEGF gene using an adenovirus vector. The expression of VEGF was examined using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). VEGF gene modified EPCs were seeded onto BAMG and cultured for 3 days before implantation into pigs for bladder tissue engineering. A partial bladder cystectomy was performed in 12 pigs. The experimental group (6 pigs) received VEGF gene-modified EPC-seeded BAMG. The control group (6 pigs) received BAMG without seeded EPCs. The resulting tissue-engineered bladders were subject to a general and histological analysis. Microvessel density (MVD) was assessed using immunohistochemistry. The ex vivo transfection efficiency of EPCs was greater than 60%-70% when concentrated adenovirus was used. The genetically modified cells expressed both VEGF and green fluorescent protein (GFP). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Masson's trichrome staining of cross sections of the cultured cells seeded to BAMG showed cell attachment and proliferation on the surface of the BAMG. Histological examination revealed bladder regeneration in a time-dependent fashion. Significant increases in MVD were observed in the experimental group, in comparison with the control group. VEGF-modified EPCs significantly enhanced neovascularization, compared with BAMG alone. These results indicate that EPCs, combined with VEGF gene therapy, may be a suitable approach for increasing blood supply in the tissue engineering of bladders. Thus, a useful strategy to achieve a tissue-engineered bladder is indicated.

  16. Advanced computational approaches to biomedical engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Saha, Punam K; Basu, Subhadip

    2014-01-01

    There has been rapid growth in biomedical engineering in recent decades, given advancements in medical imaging and physiological modelling and sensing systems, coupled with immense growth in computational and network technology, analytic approaches, visualization and virtual-reality, man-machine interaction and automation. Biomedical engineering involves applying engineering principles to the medical and biological sciences and it comprises several topics including biomedicine, medical imaging, physiological modelling and sensing, instrumentation, real-time systems, automation and control, sig

  17. 40 CFR 52.2070 - Identification of plan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 16203 Limits idling for diesel on-highway and non-road engines. Rhode Island Motor Vehicle Safety and... Education and Training Center in Newport File No. 96-07-AP 3/4/1996 9/2/1997, 62 FR 46202 Alternative NOX RACT. An administrative consent agreement between RIDEM and Naval Education and Training Center in...

  18. 40 CFR 90.3 - Definitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... into commerce, by itself or in a piece of equipment, for use in a state that has established its own... nonroad engines received by such person in commerce. EPA enforcement officer means any officer, employee..., metering, and mixture of the fuel from the fuel tank to the combustion chamber(s) including the following...

  19. Microporous silk fibroin scaffolds embedding PLGA microparticles for controlled growth factor delivery in tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wenk, Esther; Meinel, Anne J; Wildy, Sarah; Merkle, Hans P; Meinel, Lorenz

    2009-05-01

    The development of prototype scaffolds for either direct implantation or tissue engineering purposes and featuring spatiotemporal control of growth factor release is highly desirable. Silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds with interconnective pores, carrying embedded microparticles that were loaded with insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), were prepared by a porogen leaching protocol. Treatments with methanol or water vapor induced water insolubility of SF based on an increase in beta-sheet content as analyzed by FTIR. Pore interconnectivity was demonstrated by SEM. Porosities were in the range of 70-90%, depending on the treatment applied, and were better preserved when methanol or water vapor treatments were prior to porogen leaching. IGF-I was encapsulated into two different types of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microparticles (PLGA MP) using uncapped PLGA (50:50) with molecular weights of either 14 or 35 kDa to control IGF-I release kinetics from the SF scaffold. Embedded PLGA MP were located in the walls or intersections of the SF scaffold. Embedment of the PLGA MP into the scaffolds led to more sustained release rates as compared to the free PLGA MP, whereas the hydrolytic degradation of the two PLGA MP types was not affected. The PLGA types used had distinct effects on IGF-I release kinetics. Particularly the supernatants of the lower molecular weight PLGA formulations turned out to release bioactive IGF-I. Our studies justify future investigations of the developed constructs for tissue engineering applications.

  20. Tissue engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Fisher, John P; Bronzino, Joseph D

    2007-01-01

    Increasingly viewed as the future of medicine, the field of tissue engineering is still in its infancy. As evidenced in both the scientific and popular press, there exists considerable excitement surrounding the strategy of regenerative medicine. To achieve its highest potential, a series of technological advances must be made. Putting the numerous breakthroughs made in this field into a broad context, Tissue Engineering disseminates current thinking on the development of engineered tissues. Divided into three sections, the book covers the fundamentals of tissue engineering, enabling technologies, and tissue engineering applications. It examines the properties of stem cells, primary cells, growth factors, and extracellular matrix as well as their impact on the development of tissue engineered devices. Contributions focus on those strategies typically incorporated into tissue engineered devices or utilized in their development, including scaffolds, nanocomposites, bioreactors, drug delivery systems, and gene t...

  1. Systems engineering research

    OpenAIRE

    Sahraoui , Abd-El-Kader; Buede , Dennis ,; Sage , Andrew ,

    2008-01-01

    International audience; In this paper, we propose selected research topics that are believed central to progress and growth in the application of systems engineering (SE). As a professional activity, and as an intellectual activity, systems engineering has strong links to such associated disciplines as decision analysis, operation research, project management, quality management, and systems design. When focussing on systems engineering research, we should distinguish between subjects that ar...

  2. Muscle Tissue Engineering Using Gingival Mesenchymal Stem Cells Encapsulated in Alginate Hydrogels Containing Multiple Growth Factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ansari, Sahar; Chen, Chider; Xu, Xingtian; Annabi, Nasim; Zadeh, Homayoun H; Wu, Benjamin M; Khademhosseini, Ali; Shi, Songtao; Moshaverinia, Alireza

    2016-06-01

    Repair and regeneration of muscle tissue following traumatic injuries or muscle diseases often presents a challenging clinical situation. If a significant amount of tissue is lost the native regenerative potential of skeletal muscle will not be able to grow to fill the defect site completely. Dental-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in combination with appropriate scaffold material, present an advantageous alternative therapeutic option for muscle tissue engineering in comparison to current treatment modalities available. To date, there has been no report on application of gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) in three-dimensional scaffolds for muscle tissue engineering. The objectives of the current study were to develop an injectable 3D RGD-coupled alginate scaffold with multiple growth factor delivery capacity for encapsulating GMSCs, and to evaluate the capacity of encapsulated GMSCs to differentiate into myogenic tissue in vitro and in vivo where encapsulated GMSCs were transplanted subcutaneously into immunocompromised mice. The results demonstrate that after 4 weeks of differentiation in vitro, GMSCs as well as the positive control human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs) exhibited muscle cell-like morphology with high levels of mRNA expression for gene markers related to muscle regeneration (MyoD, Myf5, and MyoG) via qPCR measurement. Our quantitative PCR analyzes revealed that the stiffness of the RGD-coupled alginate regulates the myogenic differentiation of encapsulated GMSCs. Histological and immunohistochemical/fluorescence staining for protein markers specific for myogenic tissue confirmed muscle regeneration in subcutaneous transplantation in our in vivo animal model. GMSCs showed significantly greater capacity for myogenic regeneration in comparison to hBMMSCs (p alginate hydrogel with multiple growth factor delivery capacity is a promising candidate for muscle tissue engineering.

  3. Novel chitosan/collagen scaffold containing transforming growth factor-β1 DNA for periodontal tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Yufeng; Cheng Xiangrong; Wang Jiawei; Wang Yining; Shi Bin; Huang Cui; Yang Xuechao; Liu Tongjun

    2006-01-01

    The current rapid progression in tissue engineering and local gene delivery system has enhanced our applications to periodontal tissue engineering. In this study, porous chitosan/collagen scaffolds were prepared through a freeze-drying process, and loaded with plasmid and adenoviral vector encoding human transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). These scaffolds were evaluated in vitro by analysis of microscopic structure, porosity, and cytocompatibility. Human periodontal ligament cells (HPLCs) were seeded in this scaffold, and gene transfection could be traced by green fluorescent protein (GFP). The expression of type I and type III collagen was detected with RT-PCR, and then these scaffolds were implanted subcutaneously into athymic mice. Results indicated that the pore diameter of the gene-combined scaffolds was lower than that of pure chitosan/collagen scaffold. The scaffold containing Ad-TGF-β1 exhibited the highest proliferation rate, and the expression of type I and type III collagen up-regulated in Ad-TGF-β1 scaffold. After implanted in vivo, EGFP-transfected HPLCs not only proliferated but also recruited surrounding tissue to grow in the scaffold. This study demonstrated the potential of chitosan/collagen scaffold combined Ad-TGF-β1 as a good substrate candidate in periodontal tissue engineering

  4. 40 CFR 1048.105 - What evaporative emission standards and requirements apply?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW, LARGE NONROAD SPARK-IGNITION... specified in § 1048.501. Diurnal emission controls must continue to function during engine operation. (d... 62 kPa (9 psi) begins to boil at about 53 °C at atmospheric pressure, and at about 60 °C for fuel...

  5. Relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystals: growth, domain engineering, characterization and applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Enwei; Cao, Wenwu

    2014-01-01

    In the past decade, domain engineered relaxor-PT ferroelectric single crystals, including (1-x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 (PMN-PT), (1-x)Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 (PZN-PT) and (1-x-y)Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-yPb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT), with compositions near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) have triggered a revolution in electromechanical devices owing to their giant piezoelectric properties and ultra-high electromechanical coupling factors. Compared to traditional PbZr1-xTixO3 (PZT) ceramics, the piezoelectric coefficient d33 is increased by a factor of 5 and the electromechanical coupling factor k33 is increased from 90%. Many emerging rich physical phenomena, such as charged domain walls, multi-phase coexistence, domain pattern symmetries, etc., have posed challenging fundamental questions for scientists. The superior electromechanical properties of these domain engineered single crystals have prompted the design of a new generation electromechanical devices, including sensors, transducers, actuators and other electromechanical devices, with greatly improved performance. It took less than 7 years from the discovery of larger size PMN-PT single crystals to the commercial production of the high-end ultrasonic imaging probe “PureWave”. The speed of development is unprecedented, and the research collaboration between academia and industrial engineers on this topic is truly intriguing. It is also exciting to see that these relaxor-PT single crystals are being used to replace traditional PZT piezoceramics in many new fields outside of medical imaging. The new ternary PIN-PMN-PT single crystals, particularly the ones with Mn-doping, have laid a solid foundation for innovations in high power acoustic projectors and ultrasonic motors, hinting another revolution in underwater SONARs and miniature actuation devices. This article intends to provide a comprehensive review on the development of relaxor-PT single crystals, spanning material discovery, crystal growth

  6. Alignment of microbial fitness with engineered product formation: obligatory coupling between acetate production and photoautotrophic growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Wei; Jongbloets, Joeri A; van Boxtel, Coco; Pineda Hernández, Hugo; Lips, David; Oliver, Brett G; Hellingwerf, Klaas J; Branco Dos Santos, Filipe

    2018-01-01

    Microbial bioengineering has the potential to become a key contributor to the future development of human society by providing sustainable, novel, and cost-effective production pipelines. However, the sustained productivity of genetically engineered strains is often a challenge, as spontaneous non-producing mutants tend to grow faster and take over the population. Novel strategies to prevent this issue of strain instability are urgently needed. In this study, we propose a novel strategy applicable to all microbial production systems for which a genome-scale metabolic model is available that aligns the production of native metabolites to the formation of biomass. Based on well-established constraint-based analysis techniques such as OptKnock and FVA, we developed an in silico pipeline-FRUITS-that specifically 'Finds Reactions Usable in Tapping Side-products'. It analyses a metabolic network to identify compounds produced in anabolism that are suitable to be coupled to growth by deletion of their re-utilization pathway(s), and computes their respective biomass and product formation rates. When applied to Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, a model cyanobacterium explored for sustainable bioproduction, a total of nine target metabolites were identified. We tested our approach for one of these compounds, acetate, which is used in a wide range of industrial applications. The model-guided engineered strain shows an obligatory coupling between acetate production and photoautotrophic growth as predicted. Furthermore, the stability of acetate productivity in this strain was confirmed by performing prolonged turbidostat cultivations. This work demonstrates a novel approach to stabilize the production of target compounds in cyanobacteria that culminated in the first report of a photoautotrophic growth-coupled cell factory. The method developed is generic and can easily be extended to any other modeled microbial production system.

  7. Vertical Search Engines

    OpenAIRE

    Curran, Kevin; Mc Glinchey, Jude

    2017-01-01

    This paper outlines the growth in popularity of vertical search engines, their origins, the differences between them and well-known broad based search engines such as Google and Yahoo. We also discuss their use in business-to-business, their marketing and advertising costs, what the revenue streams are and who uses them.

  8. Use of fibroblast growth factor 2 for expansion of chondrocytes and tissue engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vunjak-Novakovic, Gordana (Inventor); Martin, Ivan (Inventor); Freed, Lisa E. (Inventor); Langer, Robert (Inventor)

    2003-01-01

    The present invention provides an improved method for expanding cells for use in tissue engineering. In particular the method provides specific biochemical factors to supplement cell culture medium during the expansion process in order to reproduce events occurring during embryonic development with the goal of regenerating tissue equivalents that resemble natural tissues both structurally and functionally. These specific biochemical factors improve proliferation of the cells and are capable of de-differentiation mature cells isolated from tissue so that the differentiation potential of the cells is preserved. The bioactive molecules also maintain the responsiveness of the cells to other bioactive molecules. Specifically, the invention provides methods for expanding chondrocytes in the presence of fibroblast growth factor 2 for use in regeneration of cartilage tissue.

  9. Myanmar Language Search Engine

    OpenAIRE

    Pann Yu Mon; Yoshiki Mikami

    2011-01-01

    With the enormous growth of the World Wide Web, search engines play a critical role in retrieving information from the borderless Web. Although many search engines are available for the major languages, but they are not much proficient for the less computerized languages including Myanmar. The main reason is that those search engines are not considering the specific features of those languages. A search engine which capable of searching the Web documents written in those languages is highly n...

  10. Cell–scaffold interaction within engineered tissue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Haiping; Liu, Yuanyuan, E-mail: Yuanyuan_liu@shu.edu.cn; Jiang, Zhenglong; Chen, Weihua; Yu, Yongzhe; Hu, Qingxi

    2014-05-01

    The structure of a tissue engineering scaffold plays an important role in modulating tissue growth. A novel gelatin–chitosan (Gel–Cs) scaffold with a unique structure produced by three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology combining with vacuum freeze-drying has been developed for tissue-engineering applications. The scaffold composed of overall construction, micro-pore, surface morphology, and effective mechanical property. Such a structure meets the essential design criteria of an ideal engineered scaffold. The favorable cell–matrix interaction supports the active biocompatibility of the structure. The structure is capable of supporting cell attachment and proliferation. Cells seeded into this structure tend to maintain phenotypic shape and secreted large amounts of extracellular matrix (ECM) and the cell growth decreased the mechanical properties of scaffold. This novel biodegradable scaffold has potential applications for tissue engineering based upon its unique structure, which acts to support cell growth. - Highlights: • The scaffold is not only for providing a surface for cell residence but also for determining cell phenotype and retaining structural integrity. • The mechanical property of scaffold can be affected by activities of cell. • The scaffold provides a microenvironment for cell attachment, growth, and migration.

  11. Introduction to tissue engineering and application for cartilage engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Isla, N; Huseltein, C; Jessel, N; Pinzano, A; Decot, V; Magdalou, J; Bensoussan, D; Stoltz, J-F

    2010-01-01

    Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that applies the principles of engineering, life sciences, cell and molecular biology toward the development of biological substitutes that restore, maintain, and improve tissue function. In Western Countries, tissues or cells management for clinical uses is a medical activity governed by different laws. Three general components are involved in tissue engineering: (1) reparative cells that can form a functional matrix; (2) an appropriate scaffold for transplantation and support; and (3) bioreactive molecules, such as cytokines and growth factors that will support and choreograph formation of the desired tissue. These three components may be used individually or in combination to regenerate organs or tissues. Thus the growing development of tissue engineering needs to solve four main problems: cells, engineering development, grafting and safety studies.

  12. Engineering Complex Tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    MIKOS, ANTONIOS G.; HERRING, SUSAN W.; OCHAREON, PANNEE; ELISSEEFF, JENNIFER; LU, HELEN H.; KANDEL, RITA; SCHOEN, FREDERICK J.; TONER, MEHMET; MOONEY, DAVID; ATALA, ANTHONY; VAN DYKE, MARK E.; KAPLAN, DAVID; VUNJAK-NOVAKOVIC, GORDANA

    2010-01-01

    This article summarizes the views expressed at the third session of the workshop “Tissue Engineering—The Next Generation,” which was devoted to the engineering of complex tissue structures. Antonios Mikos described the engineering of complex oral and craniofacial tissues as a “guided interplay” between biomaterial scaffolds, growth factors, and local cell populations toward the restoration of the original architecture and function of complex tissues. Susan Herring, reviewing osteogenesis and vasculogenesis, explained that the vascular arrangement precedes and dictates the architecture of the new bone, and proposed that engineering of osseous tissues might benefit from preconstruction of an appropriate vasculature. Jennifer Elisseeff explored the formation of complex tissue structures based on the example of stratified cartilage engineered using stem cells and hydrogels. Helen Lu discussed engineering of tissue interfaces, a problem critical for biological fixation of tendons and ligaments, and the development of a new generation of fixation devices. Rita Kandel discussed the challenges related to the re-creation of the cartilage-bone interface, in the context of tissue engineered joint repair. Frederick Schoen emphasized, in the context of heart valve engineering, the need for including the requirements derived from “adult biology” of tissue remodeling and establishing reliable early predictors of success or failure of tissue engineered implants. Mehmet Toner presented a review of biopreservation techniques and stressed that a new breakthrough in this field may be necessary to meet all the needs of tissue engineering. David Mooney described systems providing temporal and spatial regulation of growth factor availability, which may find utility in virtually all tissue engineering and regeneration applications, including directed in vitro and in vivo vascularization of tissues. Anthony Atala offered a clinician’s perspective for functional tissue

  13. Multi-Fuel Rotary Engine for General Aviation Aircraft

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, C.; Ellis, D. R.; Meng, P. R.

    1983-01-01

    Design studies, conducted for NASA, of Advanced Multi-fuel General Aviation and Commuter Aircraft Rotary Stratified Charge Engines are summarized. Conceptual design studies of an advanced engine sized to provide 186/250 shaft KW/HP under cruise conditions at 7620/25,000 m/ft. altitude were performed. Relevant engine development background covering both prior and recent engine test results of the direct injected unthrottled rotary engine technology, including the capability to interchangeably operate on gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, or aviation jet fuel, are presented and related to growth predictions. Aircraft studies, using these resultant growth engines, define anticipated system effects of the performance and power density improvements for both single engine and twin engine airplanes. The calculated results indicate superior system performance and 30 to 35% fuel economy improvement for the Rotary-engine airplanes as compared to equivalent airframe concept designs with current baseline engines. The research and technology activities required to attain the projected engine performance levels are also discussed.

  14. Regulated and unregulated emissions from modern 2010 emissions-compliant heavy-duty on-highway diesel engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalek, Imad A.; Blanks, Matthew G.; Merritt, Patrick M.; Zielinska, Barbara

    2015-01-01

    (90 to >99%) lower than pre-2007-technology engine emissions, and also substantially (46 to >99%) lower than the 2007-technology engine emissions characterized in the previous study. Implications: Heavy-duty on-highway diesel engines equipped with DOC/DPF/SCR/AMOX and fueled with ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel produced lower emissions than the stringent 2010 emission standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They also resulted in significant reductions in a wide range of unregulated toxic emission compounds relative to older technology engines. The increased use of newer technology (2010+) diesel engines in the on-highway sector and the adaptation of such technology by other sectors such as nonroad, displacing older, higher emissions engines, will have a positive impact on ambient levels of PM, NOx, and volatile organic compounds, in addition to many other toxic compounds. PMID:26037832

  15. An assessment of the contribution of NRC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] regulatory growth to nuclear plant cost growth using engineering scope changes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cohen, S.

    1987-03-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the contribution of NRC regulations to the growth in nuclear power plant capital costs using the case study method. The two plants selected for the case studies are Florida Power and Light Company's (FP and L) St. Lucie Unit 1 (SL1) and St. Lucie Unit 2 (SL2). SL1 was constructed in the early 1970s and was granted an operating license in 1976. SL2 was constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and was granted an operating license in 1983. The information bases were the amendments to the contracts between FP and L and its architect-engineer/constructor, i.e., the ''scope changes''. These were examined and analyzed for causation, i.e., NRC-initiated or utility-initiated, and all of the costs associated with scope changes of each type were aggregated to determine the contribution of each. Although the scope changes accounted for only a small fraction of the total cost growth for either plant, they were still used to determine the relative contribution of regulatory growth to cost growth. Unexpectedly, a significantly higher percentage of out-of-scope work (approximately 84%) was attributable to NRC regulatory requirements for SL1 than SL2 (approximately 47%). These results were unexpected because SL2 was constructed during a period in which regulation was considered to be particularly unstable. However, a more detailed analysis of causation indicates that a shift occurred from an ad-hoc mode of regulation in the early 1970s to a more prescriptive process in the late 1970s. Thus the number of formal NRC requirements may not be a valid measure of regulatory stability

  16. Towards engineered branch placement: Unreal™ match between vapour-liquid-solid glancing angle deposition nanowire growth and simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taschuk, M. T.; Tucker, R. T.; LaForge, J. M.; Beaudry, A. L.; Kupsta, M. R.; Brett, M. J.

    2013-01-01

    The vapour-liquid-solid glancing angle deposition (VLS-GLAD) process is capable of producing complex nanotree structures with control over azimuthal branch orientation and height. We have developed a thin film growth simulation including ballistic deposition, simplified surface diffusion, and droplet-mediated cubic crystal growth for the VLS-GLAD process using the Unreal TM Development Kit. The use of a commercial game engine has provided an interactive environment while allowing a custom physics implementation. Our simulation's output is verified against experimental data, including a volumetric film reconstruction produced using focused ion beam and scanning-electron microscopy (SEM), crystallographic texture, and morphological characteristics such as branch orientation. We achieve excellent morphological and texture agreement with experimental data, as well as qualitative agreement with SEM imagery. The simplified physics in our model reproduces the experimental films, indicating that the dominant role flux geometry plays in the VLS-GLAD competitive growth process responsible for azimuthally oriented branches and biaxial crystal texture evolution. The simulation's successful reproduction of experimental data indicates that it should have predictive power in designing novel VLS-GLAD structures

  17. Towards engineered branch placement: Unreal™ match between vapour-liquid-solid glancing angle deposition nanowire growth and simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taschuk, M. T.; Tucker, R. T.; LaForge, J. M.; Beaudry, A. L.; Kupsta, M. R.; Brett, M. J.

    2013-12-01

    The vapour-liquid-solid glancing angle deposition (VLS-GLAD) process is capable of producing complex nanotree structures with control over azimuthal branch orientation and height. We have developed a thin film growth simulation including ballistic deposition, simplified surface diffusion, and droplet-mediated cubic crystal growth for the VLS-GLAD process using the UnrealTM Development Kit. The use of a commercial game engine has provided an interactive environment while allowing a custom physics implementation. Our simulation's output is verified against experimental data, including a volumetric film reconstruction produced using focused ion beam and scanning-electron microscopy (SEM), crystallographic texture, and morphological characteristics such as branch orientation. We achieve excellent morphological and texture agreement with experimental data, as well as qualitative agreement with SEM imagery. The simplified physics in our model reproduces the experimental films, indicating that the dominant role flux geometry plays in the VLS-GLAD competitive growth process responsible for azimuthally oriented branches and biaxial crystal texture evolution. The simulation's successful reproduction of experimental data indicates that it should have predictive power in designing novel VLS-GLAD structures.

  18. * Hierarchically Structured Electrospun Scaffolds with Chemically Conjugated Growth Factor for Ligament Tissue Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pauly, Hannah M; Sathy, Binulal N; Olvera, Dinorath; McCarthy, Helen O; Kelly, Daniel J; Popat, Ketul C; Dunne, Nicholas J; Haut Donahue, Tammy Lynn

    2017-08-01

    The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee is vital for proper joint function and is commonly ruptured during sports injuries or car accidents. Due to a lack of intrinsic healing capacity and drawbacks with allografts and autografts, there is a need for a tissue-engineered ACL replacement. Our group has previously used aligned sheets of electrospun polycaprolactone nanofibers to develop solid cylindrical bundles of longitudinally aligned nanofibers. We have shown that these nanofiber bundles support cell proliferation and elongation and the hierarchical structure and material properties are similar to the native human ACL. It is possible to combine multiple nanofiber bundles to create a scaffold that attempts to mimic the macroscale structure of the ACL. The goal of this work was to develop a hierarchical bioactive scaffold for ligament tissue engineering using connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)-conjugated nanofiber bundles and evaluate the behavior of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on these scaffolds in vitro and in vivo. CTGF was immobilized onto the surface of individual nanofiber bundles or scaffolds consisting of multiple nanofiber bundles. The conjugation efficiency and the release of conjugated CTGF were assessed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, assays, and immunofluorescence staining. Scaffolds were seeded with MSCs and maintained in vitro for 7 days (individual nanofiber bundles), in vitro for 21 days (scaled-up scaffolds of 20 nanofiber bundles), or in vivo for 6 weeks (small scaffolds of 4 nanofiber bundles), and ligament-specific tissue formation was assessed in comparison to non-CTGF-conjugated control scaffolds. Results showed that CTGF conjugation encouraged cell proliferation and ligament-specific tissue formation in vitro and in vivo. The results suggest that hierarchical electrospun nanofiber bundles conjugated with CTGF are a scalable and bioactive scaffold for ACL tissue engineering.

  19. Articular cartilage tissue engineering with plasma-rich in growth factors and stem cells with nano scaffolds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montaser, Laila M.; Abbassy, Hadeer A.; Fawzy, Sherin M.

    2016-09-01

    The ability to heal soft tissue injuries and regenerate cartilage is the Holy Grail of musculoskeletal medicine. Articular cartilage repair and regeneration is considered to be largely intractable due to the poor regenerative properties of this tissue. Due to their low self-repair ability, cartilage defects that result from joint injury, aging, or osteoarthritis, are the most often irreversible and are a major cause of joint pain and chronic disability. However, current methods do not perfectly restore hyaline cartilage and may lead to the apparition of fibro- or continue hypertrophic cartilage. The lack of efficient modalities of treatment has prompted research into tissue engineering combining stem cells, scaffold materials and environmental factors. The field of articular cartilage tissue engineering, which aims to repair, regenerate, and/or improve injured or diseased cartilage functionality, has evoked intense interest and holds great potential for improving cartilage therapy. Plasma-rich in growth factors (PRGF) and/or stem cells may be effective for tissue repair as well as cartilage regenerative processes. There is a great promise to advance current cartilage therapies toward achieving a consistently successful approach for addressing cartilage afflictions. Tissue engineering may be the best way to reach this objective via the use of stem cells, novel biologically inspired scaffolds and, emerging nanotechnology. In this paper, current and emergent approach in the field of cartilage tissue engineering is presented for specific application. In the next years, the development of new strategies using stem cells, in scaffolds, with supplementation of culture medium could improve the quality of new formed cartilage.

  20. Heterogeneous engineered cartilage growth results from gradients of media-supplemented active TGF-β and is ameliorated by the alternative supplementation of latent TGF-β.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albro, Michael B; Nims, Robert J; Durney, Krista M; Cigan, Alexander D; Shim, Jay J; Vunjak-Novakovic, Gordana; Hung, Clark T; Ateshian, Gerard A

    2016-01-01

    Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) has become one of the most widely utilized mediators of engineered cartilage growth. It is typically exogenously supplemented in the culture medium in its active form, with the expectation that it will readily transport into tissue constructs through passive diffusion and influence cellular biosynthesis uniformly. The results of this investigation advance three novel concepts regarding the role of TGF-β in cartilage tissue engineering that have important implications for tissue development. First, through the experimental and computational analysis of TGF-β concentration distributions, we demonstrate that, contrary to conventional expectations, media-supplemented exogenous active TGF-β exhibits a pronounced concentration gradient in tissue constructs, resulting from a combination of high-affinity binding interactions and a high cellular internalization rate. These gradients are sustained throughout the entire culture duration, leading to highly heterogeneous tissue growth; biochemical and histological measurements support that while biochemical content is enhanced up to 4-fold at the construct periphery, enhancements are entirely absent beyond 1 mm from the construct surface. Second, construct-encapsulated chondrocytes continuously secrete large amounts of endogenous TGF-β in its latent form, a portion of which undergoes cell-mediated activation and enhances biosynthesis uniformly throughout the tissue. Finally, motivated by these prior insights, we demonstrate that the alternative supplementation of additional exogenous latent TGF-β enhances biosynthesis uniformly throughout tissue constructs, leading to enhanced but homogeneous tissue growth. This novel demonstration suggests that latent TGF-β supplementation may be utilized as an important tool for the translational engineering of large cartilage constructs that will be required to repair the large osteoarthritic defects observed clinically. Copyright © 2015

  1. Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior and Microstructural Mechanisms in Ti-6Al-4V Manufactured by Laser Engineered Net Shaping

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    rapid manufactured Inconel 625 structures, Materials Science and Engineering A, vol. 527(29-30), pp. 7490-7497, 2010. 18 Approved for public release...4V and Inconel 718. Although porosity was observed in both laser deposited materials, their fatigue performance was found comparable to their...growth 2 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited rates of laser rapid manufactured and wrought In- 625 alloys. It was noted that fatigue

  2. Engineering CHO cells with an oncogenic KIT improves cells growth, resilience to stress, and productivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahameed, Mohamed; Tirosh, Boaz

    2017-11-01

    An optimized biomanufacturing process in mammalian cells is contingent on the ability of the producing cells to reach high viable cell densities. In addition, at the peak of growth, cells need to continue producing the biological entity at a consistent quality. Thus, engineering cells with robust growth performance and resilience to variable stress conditions is highly desirable. The tyrosine kinase receptor, KIT, plays a key role in cell differentiation and the survival of several immune cell types. Its oncogenic mutant, D816V, endows cells with high proliferation capacity, and resistance to kinase inhibitors. Importantly, this onco-KIT mutant when introduced into various cell types is arrested in the endoplasmic reticulum in a constitutively active form. Here, we investigated the effect of oncogenic D816V KIT on the performance of CHO-K1 cells under conventional tissue culture growth settings and when adapted, to shaking conditions. The onco-KIT promoted global protein synthesis, elevated the expression of a secretable transgene, enhanced proliferation, and improved the overall titers of a model glycoprotein. Moreover, the expression of the onco-KIT endowed the cells with a remarkable resistance to various stress conditions. Our data suggest that the introduction of onco-KIT can serve as a strategy for improving glycoprotein biomanufacturing. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2560-2570. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Test/QA plan for the verification testing of alternative or reformulated liquid fuels, fuel additives, fuel emulsions, and lubricants for highway and nonroad use heavy-duty diesel engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    This Environmental Technology Verification Program test/QA plan for heavy-duty diesel engine testing at the Southwest Research Institute’s Department of Emissions Research describes how the Federal Test Procedure (FTP), as listed in 40 CFR Part 86 for highway engines and 40 CFR P...

  4. Evolution of grain boundary character distributions in alloy 825 tubes during high temperature annealing: Is grain boundary engineering achieved through recrystallization or grain growth?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bai, Qin; Zhao, Qing; Xia, Shuang; Wang, Baoshun; Zhou, Bangxin; Su, Cheng

    2017-01-01

    Grain boundary engineering (GBE) of nickel-based alloy 825 tubes was carried out with different cold drawing deformations by using a draw-bench on a factory production line and subsequent annealing at various temperatures. The microstructure evolution of alloy 825 during thermal-mechanical processing (TMP) was characterized by means of the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique to study the TMP effects on the grain boundary network and the evolution of grain boundary character distributions during high temperature annealing. The results showed that the proportion of ∑ 3 n coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundaries of alloy 825 tubes could be increased to > 75% by the TMP of 5% cold drawing and subsequent annealing at 1050 °C for 10 min. The microstructures of the partially recrystallized samples and the fully recrystallized samples suggested that the proportion of low ∑ CSL grain boundaries depended on the annealing time. The frequency of low ∑ CSL grain boundaries increases rapidly with increasing annealing time associating with the formation of large-size highly-twinned grains-cluster microstructure during recrystallization. However, upon further increasing annealing time, the frequency of low ∑ CSL grain boundaries decreased markedly during grain growth. So it is concluded that grain boundary engineering is achieved through recrystallization rather than grain growth. - Highlights: •The grain boundary engineering (GBE) is applicable to 825 tubes. •GBE is achieved through recrystallization rather than grain growth. •The low ∑ CSL grain boundaries in 825 tubes can be increased to > 75%.

  5. Receptor control in mesenchymal stem cell engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalby, Matthew J.; García, Andrés J.; Salmeron-Sanchez, Manuel

    2018-03-01

    Materials science offers a powerful tool to control mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) growth and differentiation into functional phenotypes. A complex interplay between the extracellular matrix and growth factors guides MSC phenotypes in vivo. In this Review, we discuss materials-based bioengineering approaches to direct MSC fate in vitro and in vivo, mimicking cell-matrix-growth factor crosstalk. We first scrutinize MSC-matrix interactions and how the properties of a material can be tailored to support MSC growth and differentiation in vitro, with an emphasis on MSC self-renewal mechanisms. We then highlight important growth factor signalling pathways and investigate various materials-based strategies for growth factor presentation and delivery. Integrin-growth factor crosstalk in the context of MSC engineering is introduced, and bioinspired material designs with the potential to control the MSC niche phenotype are considered. Finally, we summarize important milestones on the road to MSC engineering for regenerative medicine.

  6. Engineering a Woman: Marketing Opportunities and Challenges in India

    OpenAIRE

    Mahajan, Prashant; Golahit, Suresh

    2017-01-01

    International audience; Engineering plays a key role in supporting the growth and development of a country's economy as well as in improving the quality of life for citizens. Most of developed countries witnessed economic growth with the contribution of women in engineering field. In developing countries like India women remained under-utilized resource. Women in engineering are probably the single best investment that can be made in the developing world. There is clearly room for improvement...

  7. Spectroscopic investigation on formation and growth of mineralized nanohydroxyapatite for bone tissue engineering applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gopi, D.; Nithiya, S.; Shinyjoy, E.; Kavitha, L.

    Synthetic calcium hydroxyapatite (HAP,Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) is a well-known bioceramic material used in orthopaedic and dental applications because of its excellent biocompatibility and bone-bonding ability. Substitution of trace elements, such as Sr, Mg and Zn ions into the structure of calcium phosphates is the subject of widespread investigation. In this paper, we have reported the synthesis of Sr, Mg and Zn co-substituted nanohydroxyapatite by soft solution freezing method. The effect of pH on the morphology of bioceramic nanomaterial was also discussed. The in vitro bioactivity of the as-synthesized bioceramic nanomaterial was determined by soaking it in SBF for various days. The as-synthesized bioceramic nanomaterial was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X- ray diffraction analysis, Scanning electron microscopy and Energy dispersive X-ray analysis and Transmission electron microscopic techniques respectively. The results obtained in our study have revealed that pH 10 was identified to induce the formation of mineralized nanohydroxyapatite. It is observed that the synthesis of bioceramic nanomaterial not only support the growth of apatite layer on its surface but also accelerate the growth which is evident from the in vitro studies. Therefore, mineralized nanohydroxyapatite is a potential candidate in bone tissue engineering.

  8. Intelligent Growth Automaton of Virtual Plant Based on Physiological Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Qingsheng; Guo, Mingwei; Qu, Hongchun; Deng, Qingqing

    In this paper, a novel intelligent growth automaton of virtual plant is proposed. Initially, this intelligent growth automaton analyzes the branching pattern which is controlled by genes and then builds plant; moreover, it stores the information of plant growth, provides the interface between virtual plant and environment, and controls the growth and development of plant on the basis of environment and the function of plant organs. This intelligent growth automaton can simulate that the plant growth is controlled by genetic information system, and the information of environment and the function of plant organs. The experimental results show that the intelligent growth automaton can simulate the growth of plant conveniently and vividly.

  9. 77 FR 20388 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Large Spark-Ignition (LSI) Engines...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-04

    ..., there is nothing in the opinion to suggest that the court's analysis would not apply with equal force to... written comment on issues relevant to a full section 209(e) authorization analysis, by publication of a... have the same ``geographical and climatic conditions that, when combined with the large numbers and...

  10. Use of Mathematical Methods of Statistics for Analyzing Engine Characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aivaras Jasilionis

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available For the development of new models, automobile manufacturers are trying to come up with optimal software for engine control in all movement modes. However, in this case, a vehicle cannot reach outstanding characteristics in none of them. This is the main reason why modifications in engine control software used for adapting the vehicle for driver’s needs are becoming more and more popular. The article presents a short analysis of development trends towards engine control software. Also, models of mathematical statistics for engine power and torque growth are created. The introduced models give an opportunity to predict the probabilities of engine power or torque growth after individual reprogramming of engine control software.

  11. Activist engineering: changing engineering practice by deploying praxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karwat, Darshan M A; Eagle, Walter E; Wooldridge, Margaret S; Princen, Thomas E

    2015-02-01

    In this paper, we reflect on current notions of engineering practice by examining some of the motives for engineered solutions to the problem of climate change. We draw on fields such as science and technology studies, the philosophy of technology, and environmental ethics to highlight how dominant notions of apoliticism and ahistoricity are ingrained in contemporary engineering practice. We argue that a solely technological response to climate change does not question the social, political, and cultural tenet of infinite material growth, one of the root causes of climate change. In response to the contemporary engineering practice, we define an activist engineer as someone who not only can provide specific engineered solutions, but who also steps back from their work and tackles the question, What is the real problem and does this problem "require" an engineering intervention? Solving complex problems like climate change requires radical cultural change, and a significant obstacle is educating engineers about how to conceive of and create "authentic alternatives," that is, solutions that differ from the paradigm of "technologically improving" our way out of problems. As a means to realize radically new solutions, we investigate how engineers might (re)deploy the concept of praxis, which raises awareness in engineers of the inherent politics of technological design. Praxis empowers engineers with a more comprehensive understanding of problems, and thus transforms technologies, when appropriate, into more socially just and ecologically sensitive interventions. Most importantly, praxis also raises a radical alternative rarely considered-not "engineering a solution." Activist engineering offers a contrasting method to contemporary engineering practice and leads toward social justice and ecological protection through problem solving by asking not, How will we technologize our way out of the problems we face? but instead, What really needs to be done?

  12. Software engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Sommerville, Ian

    2016-01-01

    For courses in computer science and software engineering The Fundamental Practice of Software Engineering Software Engineering introduces readers to the overwhelmingly important subject of software programming and development. In the past few years, computer systems have come to dominate not just our technological growth, but the foundations of our world's major industries. This text seeks to lay out the fundamental concepts of this huge and continually growing subject area in a clear and comprehensive manner. The Tenth Edition contains new information that highlights various technological updates of recent years, providing readers with highly relevant and current information. Sommerville's experience in system dependability and systems engineering guides the text through a traditional plan-based approach that incorporates some novel agile methods. The text strives to teach the innovators of tomorrow how to create software that will make our world a better, safer, and more advanced place to live.

  13. Crystal Growth Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheel, Hans J.; Fukuda, Tsuguo

    2004-06-01

    This volume deals with the technologies of crystal fabrication, of crystal machining, and of epilayer production and is the first book on industrial and scientific aspects of crystal and layer production. The major industrial crystals are treated: Si, GaAs, GaP, InP, CdTe, sapphire, oxide and halide scintillator crystals, crystals for optical, piezoelectric and microwave applications and more. Contains 29 contributions from leading crystal technologists covering the following topics: General aspects of crystal growth technology Silicon Compound semiconductors Oxides and halides Crystal machining Epitaxy and layer deposition Scientific and technological problems of production and machining of industrial crystals are discussed by top experts, most of them from the major growth industries and crystal growth centers. In addition, it will be useful for the users of crystals, for teachers and graduate students in materials sciences, in electronic and other functional materials, chemical and metallurgical engineering, micro-and optoelectronics including nanotechnology, mechanical engineering and precision-machining, microtechnology, and in solid-state sciences.

  14. Are women engineers in Lebanon prepared for the challenges of an engineering profession?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baytiyeh, Hoda

    2013-08-01

    This study investigates the status of women engineers in the Middle East, considering women engineers in Lebanon as a case study. The author investigated the following questions: What are the influences behind females' decisions to choose engineering as their major course of study? What are the motives behind this decision? What are the perceptions of females regarding the essential skills for a successful engineering career? An online survey consisting of Likert-scale items was completed by 327 female engineers who graduated from universities in Lebanon and now work in various locations around the world. A genuine interest in the field appeared to be the main influence in the participants' decisions to choose engineering profession. The potential for professional growth was the leading motivator for choosing engineering. Although participants reported that they possessed adequate theoretical knowledge and technical skills before graduation, in the actual practice of engineering, they noted weaknesses in creativity and innovation.

  15. Turning Engineering Green

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jamison, Andrew

    2012-01-01

    Since the 1970s, the relations between engineering and development have changed significantly. On the one hand, at a discursive or macro level, there has been a shift in regard to the kind of development to which engineering is meant to contribute, from furthering economic growth to an approach...... to development that is “sustainable” in one way or another. On the other hand, on a practitioner, or micro level, there has been a change in the kinds of competence that engineers are expected to have in order to be able to contribute to development, due to the emergence of new fields of “technoscience” blurring...... the boundaries between what was previously considered science and what was previously considered technology. Finally, in between, at an institutional or meso level, there have been significant changes in how engineering work and engineering education are organized. This chapter attempts to provide an overview...

  16. Tumor Engineering: The Other Face of Tissue Engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghajar, Cyrus M; Bissell, Mina J

    2010-03-09

    cancer, the training grounds have largely consisted of small rodents, despite marked differences between human and mouse physiology, or plastic dishes, even though just like our tissues and organs most tumors exist within three-dimensional proteinacious milieus. One could argue that this is comparable to training for a desert war in the arctic. In this special issue of tissue engineering, Fischbach-Teschl and colleagues build a strong case for engineering complex cultures analogous to normal organs to tractably model aspects of the human tumor microenvironment that simply cannot be reproduced with traditional two-dimensional cell culture techniques and that cannot be studied in a controlled fashion in vivo. This idea has gained considerable traction of late as concepts presented and convincingly shown years ago have only now begun to be appreciated. Perhaps, then, it is time to organize those who wish to build complex tumor models to study cancer biology under a common umbrella. Accordingly, we propose that tumor engineering be defined as the construction of complex culture models that recapitulate aspects of the in vivo tumor microenvironment to study the dynamics of tumor development, progression, and therapy on multiple scales. Inherent in this definition is the collaboration that must occur between physical and life scientists to guide the design of patterning techniques, materials, and imaging modalities for the study of cancer from the subcellular to tissue level in physiologically relevant contexts. To date, the most successful tissue engineering approaches have employed methods that recapitulate the composition, architecture, and/or chemical presentation of native tissue. For instance, induction of blood vessel growth for therapeutic purposes has been achieved with sequential release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet derived growth factor to induce and stabilize blood vessels. This approach imitates that which occurs during physiological

  17. Engineering an Obligate Photoautotrophic Cyanobacterium to Utilize Glycerol for Growth and Chemical Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanno, Masahiro; Atsumi, Shota

    2017-01-20

    Cyanobacteria have attracted much attention as a means to directly recycle carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals that are currently produced from petroleum. However, the titers and productivities achieved are still far below the level required in industry. To make a more industrially applicable production scheme, glycerol, a byproduct of biodiesel production, can be used as an additional carbon source for photomixotrophic chemical production. Glycerol is an ideal candidate due to its availability and low cost. In this study, we found that a heterologous glycerol respiratory pathway enabled Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 to utilize extracellular glycerol. The engineered strain produced 761 mg/L of 2,3-butanediol in 48 h with a 290% increase over the control strain under continuous light conditions. Glycerol supplementation also allowed for continuous cell growth and 2,3-butanediol production in diurnal light conditions. These results highlight the potential of glycerol as an additional carbon source for photomixotrophic chemical production in cyanobacteria.

  18. Online quantitative monitoring of live cell engineered cartilage growth using diffuse fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergholt, Mads S; Albro, Michael B; Stevens, Molly M

    2017-09-01

    Tissue engineering (TE) has the potential to improve the outcome for patients with osteoarthritis (OA). The successful clinical translation of this technique as part of a therapy requires the ability to measure extracellular matrix (ECM) production of engineered tissues in vitro, in order to ensure quality control and improve the likelihood of tissue survival upon implantation. Conventional techniques for assessing the ECM content of engineered cartilage, such as biochemical assays and histological staining are inherently destructive. Raman spectroscopy, on the other hand, represents a non-invasive technique for in situ biochemical characterization. Here, we outline current roadblocks in translational Raman spectroscopy in TE and introduce a comprehensive workflow designed to non-destructively monitor and quantify ECM biomolecules in large (>3 mm), live cell TE constructs online. Diffuse near-infrared fiber-optic Raman spectra were measured from live cell cartilaginous TE constructs over a 56-day culturing period. We developed a multivariate curve resolution model that enabled quantitative biochemical analysis of the TE constructs. Raman spectroscopy was able to non-invasively quantify the ECM components and showed an excellent correlation with biochemical assays for measurement of collagen (R 2  = 0.84) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) (R 2  = 0.86). We further demonstrated the robustness of this technique for online prospective analysis of live cell TE constructs. The fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy strategy developed in this work offers the ability to non-destructively monitor construct growth online and can be adapted to a broad range of TE applications in regenerative medicine toward controlled clinical translation. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  19. [Regeneration of autologous tissue-engineered cartilage by using basic-fibroblast growth factor in vitro culture].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Xiao-bang; Cheng, Ning-xin; Chen, Bing; Xia, Wan-yao; Cui, Lei; Liu, Wei; Cao, Yi-lin

    2004-05-01

    To investigate the effect of the basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) to regenerate an autologous tissue-engineered cartilage in vitro. The Cells were harvested from the elastic auricular cartilage of swine,and were plated at the concentration of 1 x 10(4) cells/cm2 , studied in vitro at two different media enviroments: Group I contained Ham's F-12 with supplements and b-FGF, Group II contained Ham's F-12 only with supplements. The passage 2 cells (after 12.75 +/- 1.26 days) were harvested and mixed with 30% pluronic F-127/Ham's F-12 at the concentration of 50 x 10(6) cells/ml. It was injected subcutaneously at 0.5 ml per implant. The implants were harvested 8 weeks after the vivo culture and examined with the histological stains. The chondrocytes displayed morphologically similar to the fibroblasts in the media containing basic-FGF. The number of cell doublings (after 12.75 +/- 1.26 days) in vitro culture was as the following: Group I, 70; Group II, 5.4. Eight 8 weeks after the vivo autologous implantation, the average weight (g) and volume (cm3) in each group was as the following: Group I, 0.371 g/0.370 cm3 Group II, 0.179 g/0.173 cm3 (P < 0.01). With the b-FGF in vitro culture, the cells were expanded by 70 times after 2 weeks. Histologically, all of the engineered cartilage in the two groups were similar to the native elastic cartilage. These results indicate that the basic-FGF could be used positively to enhance the quality and quantity of the seeding cells for the generation of the well-engineered cartilage.

  20. Fabrication and characterization of a novel microparticle with gyrus-patterned surface and growth factor delivery for cartilage tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang Sha [Department of Oral Histology and Pathology, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Research and Development Center for Tissue Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Wang Yijuan [Key Laboratory for Macromolecular Science of Shaanxi Province, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi' an 710062 (China); Liang Tang [Department of Oral Histology and Pathology, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Research and Development Center for Tissue Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Jin Fang [Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Liu Shouxin [Key Laboratory for Macromolecular Science of Shaanxi Province, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi' an 710062 (China); Jin Yan, E-mail: yanjin@fmmu.edu.cn [Department of Oral Histology and Pathology, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Research and Development Center for Tissue Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China)

    2009-05-05

    Microparticles can serve as substrates for cell amplification and deliver the expanded cells to the site of the defect. It was hypothesized that a novel microparticle combined of sustained and localized delivery of proliferative growth factors and gyrus-patterned surface would influence the cell behaviours of adherence and expansion on the microparticle in the present study. To test the hypothesis, gelatin particles with diameter ranging from 280 to 350 {mu}m were fabricated and were modified by cryogenic freeze-drying treatment and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) incorporation. The results of in vitro chondrocyte culture illustrated that cells could proliferate more obviously on the microparticles with bFGF addition, but no correlation between attachment rate and bFGF was observed. On the other hand, microparticles with gyrus-patterned surface demonstrated the highest cell attachment rate and higher rate of cell growth, in particular on bFGF combined ones. It seems to be a promising candidate as a chondrocyte microparticle and could be the potential application in cartilage tissue engineering.

  1. Fabrication and characterization of a novel microparticle with gyrus-patterned surface and growth factor delivery for cartilage tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Sha; Wang Yijuan; Liang Tang; Jin Fang; Liu Shouxin; Jin Yan

    2009-01-01

    Microparticles can serve as substrates for cell amplification and deliver the expanded cells to the site of the defect. It was hypothesized that a novel microparticle combined of sustained and localized delivery of proliferative growth factors and gyrus-patterned surface would influence the cell behaviours of adherence and expansion on the microparticle in the present study. To test the hypothesis, gelatin particles with diameter ranging from 280 to 350 μm were fabricated and were modified by cryogenic freeze-drying treatment and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) incorporation. The results of in vitro chondrocyte culture illustrated that cells could proliferate more obviously on the microparticles with bFGF addition, but no correlation between attachment rate and bFGF was observed. On the other hand, microparticles with gyrus-patterned surface demonstrated the highest cell attachment rate and higher rate of cell growth, in particular on bFGF combined ones. It seems to be a promising candidate as a chondrocyte microparticle and could be the potential application in cartilage tissue engineering.

  2. Home | Society of Women Engineers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Public Policy sweSwag History International Member Services Event Funding I AM WITH SWE Governance img a fellow woman engineer's growth and success. Donate Now img Join Join SWE Today! I AM WITH SWE When Engineers 05/07/18 Year of the Woman - Back to the Future in 2018? 04/27/18 SWE Magazine: Shaping Tomorrow's

  3. Assessment of growth factor treatment on fibrochondrocyte and chondrocyte co-cultures for TMJ fibrocartilage engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalpakci, Kerem N; Kim, Eric J; Athanasiou, Kyriacos A

    2011-04-01

    Treatments for patients suffering from severe temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction are limited, motivating the development of strategies for tissue regeneration. In this study, co-cultures of fibrochondrocytes (FCs) and articular chondrocytes (ACs) were seeded in agarose wells, and supplemented with growth factors, to engineer tissue with biomechanical properties and extracellular matrix composition similar to native TMJ fibrocartilage. In the first phase, growth factors were applied alone and in combination, in the presence or absence of serum, while in the second phase, the best overall treatment was applied at intermittent dosing. Continuous treatment of AC/FC co-cultures with TGF-β1 in serum-free medium resulted in constructs with glycosaminoglycan/wet weight ratios (12.2%), instantaneous compressive moduli (790 kPa), relaxed compressive moduli (120 kPa) and Young's moduli (1.87 MPa) that overlap with native TMJ disc values. Among co-culture groups, TGF-β1 treatment increased collagen deposition ∼20%, compressive stiffness ∼130% and Young's modulus ∼170% relative to controls without growth factor. Serum supplementation, though generally detrimental to functional properties, was identified as a powerful mediator of FC construct morphology. Finally, both intermittent and continuous TGF-β1 treatment showed positive effects, though continuous treatment resulted in greater enhancement of construct functional properties. This work proposes a strategy for regeneration of TMJ fibrocartilage and its future application will be realized through translation of these findings to clinically viable cell sources. Copyright © 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Biomedical engineering education--status and perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magjarevic, Ratko; Zequera Diaz, Martha L

    2014-01-01

    Biomedical Engineering programs are present at a large number of universities all over the world with an increasing trend. New generations of biomedical engineers have to face the challenges of health care systems round the world which need a large number of professionals not only to support the present technology in the health care system but to develop new devices and services. Health care stakeholders would like to have innovative solutions directed towards solving problems of the world growing incidence of chronic disease and ageing population. These new solutions have to meet the requirements for continuous monitoring, support or care outside clinical settlements. Presence of these needs can be tracked through data from the Labor Organization in the U.S. showing that biomedical engineering jobs have the largest growth at the engineering labor market with expected 72% growth rate in the period from 2008-2018. In European Union the number of patents (i.e. innovation) is the highest in the category of biomedical technology. Biomedical engineering curricula have to adopt to the new needs and for expectations of the future. In this paper we want to give an overview of engineering professions in related to engineering in medicine and biology and the current status of BME education in some regions, as a base for further discussions.

  5. Global Software Engineering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ebert, Christof; Kuhrmann, Marco; Prikladnicki, Rafael

    2016-01-01

    SOFTWARE, LIKE ALL industry products, is the result of complex multinational supply chains with many partners from concept to development to production and maintenance. Global software engineering (GSE), IT outsourcing, and business process outsourcing during the past decade have showed growth...... rates of 10 to 20 percent per year. This instalment of Practitioner’s Digest summarizes experiences and guidance from industry to facilitate knowledge and technology transfer for GSE. It’s based on industry feedback from the annual IEEE International Conference on Global Software Engineering, which had...

  6. Effects of Intermediate Ethanol Blends on Legacy Vehicles and Small Non‑Road Engines, Report 1 - Updated

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Knoll, Keith [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); West, Brian H [ORNL; Clark, Wendy [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); Graves, Ronald L [ORNL; Orban, John [Battelle, Columbus; Przesmitzki, Steve [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); Theiss, Timothy J [ORNL

    2009-02-01

    In summer 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiated a test program to evaluate the potential impacts of intermediate ethanol blends on legacy vehicles and other engines. The purpose of the test program is to assess the viability of using intermediate blends as a contributor to meeting national goals in the use of renewable fuels. Through a wide range of experimental activities, DOE is evaluating the effects of E15 and E20--gasoline blended with 15 and 20% ethanol--on tailpipe and evaporative emissions, catalyst and engine durability, vehicle driveability, engine operability, and vehicle and engine materials. This first report provides the results available to date from the first stages of a much larger overall test program. Results from additional projects that are currently underway or in the planning stages are not included in this first report. The purpose of this initial study was to quickly investigate the effects of adding up to 20% ethanol to gasoline on the following: (1) Regulated tailpipe emissions for 13 popular late model vehicles on a drive cycle similar to real-world driving and 28 small non-road engines (SNREs) under certification or typical in use procedures. (2) Exhaust and catalyst temperatures of the same vehicles under more severe conditions. (3) Temperature of key engine components of the same SNREs under certification or typical in-use conditions. (4) Observable operational issues with either the vehicles or SNREs during the course of testing. As discussed in the concluding section of this report, a wide range of additional studies are underway or planned to consider the effects of intermediate ethanol blends on materials, emissions, durability, and driveability of vehicles, as well as impacts on a wider range of nonautomotive engines, including marine applications, snowmobiles, and motorcycles. Section 1 (Introduction) gives background on the test program and describes collaborations with industry and agencies to date. Section 2

  7. Employment and Growth | Page 36 | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    As an engine of economic growth, private enterprise plays an important role in combatting ... In helping developing countries pursue private sector development ... India's rapid economic growth has reduced extreme poverty in the country.

  8. A theory of economic growth with material/energy resources and dematerialization: interaction of three growth mechanisms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ayes, R.U.; van den Bergh, J.C.J.M.

    2005-01-01

    The nature of energy and material resources in a non-optimizing growth theory framework is clarified. This involves two modifications of the conventional theory. Firstly, multiple feedback mechanisms or "growth engines" are identified, such that the impact of the cost of production through demand on

  9. Recommendation systems in software engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Robillard, Martin P; Walker, Robert J; Zimmermann, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    With the growth of public and private data stores and the emergence of off-the-shelf data-mining technology, recommendation systems have emerged that specifically address the unique challenges of navigating and interpreting software engineering data.This book collects, structures and formalizes knowledge on recommendation systems in software engineering. It adopts a pragmatic approach with an explicit focus on system design, implementation, and evaluation. The book is divided into three parts: "Part I - Techniques" introduces basics for building recommenders in software engineering, including techniques for collecting and processing software engineering data, but also for presenting recommendations to users as part of their workflow.?"Part II - Evaluation" summarizes methods and experimental designs for evaluating recommendations in software engineering.?"Part III - Applications" describes needs, issues and solution concepts involved in entire recommendation systems for specific software engineering tasks, fo...

  10. Accounting engineering for sustainable development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sidornya A.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the sustainable development of industrial enterprises in Russia, accounting for sustainable industrial growth of the national economy, tools of accounting engineering aimed at creating an information basis of transformation the Russian economic model to knowledge based economy. The proposed mechanism of ownership control of industrial enterprises in the context of long-term planning of the national economy. Theoretical bases of accounting engineering, its tools are defined. A brief review of the literature on the problem of accounting engineering is provided. A practical example of the application of the accounting engineering logic for the industrial enterprise is reviewed. It describes the research results obtained during the last 25 years of Russian scientific school of accounting engineering. Conclusions and recommendations on the use of accounting engineering to sustainable development of the Russian economy are formulated.

  11. An engineering thermodynamic approach to select the electromagnetic wave effective on cell growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucia, Umberto; Grisolia, Giulia; Ponzetto, Antonio; Silvagno, Francesca

    2017-09-21

    To date, the choice of the characteristics of the extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field beneficial in proliferative disorders is still empirical. In order to make the ELF interaction selective, we applied the thermodynamic and biochemical principles to the analysis of the thermo-chemical output generated by the cell in the environment. The theoretical approach applied an engineering bio-thermodynamic approach recently developed in order to obtain a physical-mathematical model that calculated the frequency of the field able to maximize the mean entropy changes as a function of cellular parameters. The combined biochemical approach envisioned the changes of entropy as a metabolic shift leading to a reduction of cell growth. The proliferation of six human cancer cell lines was evaluated as the output signal able to confirm the correctness of the mathematical model. By considering the cell as a reactive system able to respond to the unbalancing external stimuli, for the first time we could calculate and validate the frequencies of the field specifically effective on distinct cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Computational modeling of adherent cell growth in a hollow-fiber membrane bioreactor for large-scale 3-D bone tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohebbi-Kalhori, Davod; Behzadmehr, Amin; Doillon, Charles J; Hadjizadeh, Afra

    2012-09-01

    The use of hollow-fiber membrane bioreactors (HFMBs) has been proposed for three-dimensional bone tissue growth at the clinical scale. However, to achieve an efficient HFMB design, the relationship between cell growth and environmental conditions must be determined. Therefore, in this work, a dynamic double-porous media model was developed to determine nutrient-dependent cell growth for bone tissue formation in a HFMB. The whole hollow-fiber scaffold within the bioreactor was treated as a porous domain in this model. The domain consisted of two interpenetrating porous regions, including a porous lumen region available for fluid flow and a porous extracapillary space filled with a collagen gel that contained adherent cells for promoting long-term growth into tissue-like mass. The governing equations were solved numerically and the model was validated using previously published experimental results. The contributions of several bioreactor design and process parameters to the performance of the bioreactor were studied. The results demonstrated that the process and design parameters of the HFMB significantly affect nutrient transport and thus cell behavior over a long period of culture. The approach presented here can be applied to any cell type and used to develop tissue engineering hollow-fiber scaffolds.

  13. 77 FR 72846 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; In-Use Portable Diesel Engines 50...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-06

    ...: consider all evidence that passes the threshold test of materiality and * * * thereafter assess such... Reasons for Proposed Rulemaking, Appendix G: Economic Impact Analysis Methodology,'' January 2004, EPA-HQ...

  14. 78 FR 36369 - Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle, and Nonroad Technical Amendments

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-17

    ... model year compliance, better align testing procedures to market realities, and reduce unnecessary...: www.regulations.gov : Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. Email: a-and-r-docket..., U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building, Ground Floor, Rm. W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue...

  15. 78 FR 49963 - Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle and Nonroad Technical Amendments

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-16

    ... future model year in which your average CO 2 level exceeds the standard. You may trade credits to another..., Confidential business information, Environmental protection, Incorporation by reference, Labeling, Motor... Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure, Air pollution control, Confidential business...

  16. 78 FR 36135 - Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle, and Nonroad Technical Amendments

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-17

    ... Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC, Attention Docket..., Assessment and Standards Division, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105; telephone number: 734... further divided into subsections related to specific parts of the Code of Federal Regulations. B. Proposed...

  17. Ion beam assisted film growth

    CERN Document Server

    Itoh, T

    2012-01-01

    This volume provides up to date information on the experimental, theoretical and technological aspects of film growth assisted by ion beams.Ion beam assisted film growth is one of the most effective techniques in aiding the growth of high-quality thin solid films in a controlled way. Moreover, ion beams play a dominant role in the reduction of the growth temperature of thin films of high melting point materials. In this way, ion beams make a considerable and complex contribution to film growth. The volume will be essential reading for scientists, engineers and students working in thi

  18. An engineered transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) monomer that functions as a dominant negative to block TGF-β signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sun Kyung; Barron, Lindsey; Hinck, Cynthia S.; Petrunak, Elyse M.; Cano, Kristin E.; Thangirala, Avinash; Iskra, Brian; Brothers, Molly; Vonberg, Machell; Leal, Belinda; Richter, Blair; Kodali, Ravindra; Taylor, Alexander B.; Du, Shoucheng; Barnes, Christopher O.; Sulea, Traian; Calero, Guillermo; Hart, P. John; Hart, Matthew J.; Demeler, Borries; Hinck, Andrew P. (Texas-HSC); (NRCC); (Pitt)

    2017-02-22

    The transforming growth factor β isoforms, TGF-β1, -β2, and -β3, are small secreted homodimeric signaling proteins with essential roles in regulating the adaptive immune system and maintaining the extracellular matrix. However, dysregulation of the TGF-β pathway is responsible for promoting the progression of several human diseases, including cancer and fibrosis. Despite the known importance of TGF-βs in promoting disease progression, no inhibitors have been approved for use in humans. Herein, we describe an engineered TGF-β monomer, lacking the heel helix, a structural motif essential for binding the TGF-β type I receptor (TβRI) but dispensable for binding the other receptor required for TGF-β signaling, the TGF-β type II receptor (TβRII), as an alternative therapeutic modality for blocking TGF-β signaling in humans. As shown through binding studies and crystallography, the engineered monomer retained the same overall structure of native TGF-β monomers and bound TβRII in an identical manner. Cell-based luciferase assays showed that the engineered monomer functioned as a dominant negative to inhibit TGF-β signaling with a Ki of 20–70 nM. Investigation of the mechanism showed that the high affinity of the engineered monomer for TβRII, coupled with its reduced ability to non-covalently dimerize and its inability to bind and recruit TβRI, enabled it to bind endogenous TβRII but prevented it from binding and recruiting TβRI to form a signaling complex. Such engineered monomers provide a new avenue to probe and manipulate TGF-β signaling and may inform similar modifications of other TGF-β family members.

  19. Engineering and physical sciences in oncology: challenges and opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Michael J; Jain, Rakesh K; Langer, Robert

    2017-11-01

    The principles of engineering and physics have been applied to oncology for nearly 50 years. Engineers and physical scientists have made contributions to all aspects of cancer biology, from quantitative understanding of tumour growth and progression to improved detection and treatment of cancer. Many early efforts focused on experimental and computational modelling of drug distribution, cell cycle kinetics and tumour growth dynamics. In the past decade, we have witnessed exponential growth at the interface of engineering, physics and oncology that has been fuelled by advances in fields including materials science, microfabrication, nanomedicine, microfluidics, imaging, and catalysed by new programmes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), Physical Sciences in Oncology, and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Alliance for Nanotechnology. Here, we review the advances made at the interface of engineering and physical sciences and oncology in four important areas: the physical microenvironment of the tumour and technological advances in drug delivery; cellular and molecular imaging; and microfluidics and microfabrication. We discussthe research advances, opportunities and challenges for integrating engineering and physical sciences with oncology to develop new methods to study, detect and treat cancer, and we also describe the future outlook for these emerging areas.

  20. Perspectives for Cell-homing Approaches to Engineer Dental Pulp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galler, Kerstin M; Widbiller, Matthias

    2017-09-01

    Sufficient proof is available today to demonstrate that dental pulp tissue engineering is possible. The body of evidence was generated mainly on cell transplantation; however, because of several severe problems afflicted with this approach, it might not be feasible for a clinical setting in the near future. More recently, cell homing has been proposed as a viable alternative. We suggest a modification of the tissue engineering paradigm, where resident cells are attracted by endogenous, dentin-derived growth factors that further induce cell proliferation and differentiation and a bioactive scaffold material laden with these growth factors that serves as a template for tissue formation. This article highlights the latest developments regarding scaffold materials, stem cells, and dentin-derived growth factors specifically for a cell-homing approach to engineer dental pulp and summarizes new ideas. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Bone tissue engineering scaffolding: computer-aided scaffolding techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thavornyutikarn, Boonlom; Chantarapanich, Nattapon; Sitthiseripratip, Kriskrai; Thouas, George A; Chen, Qizhi

    Tissue engineering is essentially a technique for imitating nature. Natural tissues consist of three components: cells, signalling systems (e.g. growth factors) and extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM forms a scaffold for its cells. Hence, the engineered tissue construct is an artificial scaffold populated with living cells and signalling molecules. A huge effort has been invested in bone tissue engineering, in which a highly porous scaffold plays a critical role in guiding bone and vascular tissue growth and regeneration in three dimensions. In the last two decades, numerous scaffolding techniques have been developed to fabricate highly interconnective, porous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. This review provides an update on the progress of foaming technology of biomaterials, with a special attention being focused on computer-aided manufacturing (Andrade et al. 2002) techniques. This article starts with a brief introduction of tissue engineering (Bone tissue engineering and scaffolds) and scaffolding materials (Biomaterials used in bone tissue engineering). After a brief reviews on conventional scaffolding techniques (Conventional scaffolding techniques), a number of CAM techniques are reviewed in great detail. For each technique, the structure and mechanical integrity of fabricated scaffolds are discussed in detail. Finally, the advantaged and disadvantage of these techniques are compared (Comparison of scaffolding techniques) and summarised (Summary).

  2. VII Latin American Congress on Biomedical Engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Bustamante, John; Sierra, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    This volume presents the proceedings of the CLAIB 2016, held in Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia, 26, 27 & 28 October 2016. The proceedings, presented by the Regional Council of Biomedical Engineering for Latin America (CORAL), offer research findings, experiences and activities between institutions and universities to develop Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering and related sciences. The conferences of the American Congress of Biomedical Engineering are sponsored by the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE), Society for Engineering in Biology and Medicine (EMBS) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), among other organizations and international agencies to bring together scientists, academics and biomedical engineers in Latin America and other continents in an environment conducive to exchange and professional growth.

  3. The Need and Challenges for Distributed Engine Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culley, Dennis E.

    2013-01-01

    The presentation describes the challenges facing the turbine engine control system. These challenges are primarily driven by a dependence on commercial electronics and an increasingly severe environment on board the turbine engine. The need for distributed control is driven by the need to overcome these system constraints and develop a new growth path for control technology and, as a result, improved turbine engine performance.

  4. Engineered Resistant-Starch (ERS) Diet Shapes Colon Microbiota Profile in Parallel with the Retardation of Tumor Growth in In Vitro and In Vivo Pancreatic Cancer Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panebianco, Concetta; Adamberg, Kaarel; Adamberg, Signe; Saracino, Chiara; Jaagura, Madis; Kolk, Kaia; Di Chio, Anna Grazia; Graziano, Paolo; Vilu, Raivo; Pazienza, Valerio

    2017-01-01

    Background/aims: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is ranked as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite recent advances in treatment options, a modest impact on the outcome of the disease is observed so far. We have previously demonstrated that short-term fasting cycles have the potential to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy against PC. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of an engineered resistant-starch (ERS) mimicking diet on the growth of cancer cell lines in vitro, on the composition of fecal microbiota, and on tumor growth in an in vivo pancreatic cancer mouse xenograft model. Materials and Methods: BxPC-3, MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells were cultured in the control, and in the ERS-mimicking diet culturing condition, to evaluate tumor growth and proliferation pathways. Pancreatic cancer xenograft mice were subjected to an ERS diet to assess tumor volume and weight as compared to mice fed with a control diet. The composition and activity of fecal microbiota were further analyzed in growth experiments by isothermal microcalorimetry. Results: Pancreatic cancer cells cultured in an ERS diet-mimicking medium showed decreased levels of phospho-ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase proteins) and phospho-mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) levels, as compared to those cultured in standard medium. Consistently, xenograft pancreatic cancer mice subjected to an ERS diet displayed significant retardation in tumor growth. In in vitro growth experiments, the fecal microbial cultures from mice fed with an ERS diet showed enhanced growth on residual substrates, higher production of formate and lactate, and decreased amounts of propionate, compared to fecal microbiota from mice fed with the control diet. Conclusion: A positive effect of the ERS diet on composition and metabolism of mouse fecal microbiota shown in vitro is associated with the decrease of tumor progression in the in vivo PC xenograft mouse model. These results suggest that

  5. Micro-/nano-engineered cellular responses for soft tissue engineering and biomedical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tay, Chor Yong; Irvine, Scott Alexander; Boey, Freddy Y C; Tan, Lay Poh; Venkatraman, Subbu

    2011-05-23

    The development of biomedical devices and reconstruction of functional ex vivo tissues often requires the need to fabricate biomimetic surfaces with features of sub-micrometer precision. This can be achieved with the advancements in micro-/nano-engineering techniques, allowing researchers to manipulate a plethora of cellular behaviors at the cell-biomaterial interface. Systematic studies conducted on these 2D engineered surfaces have unraveled numerous novel findings that can potentially be integrated as part of the design consideration for future 2D and 3D biomaterials and will no doubt greatly benefit tissue engineering. In this review, recent developments detailing the use of micro-/nano-engineering techniques to direct cellular orientation and function pertinent to soft tissue engineering will be highlighted. Particularly, this article aims to provide valuable insights into distinctive cell interactions and reactions to controlled surfaces, which can be exploited to understand the mechanisms of cell growth on micro-/nano-engineered interfaces, and to harness this knowledge to optimize the performance of 3D artificial soft tissue grafts and biomedical applications. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Careers in biomedical engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madrid, R E; Rotger, V I; Herrera, M C

    2010-01-01

    Although biomedical engineering was started in Argentina about 35 years ago, it has had a sustained growth for the last 25 years in human resources, with the emergence of new undergraduate and postgraduate careers, as well as in research, knowledge, technological development, and health care.

  7. THE POTENTIAL OF FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A REGIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ENGINE IN THE WESTERN ROMANIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pop Cohut Ioana

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Starting from the objectives, activities, and the results of the empirical, quantitative, and qualitative research carried out in the AntrES project (AntrES - Project acronym "Entrepreneurship and Equal Opportunities. A new school for women entrepreneurship" – Antreprenoriatul şi egalitatea de şanse. Un nou model de şcoală antreprenorială pentru femei, during the two years of implementation, in the Western Romania referring to the new businesses start up; business development; the motivation and difficulties of female entrepreneurs and potentially enterprising women; of their perceptions regarding the need for entrepreneurship education, the role of female entrepreneurship promotion and the impact of the successful models on new businesses start up – this paper presents directions of action meant to emphasize and support the potential of the female entrepreneurship in Romania, as a regional growth and development engine.

  8. Biomaterials for tissue engineering applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keane, Timothy J; Badylak, Stephen F

    2014-06-01

    With advancements in biological and engineering sciences, the definition of an ideal biomaterial has evolved over the past 50 years from a substance that is inert to one that has select bioinductive properties and integrates well with adjacent host tissue. Biomaterials are a fundamental component of tissue engineering, which aims to replace diseased, damaged, or missing tissue with reconstructed functional tissue. Most biomaterials are less than satisfactory for pediatric patients because the scaffold must adapt to the growth and development of the surrounding tissues and organs over time. The pediatric community, therefore, provides a distinct challenge for the tissue engineering community. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. Modeling complexity in engineered infrastructure system: Water distribution network as an example

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Fang; Li, Xiang; Li, Ke

    2017-02-01

    The complex topology and adaptive behavior of infrastructure systems are driven by both self-organization of the demand and rigid engineering solutions. Therefore, engineering complex systems requires a method balancing holism and reductionism. To model the growth of water distribution networks, a complex network model was developed following the combination of local optimization rules and engineering considerations. The demand node generation is dynamic and follows the scaling law of urban growth. The proposed model can generate a water distribution network (WDN) similar to reported real-world WDNs on some structural properties. Comparison with different modeling approaches indicates that a realistic demand node distribution and co-evolvement of demand node and network are important for the simulation of real complex networks. The simulation results indicate that the efficiency of water distribution networks is exponentially affected by the urban growth pattern. On the contrary, the improvement of efficiency by engineering optimization is limited and relatively insignificant. The redundancy and robustness, on another aspect, can be significantly improved through engineering methods.

  10. Sustainability issues in civil engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Saride, Sireesh; Basha, B

    2017-01-01

    This compilation on sustainability issues in civil engineering comprises contributions from international experts who have been working in the area of sustainability in civil engineering. Many of the contributions have been presented as keynote lectures at the International Conference on Sustainable Civil Infrastructure (ICSCI) held in Hyderabad, India. The book has been divided into core themes of Sustainable Transportation Systems, Sustainable Geosystems, Sustainable Environmental and Water Resources and Sustainable Structural Systems. Use of sustainability principles in engineering has become an important component of the process of design and in this context, design and analysis approaches in civil engineering are being reexamined to incorporate the principles of sustainable designs and construction in practice. Developing economies are on the threshold of rapid infrastructure growth and there is a need to compile the developments in various branches of civil engineering and highlight the issues. It is th...

  11. Growth of crystalline semiconductor materials on crystal surfaces

    CERN Document Server

    Aleksandrov, L

    2013-01-01

    Written for physicists, chemists, and engineers specialising in crystal and film growth, semiconductor electronics, and various applications of thin films, this book reviews promising scientific and engineering trends in thin films and thin-films materials science. The first part discusses the physical characteristics of the processes occurring during the deposition and growth of films, the principal methods of obtaining semiconductor films and of reparing substrate surfaces on which crystalline films are grown, and the main applications of films. The second part contains data on epitaxial i

  12. Human endothelial cell growth and phenotypic expression on three dimensional poly(lactide-co-glycolide) sintered microsphere scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabbarzadeh, Ehsan; Jiang, Tao; Deng, Meng; Nair, Lakshmi S; Khan, Yusuf M; Laurencin, Cato T

    2007-12-01

    Bone tissue engineering offers promising alternatives to repair and restore tissues. Our laboratory has employed poly(lactide-co-glycolide) PLAGA microspheres to develop a three dimensional (3-D) porous bioresorbable scaffold with a biomimetic pore structure. Osseous healing and integration with the surrounding tissue depends in part on new blood vessel formation within the porous structure. Since endothelial cells play a key role in angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature), the purpose of this study was to better understand human endothelial cell attachment, viability, growth, and phenotypic expression on sintered PLAGA microsphere scaffold. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination showed cells attaching to the surface of microspheres and bridging the pores between the microspheres. Cell proliferation studies indicated that cell number increased during early stages and reached a plateau between days 10 and 14. Immunofluorescent staining for actin showed that cells were proliferating three dimensionally through the scaffolds while staining for PECAM-1 (platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule) displayed typical localization at cell-cell contacts. Gene expression analysis showed that endothelial cells grown on PLAGA scaffolds maintained their normal characteristic phenotype. The cell proliferation and phenotypic expression were independent of scaffold pore architecture. These results demonstrate that PLAGA sintered microsphere scaffolds can support the growth and biological functions of human endothelial cells. The insights from this study should aid future studies aimed at enhancing angiogenesis in three dimensional tissue engineered scaffolds.

  13. Business plan basics for engineers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tanev, Stoyan; Rasmussen, Erik Stavnsager; Riber Hansen, Katrine

    2016-01-01

    This chapter focuses on the nature of business planning activities from an engineering entre-/intra-preneurial perspective. It is therefore not limited to technology start-ups or newly created engineering firms but equally relevant for established firms investing in projects that assemble......-driven business environments which are typical the business playground for engineering professionals, the chapter focuses on describing the two key components of the business planning process: the articulation and the development of a viable business model, and managing the scaling up and the growth...... of the business. The de-scription does not pretend to exhaust the topic and continuously refers to several excellent recent publications that could complement the learning process of young and advanced engi-neering professionals interested in knowing more about the business planning process....

  14. Cleaner aero-engines taking off

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lothigius, J.

    1991-01-01

    Airlines operating on domestic routes in Sweden have to pay taxes on their emissions of nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide. These taxes have spurred improvements in engine design, but are unlikely to slow the growth in air traffic

  15. Impacts of transportation sector emissions on future U.S. air quality in a changing climate. Part I: Projected emissions, simulation design, and model evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Patrick; Zhang, Yang; Yan, Fang; Lu, Zifeng; Streets, David

    2018-07-01

    Emissions from the transportation sector are rapidly changing worldwide; however, the interplay of such emission changes in the face of climate change are not as well understood. This two-part study examines the impact of projected emissions from the U.S. transportation sector (Part I) on ambient air quality in the face of climate change (Part II). In Part I of this study, we describe the methodology and results of a novel Technology Driver Model (see graphical abstract) that includes 1) transportation emission projections (including on-road vehicles, non-road engines, aircraft, rail, and ship) derived from a dynamic technology model that accounts for various technology and policy options under an IPCC emission scenario, and 2) the configuration/evaluation of a dynamically downscaled Weather Research and Forecasting/Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system. By 2046-2050, the annual domain-average transportation emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia (NH 3 ), and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) are projected to decrease over the continental U.S. The decreases in gaseous emissions are mainly due to reduced emissions from on-road vehicles and non-road engines, which exhibit spatial and seasonal variations across the U.S. Although particulate matter (PM) emissions widely decrease, some areas in the U.S. experience relatively large increases due to increases in ship emissions. The on-road vehicle emissions dominate the emission changes for CO, NO x , VOC, and NH 3 , while emissions from both the on-road and non-road modes have strong contributions to PM and SO 2 emission changes. The evaluation of the baseline 2005 WRF simulation indicates that annual biases are close to or within the acceptable criteria for meteorological performance in the literature, and there is an overall good agreement in the 2005 CMAQ simulations of chemical variables against both surface and satellite observations. Copyright © 2018

  16. Tissue engineering: state of the art in oral rehabilitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheller, E L; Krebsbach, P H; Kohn, D H

    2009-05-01

    More than 85% of the global population requires repair or replacement of a craniofacial structure. These defects range from simple tooth decay to radical oncologic craniofacial resection. Regeneration of oral and craniofacial tissues presents a formidable challenge that requires synthesis of basic science, clinical science and engineering technology. Identification of appropriate scaffolds, cell sources and spatial and temporal signals (the tissue engineering triad) is necessary to optimize development of a single tissue, hybrid organ or interface. Furthermore, combining the understanding of the interactions between molecules of the extracellular matrix and attached cells with an understanding of the gene expression needed to induce differentiation and tissue growth will provide the design basis for translating basic science into rationally developed components of this tissue engineering triad. Dental tissue engineers are interested in regeneration of teeth, oral mucosa, salivary glands, bone and periodontium. Many of these oral structures are hybrid tissues. For example, engineering the periodontium requires growth of alveolar bone, cementum and the periodontal ligament. Recapitulation of biological development of hybrid tissues and interfaces presents a challenge that exceeds that of engineering just a single tissue. Advances made in dental interface engineering will allow these tissues to serve as model systems for engineering other tissues or organs of the body. This review will begin by covering basic tissue engineering principles and strategic design of functional biomaterials. We will then explore the impact of biomaterials design on the status of craniofacial tissue engineering and current challenges and opportunities in dental tissue engineering.

  17. In planta engineering of gold nanoparticles of desirable geometries by modulating growth conditions: an environment-friendly approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Starnes, Daniel L; Jain, Ajay; Sahi, Shivendra V

    2010-09-15

    Unique properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can be achieved by manipulating their geometries. However, it is not known if the shapes and sizes of AuNPs can be modulated in planta. Here, we evaluated the accumulation of gold across taxonomically diverse plant species (alfalfa, cucumber, red clover, ryegrass, sunflower, and oregano). Significant variations were detected in the uptake of gold in the roots ranging from 500 ppm (ryegrass) to 2500 ppm (alfalfa). Alfalfa was selected for subsequent studies due to its ability to accumulate relatively large quantities of gold in its roots. Temporal analysis revealed that most of the AuNPs formed within 6 h of treatment, and the majority of them fall within the size range of 10-30 nm. Spherical AuNPs (1-50 nm) were detected ubiquitously across different treatments. To elucidate the effects of growth variables on the geometries of in planta synthesized AuNPs, alfalfa was subjected to KAuCl(4) (50 ppm) treatment for 3d under different pH, temperature, and light regimes. Interestingly, manipulation of growth conditions triggered a noticeable shift in the relative abundance of spherical, triangular, hexagonal, and rectangular AuNPs providing empirical evidence toward the feasibility of their in planta engineering.

  18. VI Latin American Congress on Biomedical Engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Hadad, Alejandro

    2015-01-01

    This volume presents the proceedings of the CLAIB 2014, held in Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina 29, 30 & 31 October 2014. The proceedings, presented by the Regional Council of Biomedical Engineering for Latin America (CORAL) offer research findings, experiences and activities between institutions and universities to develop Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering and related sciences. The conferences of the American Congress of Biomedical Engineering are sponsored by the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE), Society for Engineering in Biology and Medicine (EMBS) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), among other organizations and international agencies and bringing together scientists, academics and biomedical engineers in Latin America and other continents in an environment conducive to exchange and professional growth. The Topics include: - Bioinformatics and Computational Biology - Bioinstrumentation; Sensors, Micro and Nano Technologies - Biomaterials, Tissu...

  19. Integrated approaches to spatiotemporally directing angiogenesis in host and engineered tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kant, Rajeev J; Coulombe, Kareen L K

    2018-03-15

    The field of tissue engineering has turned towards biomimicry to solve the problem of tissue oxygenation and nutrient/waste exchange through the development of vasculature. Induction of angiogenesis and subsequent development of a vascular bed in engineered tissues is actively being pursued through combinations of physical and chemical cues, notably through the presentation of topographies and growth factors. Presenting angiogenic signals in a spatiotemporal fashion is beginning to generate improved vascular networks, which will allow for the creation of large and dense engineered tissues. This review provides a brief background on the cells, mechanisms, and molecules driving vascular development (including angiogenesis), followed by how biomaterials and growth factors can be used to direct vessel formation and maturation. Techniques to accomplish spatiotemporal control of vascularization include incorporation or encapsulation of growth factors, topographical engineering, and 3D bioprinting. The vascularization of engineered tissues and their application in angiogenic therapy in vivo is reviewed herein with an emphasis on the most densely vascularized tissue of the human body - the heart. Vascularization is vital to wound healing and tissue regeneration, and development of hierarchical networks enables efficient nutrient transfer. In tissue engineering, vascularization is necessary to support physiologically dense engineered tissues, and thus the field seeks to induce vascular formation using biomaterials and chemical signals to provide appropriate, pro-angiogenic signals for cells. This review critically examines the materials and techniques used to generate scaffolds with spatiotemporal cues to direct vascularization in engineered and host tissues in vitro and in vivo. Assessment of the field's progress is intended to inspire vascular applications across all forms of tissue engineering with a specific focus on highlighting the nuances of cardiac tissue

  20. Engineering Education in Bangladesh--An Indicator of Economic Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chowdhury, Harun; Alam, Firoz

    2012-01-01

    Developing nations including Bangladesh are significantly lagging behind the millennium development target due to the lack of science, technology and engineering education. Bangladesh as a least developing country has only 44 engineers per million people. Its technological education and gross domestic product growth are not collinear. Although…

  1. Enabling area-selective potential-energy engineering in InGaN/GaN quantum wells by post-growth intermixing

    KAUST Repository

    Shen, Chao

    2015-03-19

    We report on a unique area-selective, post-growth approach in engineering the quantum-confined potential-energy profile of InGaN/GaN quantum wells (QWs) utilizing metal/dielectric-coating induced intermixing process. This led to simultaneous realization of adjacent regions with peak emission of 2.74 eV and 2.82 eV with a high spatial resolution (~1 μm) at the coating boundary. The potential profile softening in the intermixed QW light-emitting diode (LED) was experimentally and numerically correlated, shedding light on the origin of alleviated efficiency droop from 30.5% to 16.6% (at 150 A/cm2). The technique is advantageous for fabricating high efficiency light-emitters, and is amenable to monolithic integration of nitride-based photonic devices.

  2. Enabling area-selective potential-energy engineering in InGaN/GaN quantum wells by post-growth intermixing

    KAUST Repository

    Shen, Chao; Ng, Tien Khee; Ooi, Boon S.

    2015-01-01

    We report on a unique area-selective, post-growth approach in engineering the quantum-confined potential-energy profile of InGaN/GaN quantum wells (QWs) utilizing metal/dielectric-coating induced intermixing process. This led to simultaneous realization of adjacent regions with peak emission of 2.74 eV and 2.82 eV with a high spatial resolution (~1 μm) at the coating boundary. The potential profile softening in the intermixed QW light-emitting diode (LED) was experimentally and numerically correlated, shedding light on the origin of alleviated efficiency droop from 30.5% to 16.6% (at 150 A/cm2). The technique is advantageous for fabricating high efficiency light-emitters, and is amenable to monolithic integration of nitride-based photonic devices.

  3. Sequential growth factor application in bone marrow stromal cell ligament engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreau, Jodie E; Chen, Jingsong; Horan, Rebecca L; Kaplan, David L; Altman, Gregory H

    2005-01-01

    In vitro bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) growth may be enhanced through culture medium supplementation, mimicking the biochemical environment in which cells optimally proliferate and differentiate. We hypothesize that the sequential administration of growth factors to first proliferate and then differentiate BMSCs cultured on silk fiber matrices will support the enhanced development of ligament tissue in vitro. Confluent second passage (P2) BMSCs obtained from purified bone marrow aspirates were seeded on RGD-modified silk matrices. Seeded matrices were divided into three groups for 5 days of static culture, with medium supplement of basic fibroblast growth factor (B) (1 ng/mL), epidermal growth factor (E; 1 ng/mL), or growth factor-free control (C). After day 5, medium supplementation was changed to transforming growth factor-beta1 (T; 5 ng/mL) or C for an additional 9 days of culture. Real-time RT-PCR, SEM, MTT, histology, and ELISA for collagen type I of all sample groups were performed. Results indicated that BT supported the greatest cell ingrowth after 14 days of culture in addition to the greatest cumulative collagen type I expression measured by ELISA. Sequential growth factor application promoted significant increases in collagen type I transcript expression from day 5 of culture to day 14, for five of six groups tested. All T-supplemented samples surpassed their respective control samples in both cell ingrowth and collagen deposition. All samples supported spindle-shaped, fibroblast cell morphology, aligning with the direction of silk fibers. These findings indicate significant in vitro ligament development after only 14 days of culture when using a sequential growth factor approach.

  4. Engineering education in Bangladesh - an indicator of economic development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chowdhury, Harun; Alam, Firoz

    2012-05-01

    Developing nations including Bangladesh are significantly lagging behind the millennium development target due to the lack of science, technology and engineering education. Bangladesh as a least developing country has only 44 engineers per million people. Its technological education and gross domestic product growth are not collinear. Although limited progress was made in humanities, basic sciences, agriculture and medical sciences, a vast gap is left in technical and engineering education. This paper describes the present condition of engineering education in the country and explores ways to improve engineering education in order to meet the national as well as global skills demand.

  5. 41 CFR 102-80.135 - Who is a qualified fire protection engineer?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... protection engineer? 102-80.135 Section 102-80.135 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... qualified fire protection engineer? A qualified fire protection engineer is defined as an individual with a thorough knowledge and understanding of the principles of physics and chemistry governing fire growth...

  6. GROWTH AND HERBAGE OF TELFAIRIA OCCIDENTALIS (HOOK F).

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMINU

    2013-06-01

    Jun 1, 2013 ... occidentalis. INTRODUCTION ... maintenance of motor and internal combustion engines. ... polluted soil caused stunted growth in plant and the ... productive of soil polluted with spent engine oil and .... in total N and exchangeable K and moderate in ... rise in the level of heavy metal concentrations is in.

  7. Antisolvent-assisted powder engineering for controlled growth of hybrid CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite thin films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong Chan Choi

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available We develop antisolvent-assisted powder engineering for the controlled growth of hybrid inorganic-organic CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3 perovskite thin films. The powders, which are used as the precursors for solution processing, are synthesized by pouring a MAPbI3 precursor solution into various antisolvents, such as dichloromethane, chloroform, diethyl ether, and toluene. Two types of powders having different colors are obtained, depending on the antisolvent used. The choice of the antisolvent used for synthesizing the powders strongly influences not only the phases of the powders but also the morphology and structure of the thin films subsequently fabricated by solution processing. This, in turn, affects the photovoltaic performance.

  8. Facilitation by ecosystem engineers enhances nutrient effects in an intertidal system

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eriksson, B.K.; Westra, J.; van Gerwen, I.; Weerman, E.; van der Heide, T.; van der Zee, E.; van de Koppel, J.; Olff, H.; Piersma, T.; Donadi, S.

    2017-01-01

    Ecosystem engineering research has recently demonstrated the fundamental importance ofnon-trophic interactions for food-web structure. Particularly, by creating benign conditions in stressfulenvironments, ecosystem engineers create hot beds of elevated levels of recruitment, growth, and survivalof

  9. Challenges of growth in a network company

    OpenAIRE

    Axani, Darrell Kirk

    2006-01-01

    Mark Engineering is a large network company facing challenges between growth and its small company feel. Small networks are rewarding for both individuals and companies. With growth, networks become cumbersome and costly to operate. Like effective teams, networks must remain small to be efficient. Growth tends to drive management to more traditional hierarchical structures, but such a move would undermine the value of a network organization. Strategy and market forces influence organizational...

  10. Landsat Time-series for the Masses: Predicting Wood Biomass Growth from Tree-rings Using Departures from Mean Phenology in Google Earth Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, J. R.; D'Amato, A. W.; Itter, M.; Reinikainen, M.; Curzon, M.

    2017-12-01

    The terrestrial carbon cycle is perturbed when disturbances remove leaf biomass from the forest canopy during the growing season. Changes in foliar biomass arise from defoliation caused by insects, disease, drought, frost or human management. As ephemeral disturbances, these often go undetected and their significance to models that predict forest growth from climatic drivers remains unknown. Here, we seek to distinguish the roles of weather vs. canopy disturbance on forest growth by using dense Landsat time-series to quantify departures in mean phenology that in turn predict changes in leaf biomass. We estimated a foliar biomass index (FBMI) from 1984-2016, and predict plot-level wood growth over 28 years on 156 tree-ring monitoring plots in Minnesota, USA. We accessed the entire Landsat archive (sensors 4, 5 & 7) to compute FBMI using Google Earth Engine's cloud computing platform (GEE). GEE allows this pixel-level approach to be applied at any location; a feature we demonstrate with published wood-growth data from flux tower sites. Our Bayesian models predicted biomass changes from tree-ring plots as a function of Landsat FBMI and annual climate data. We expected model parameters to vary by tree functional groups defined by differences in xylem anatomy and leaf longevity, two traits with linkages to phenology, as reported in a recent review. We found that Landsat FBMI was a surprisingly strong predictor of aggregate wood-growth, explaining up to 80% of annual growth variation for some deciduous plots. Growth responses to canopy disturbance varied among tree functional groups, and the importance of some seasonal climate metrics diminished or changed sign when FBMI was included (e.g. fall and spring climatic water deficit), while others remained unchanged (current and lagged summer deficit). Insights emerging from these models can clear up sources of persistent uncertainty and open a new frontier for models of forest productivity.

  11. Global Software Engineering: A Software Process Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Ita; Casey, Valentine; Burton, John; McCaffery, Fergal

    Our research has shown that many companies are struggling with the successful implementation of global software engineering, due to temporal, cultural and geographical distance, which causes a range of factors to come into play. For example, cultural, project managementproject management and communication difficulties continually cause problems for software engineers and project managers. While the implementation of efficient software processes can be used to improve the quality of the software product, published software process models do not cater explicitly for the recent growth in global software engineering. Our thesis is that global software engineering factors should be included in software process models to ensure their continued usefulness in global organisations. Based on extensive global software engineering research, we have developed a software process, Global Teaming, which includes specific practices and sub-practices. The purpose is to ensure that requirements for successful global software engineering are stipulated so that organisations can ensure successful implementation of global software engineering.

  12. Tissue engineering and surgery: from translational studies to human trials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vranckx Jan Jeroen

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Tissue engineering was introduced as an innovative and promising field in the mid-1980s. The capacity of cells to migrate and proliferate in growth-inducing medium induced great expectancies on generating custom-shaped bioconstructs for tissue regeneration. Tissue engineering represents a unique multidisciplinary translational forum where the principles of biomaterial engineering, the molecular biology of cells and genes, and the clinical sciences of reconstruction would interact intensively through the combined efforts of scientists, engineers, and clinicians. The anticipated possibilities of cell engineering, matrix development, and growth factor therapies are extensive and would largely expand our clinical reconstructive armamentarium. Application of proangiogenic proteins may stimulate wound repair, restore avascular wound beds, or reverse hypoxia in flaps. Autologous cells procured from biopsies may generate an ‘autologous’ dermal and epidermal laminated cover on extensive burn wounds. Three-dimensional printing may generate ‘custom-made’ preshaped scaffolds – shaped as a nose, an ear, or a mandible – in which these cells can be seeded. The paucity of optimal donor tissues may be solved with off-the-shelf tissues using tissue engineering strategies. However, despite the expectations, the speed of translation of in vitro tissue engineering sciences into clinical reality is very slow due to the intrinsic complexity of human tissues. This review focuses on the transition from translational protocols towards current clinical applications of tissue engineering strategies in surgery.

  13. Facilitation by ecosystem engineers enhances nutrient effects in an intertidal system

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eriksson, Britas Klemens; Westra, Jocelle; van Gerwen, Imke; Weerman, Ellen; van der Zee, Els; van der Heide, Tjisse; van de Koppel, Johan; Olff, Han; Piersma, Theunis; Donadi, Serena

    2017-01-01

    Ecosystem engineering research has recently demonstrated the fundamental importance of non-trophic interactions for food-web structure. Particularly, by creating benign conditions in stressful environments, ecosystem engineers create hot beds of elevated levels of recruitment, growth, and survival

  14. Criterion for the engineering performance of carbon materials under neutron irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Virgil'ev, Yu.S.

    2002-01-01

    The criterion for the engineering performance and substation of its applicability to the reactor graphite are proposed. The complex indicator, representing the ratio of strength limits by compression and bending is proposed as the above criterion, characterizing the graphite quality. The growth of this criterion indicates the accumulation of large heterogeneities microcracks of technological or radiation character. The decrease in this indicator testifies to the growth of small heterogeneities, and consequently to the increase in the graphite engineering performance [ru

  15. 77 FR 72851 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Portable Equipment Registration...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-06

    ... evidence that passes the threshold test of materiality and * * * thereafter assess such material evidence... standards, the overall cost to those parties would be around $250 million.\\44\\ The PERP thus results in an...

  16. Gene therapy with growth factors for periodontal tissue engineering–A review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Shipra; Mahendra, Aneet

    2012-01-01

    The treatment of oral and periodontal diseases and associated anomalies accounts for a significant proportion of the healthcare burden, with the manifestations of these conditions being functionally and psychologically debilitating. A challenge faced by periodontal therapy is the predictable regeneration of periodontal tissues lost as a consequence of disease. Growth factors are critical to the development, maturation, maintenance and repair of oral tissues as they establish an extra-cellular environment that is conducive to cell and tissue growth. Tissue engineering principles aim to exploit these properties in the development of biomimetic materials that can provide an appropriate microenvironment for tissue development. The aim of this paper is to review emerging periodontal therapies in the areas of materials science, growth factor biology and cell/gene therapy. Various such materials have been formulated into devices that can be used as vehicles for delivery of cells, growth factors and DNA. Different mechanisms of drug delivery are addressed in the context of novel approaches to reconstruct and engineer oral and tooth supporting structure. Key words: Periodontal disease, gene therapy, regeneration, tissue repair, growth factors, tissue engineering. PMID:22143705

  17. A theory of economic growth with material/energy resources and dematerialization. Interaction of three growth mechanisms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ayres, Robert U. [Department of Physical Resource Theory, Chalmers Institute, Gothenburg (Sweden); Van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M. [Department of Spatial Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, and Institute for Environmental Studies, Free University, De Boelelaan 1105, Amsterdam 1081 HV (Netherlands)

    2005-10-05

    The nature of energy and material resources in a non-optimizing growth theory framework is clarified. This involves two modifications of the conventional theory. Firstly, multiple feedback mechanisms or 'growth engines' are identified, such that the impact of the cost of production through demand on growth is accounted for. Secondly, a production function distinguishes between resource use, technical efficiency, and value creation. The resulting model is analytically solved under the condition of a constant growth rate. Given model complexity, numerical experiments are performed as well, providing relevant insights to the academic and political debates on 'environmental Kuznets curves' and 'dematerialization.'.

  18. Combining Semi-Endogenous and Fully Endogenous Growth: a Generalization.

    OpenAIRE

    Cozzi, Guido

    2017-01-01

    This paper shows that combining the semi-endogenous and the fully endogenous growth mechanisms with a general CES aggregator, either growth process can prevail in the balanced growth path depending on their degree of complementarity/substitutability. Policy-induced long-run economic switches to the fully endogenous steady state as the R&D employment ratio surpasses a positive threshold are possible if the two growth engines are gross substitutes.

  19. An Assessment of Engineered Calcium Oxalate Crystal Formation on Plant Growth and Development as a Step toward Evaluating Its Use to Enhance Plant Defense.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul A Nakata

    Full Text Available The establishment of new approaches to control chewing insects has been sought not only for direct use in reducing crop loss but also in managing resistance to the pesticides already in use. Engineered formation of calcium oxalate crystals is a potential strategy that could be developed to fulfill both these needs. As a step toward this development, this study investigates the effects of transforming a non-calcium oxalate crystal accumulating plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, into a crystal accumulating plant. Calcium oxalate crystal accumulating A. thaliana lines were generated by ectopic expression of a single bacterial gene encoding an oxalic acid biosynthetic enzyme. Biochemical and cellular studies suggested that the engineered A. thaliana lines formed crystals of calcium oxalate in a manner similar to naturally occurring crystal accumulating plants. The amount of calcium oxalate accumulated in leaves also reached levels similar to those measured in the leaves of Medicago truncatula in which the crystals are known to play a defensive role. Visual inspection of the different engineered lines, however, suggested a phenotypic consequence on plant growth and development with higher calcium oxalate concentrations. The restoration of a near wild-type plant phenotype through an enzymatic reduction of tissue oxalate supported this observation. Overall, this study is a first to provide initial insight into the potential consequences of engineering calcium oxalate crystal formation in non-crystal accumulating plants.

  20. Springer Handbook of Crystal Growth

    CERN Document Server

    Dhanaraj, Govindhan; Prasad, Vishwanath; Dudley, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Over the years, many successful attempts have been made to describe the art and science of crystal growth. Most modern advances in semiconductor and optical devices would not have been possible without the development of many elemental, binary, ternary, and other compound crystals of varying properties and large sizes. The objective of the Springer Handbook of Crystal Growth is to present state-of-the-art knowledge of both bulk and thin-film crystal growth. The goal is to make readers understand the basics of the commonly employed growth processes, materials produced, and defects generated. Almost 100 leading scientists, researchers, and engineers from 22 different countries from academia and industry have been selected to write chapters on the topics of their expertise. They have written 52 chapters on the fundamentals of bulk crystal growth from the melt, solution, and vapor, epitaxial growth, modeling of growth processes and defects, techniques of defect characterization as well as some contemporary specia...

  1. Nuclear industry - challenges in chemical engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, S.; Sunder Rajan, N.S.; Balu, K.; Garg, R.K.; Murthy, L.G.K.; Ramani, M.P.S.; Rao, M.K.; Sadhukhan, H.K.; Venkat Raj, V.

    1978-01-01

    As chemical engineering processes and operations are closely involved in many areas of nuclear industry, the chemical engineer has a vital role to play in its growth and development. An account of the major achievements of the Indian chemical engineers in this field is given with view of impressing upon the faculty members of the Indian universities the need for taking appropriate steps to prepare chemical engineers suitable for nuclear industry. Some of the major achievements of the Indian chemical engineers in this field are : (1) separation of useful minerals from beach sand, (2) preparation of thorium nitrate of nuclear purity from monazite, (3) processing of zircon sand to obtain nuclear grade zirconium and its separation from hafnium to obtain zirconium metal sponge, (4) recovery of uranium from copper tailings, (5) economic recovery of nuclear grade uranium from low grade uranium ores found in India, (6) fuel reprocessing, (7) chemical processing of both low and high level radioactive wastes. (M.G.B.)

  2. Service Modeling for Service Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimomura, Yoshiki; Tomiyama, Tetsuo

    Intensification of service and knowledge contents within product life cycles is considered crucial for dematerialization, in particular, to design optimal product-service systems from the viewpoint of environmentally conscious design and manufacturing in advanced post industrial societies. In addition to the environmental limitations, we are facing social limitations which include limitations of markets to accept increasing numbers of mass-produced artifacts and such environmental and social limitations are restraining economic growth. To attack and remove these problems, we need to reconsider the current mass production paradigm and to make products have more added values largely from knowledge and service contents to compensate volume reduction under the concept of dematerialization. Namely, dematerialization of products needs to enrich service contents. However, service was mainly discussed within marketing and has been mostly neglected within traditional engineering. Therefore, we need new engineering methods to look at services, rather than just functions, called "Service Engineering." To establish service engineering, this paper proposes a modeling technique of service.

  3. Shape Engineering Driven by Selective Growth of SnO2 on Doped Ga2O3 Nanowires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso-Orts, Manuel; Sánchez, Ana M; Hindmarsh, Steven A; López, Iñaki; Nogales, Emilio; Piqueras, Javier; Méndez, Bianchi

    2017-01-11

    O 3 trunks. The results show that the Ga 2 O 3 -SnO 2 system appears to be a benchmark for shape engineering to get architectures involving nanowires via the control of the growth direction of the nanowires.

  4. Aloe Vera for Tissue Engineering Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shekh Rahman

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Aloe vera, also referred as Aloe barbadensis Miller, is a succulent plant widely used for biomedical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Aloe vera has been used for thousands of years. However, recent significant advances have been made in the development of aloe vera for tissue engineering applications. Aloe vera has received considerable attention in tissue engineering due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low toxicity properties. Aloe vera has been reported to have many biologically active components. The bioactive components of aloe vera have effective antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulatory effects that promote both tissue regeneration and growth. The aloe vera plant, its bioactive components, extraction and processing, and tissue engineering prospects are reviewed in this article. The use of aloe vera as tissue engineering scaffolds, gels, and films is discussed, with a special focus on electrospun nanofibers.

  5. Aloe Vera for Tissue Engineering Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Shekh; Carter, Princeton; Bhattarai, Narayan

    2017-02-14

    Aloe vera, also referred as Aloe barbadensis Miller, is a succulent plant widely used for biomedical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Aloe vera has been used for thousands of years. However, recent significant advances have been made in the development of aloe vera for tissue engineering applications. Aloe vera has received considerable attention in tissue engineering due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low toxicity properties. Aloe vera has been reported to have many biologically active components. The bioactive components of aloe vera have effective antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulatory effects that promote both tissue regeneration and growth. The aloe vera plant, its bioactive components, extraction and processing, and tissue engineering prospects are reviewed in this article. The use of aloe vera as tissue engineering scaffolds, gels, and films is discussed, with a special focus on electrospun nanofibers.

  6. Engineering Foot-and-Mouth Disease Viruses with Improved Growth Properties for Vaccine Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Haixue; Guo, Jianhong; Jin, Ye; Yang, Fan; He, Jijun; Lv, Lv; Zhang, Kesan; Wu, Qiong; Liu, Xiangtao; Cai, Xuepeng

    2013-01-01

    Background No licensed vaccine is currently available against serotype A foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in China, despite the isolation of A/WH/CHA/09 in 2009, partly because this strain does not replicate well in baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. Methodology/Principal Findings A novel plasmid-based reverse genetics system was used to construct a chimeric strain by replacing the P1 gene in the vaccine strain O/CHA/99 with that from the epidemic stain A/WH/CHA/09. The chimeric virus displayed growth kinetics similar to those of O/CHA/99 and was selected for use as a candidate vaccine strain after 12 passages in BHK cells. Cattle were vaccinated with the inactivated vaccine and humoral immune responses were induced in most of the animals on day 7. A challenge infection with A/WH/CHA/09 on day 28 indicated that the group given a 4-µg dose was fully protected and neither developed viremia nor seroconverted to a 3ABC antigen. Conclusions/Significance Our data demonstrate that the chimeric virus not only propagates well in BHK cells and has excellent antigenic matching against serotype A FMD, but is also a potential marker vaccine to distinguish infection from vaccination. These results suggest that reverse genetics technology is a useful tool for engineering vaccines for the prevention and control of FMD. PMID:23372840

  7. The systems engineering overview and process (from the Systems Engineering Management Guide, 1990)

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-01-01

    The past several decades have seen the rise of large, highly interactive systems that are on the forward edge of technology. As a result of this growth and the increased usage of digital systems (computers and software), the concept of systems engineering has gained increasing attention. Some of this attention is no doubt due to large program failures which possibly could have been avoided, or at least mitigated, through the use of systems engineering principles. The complexity of modern day weapon systems requires conscious application of systems engineering concepts to ensure producible, operable and supportable systems that satisfy mission requirements. Although many authors have traced the roots of systems engineering to earlier dates, the initial formalization of the systems engineering process for military development began to surface in the mid-1950s on the ballistic missile programs. These early ballistic missile development programs marked the emergence of engineering discipline 'specialists' which has since continued to grow. Each of these specialties not only has a need to take data from the overall development process, but also to supply data, in the form of requirements and analysis results, to the process. A number of technical instructions, military standards and specifications, and manuals were developed as a result of these development programs. In particular, MILSTD-499 was issued in 1969 to assist both government and contractor personnel in defining the systems engineering effort in support of defense acquisition programs. This standard was updated to MIL-STD499A in 1974, and formed the foundation for current application of systems engineering principles to military development programs.

  8. Engineering fatty acid biosynthesis in microalgae for sustainable biodiesel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blatti, Jillian L; Michaud, Jennifer; Burkart, Michael D

    2013-06-01

    Microalgae are a promising feedstock for biodiesel and other liquid fuels due to their fast growth rate, high lipid yields, and ability to grow in a broad range of environments. However, many microalgae achieve maximal lipid yields only under stress conditions hindering growth and providing compositions not ideal for biofuel applications. Metabolic engineering of algal fatty acid biosynthesis promises to create strains capable of economically producing fungible and sustainable biofuels. The algal fatty acid biosynthetic pathway has been deduced by homology to bacterial and plant systems, and much of our understanding is gleaned from basic studies in these systems. However, successful engineering of lipid metabolism in algae will necessitate a thorough characterization of the algal fatty acid synthase (FAS) including protein-protein interactions and regulation. This review describes recent efforts to engineer fatty acid biosynthesis toward optimizing microalgae as a biodiesel feedstock. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Nanotechnology and picotechnology to increase tissue growth: a summary of in vivo studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alpaslan E

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Ece Alpaslan,1 Thomas J Webster1,21Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; 2Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaAbstract: The aim of tissue engineering is to develop functional substitutes for damaged tissues or malfunctioning organs. Since only nanomaterials can mimic the surface properties (ie, roughness of natural tissues and have tunable properties (such as mechanical, magnetic, electrical, optical, and other properties, they are good candidates for increasing tissue growth, minimizing inflammation, and inhibiting infection. Recently, the use of nanomaterials in various tissue engineering applications has demonstrated improved tissue growth compared to what has been achieved until today with our conventional micron structured materials. This short report paper will summarize some of the more relevant advancements nanomaterials have made in regenerative medicine, specifically improving bone and bladder tissue growth. Moreover, this short report paper will also address the continued potential risks and toxicity concerns, which need to be accurately addressed by the use of nanomaterials. Lastly, this paper will emphasize a new field, picotechnology, in which researchers are altering electron distributions around atoms to promote surface energy to achieve similar increased tissue growth, decreased inflammation, and inhibited infection without potential nanomaterial toxicity concerns.Keywords: nanomaterials, tissue engineering, toxicity

  10. 76 FR 51362 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Recordkeeping and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-18

    ...: Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements for Motor Vehicle and Non-Road Diesel Fuel. ICR numbers: EPA ICR No... reporting requirements for motor vehicle diesel fuel and non-road, locomotive and marine diesel fuel. It... Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements for Motor Vehicle...

  11. Sensors As Tools for Quantitation, Nanotoxicity and Nanomonitoring Assessment of Engineered Nanomaterials

    Science.gov (United States)

    The discovery of fullerenes in 1985 has ushered in an explosive growth in the applications of engineered nanomaterials and consumer products. Nanotechnology and engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are being incorporated into a range of commercial products such as consumer electronic...

  12. Effects of hematite and ferrihydrite nanoparticles on germination and growth of maize

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolaza Pariona

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Engineered iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-NPs have been used extensively for environmental remediation. It may cause the release IO-NPs to the environment affecting the functions of ecosystems. Plants are an important component of ecosystems and can be used for the evaluation of overall fate, transport and exposure pathways of IO-NPs in the environment. In this work, the effects of engineered ferrihydrite and hematite NPs on the germination and growth of maize are studied. The germination and growth of maize were done with treatments at different concentrations of hematite and ferrihydrite NPs, namely 1, 2, 4, and 6 g/L. Biological indicators of toxicity or stress in maize seedlings were not observed in treatments with engineered hematite and ferrihydrite NPs. In contrast, the NPs treatments increased the growth of maize and the chlorophyll content, except for hematite NPs at 6 g/L, where non-significant effects were found. The translocation of engineered ferrihydrite and hematite NPs in maize stems was demonstrated using confocal laser scanning microscopy.

  13. Ligament Tissue Engineering

    OpenAIRE

    Khan, Wasim Sardar

    2016-01-01

    Ligaments are commonly injured in the knee joint, and have a poor capacity for healing due to their relative avascularity. Ligament reconstruction is well established for injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament rupture, however the use of autografts and allografts for ligament reconstruction are associated with complications, and outcomes are variable. Ligament tissue engineering using stem cells, growth factors and scaffolds is a novel technique that has the potential to provide an unlim...

  14. HTCC-Modified Nanoclay for Tissue Engineering Applications: A Synergistic Cell Growth and Antibacterial Efficiency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Majid Aliabadi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the synthesis of a biocompatible chitosan ammonium salt N-(2-hydroxy propyl-3-trimethylammonium chitosan chloride (HTCC and using it in montmorillonite ion-exchange process. HTCC-modified montmorillonite (Mt with different chemical ratios was successfully synthesized, and their characteristics have been verified by XRD and FTIR analyses. Produced samples have been evaluated in terms of antibacterial efficiency and biocompatibility (cell culture test. Antibacterial efficiency of synthesized HTCC/Mt samples has been confirmed against both gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus. The results disclosed that the antibacterial efficiency of HTCC-modified montmorillonite was unexpectedly even more than HTCC. This excellent synergistic effect has been referred to entrapping bacteria between the intercalated structures of HTCC-modified montmorillonite. Then HTCC on clay layers can seriously attack and damage the entrapped bacteria. An extraordinary biocompatibility, cell attachment, and cell growth even more than tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS have been recorded in the case of this novel kind of modified clay. Due to existing concerns about serious and chronic infections after implant placement, this natural-based bioactive and antibacterial modified clay can be used in electrospun nanofibers and other polymeric implants with promising mechanical properties for tissue engineering applications.

  15. Tissue Engineering Organs for Space Biology Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandenburgh, H. H.; Shansky, J.; DelTatto, M.; Lee, P.; Meir, J.

    1999-01-01

    Long-term manned space flight requires a better understanding of skeletal muscle atrophy resulting from microgravity. Atrophy most likely results from changes at both the systemic level (e.g. decreased circulating growth hormone, increased circulating glucocorticoids) and locally (e.g. decreased myofiber resting tension). Differentiated skeletal myofibers in tissue culture have provided a model system over the last decade for gaining a better understanding of the interactions of exogenous growth factors, endogenous growth factors, and muscle fiber tension in regulating protein turnover rates and muscle cell growth. Tissue engineering these cells into three dimensional bioartificial muscle (BAM) constructs has allowed us to extend their use to Space flight studies for the potential future development of countermeasures.

  16. Collagen as potential cell scaffolds for tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annuar, N; Spier, R E

    2004-05-01

    Selections of collagen available commercially were tested for their biocompatibility as scaffold to promote cell growth in vitro via simple collagen fast test and cultivation of mammalian cells on the selected type of collagen. It was found that collagen type C9791 promotes the highest degree of aggregation as well as cells growth. This preliminary study also indicated potential use of collagen as scaffold in engineered tissue.

  17. In vivo delivery of recombinant human growth hormone from genetically engineered human fibroblasts implanted within Baxter immunoisolation devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Josephs, S F; Loudovaris, T; Dixit, A; Young, S K; Johnson, R C

    1999-01-01

    Continuous delivery of therapeutic peptide to the systemic circulation would be the optimal treatment for a variety of diseases. The Baxter TheraCyte system is a membrane encapsulation system developed for implantation of tissues, cells such as endocrine cells or cell lines genetically engineered for therapeutic peptide delivery in vivo. To demonstrate the utility of this system, cell lines were developed which expressed human growth hormone (hGH) at levels exceeding 1 microgram per million cells per day. These were loaded into devices which were then implanted into juvenile nude rats. Significant levels of hGH of up to 2.5 ng/ml were detected in plasma throughout the six month duration of the study. In contrast, animals implanted with free cells showed peak plasma levels of 0.5 to 1.2 ng four days after implantation with no detectable hGH beyond 10 days. Histological examination of explanted devices showed they were vascularized and contained cells that were viable and morphologically healthy. After removal of the implants, no hGH could be detected which confirmed that the source of hGH was from cells contained within the device. The long term expression of human growth hormone as a model peptide has implications for the peptide therapies for a variety of human diseases using membrane encapsulated cells.

  18. Lipid engineering reveals regulatory roles for membrane fluidity in yeast flocculation and oxygen-limited growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Degreif, Daniel [Joint BioEnergy Inst. (JBEI), Emeryville, CA (United States); Technical Univ. of Darmstadt (Germany); de Rond, Tristan [Joint BioEnergy Inst. (JBEI), Emeryville, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Bertl, Adam [Technical Univ. of Darmstadt (Germany); Keasling, Jay D. [Joint BioEnergy Inst. (JBEI), Emeryville, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Technical Univ. of Denmark, Lyngby (Denmark); Budin, Itay [Joint BioEnergy Inst. (JBEI), Emeryville, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2017-03-18

    Cells modulate lipid metabolism in order to maintain membrane homeostasis. In this paper, we use a metabolic engineering approach to manipulate the stoichiometry of fatty acid unsaturation, a regulator of cell membrane fluidity, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Unexpectedly, reduced lipid unsaturation triggered cell-cell adhesion (flocculation), a phenomenon characteristic of industrial yeast but uncommon in laboratory strains. We find that ER lipid saturation sensors induce expression of FLO1 – encoding a cell wall polysaccharide binding protein – independently of its canonical regulator. In wild-type cells, Flo1p-dependent flocculation occurs under oxygen-limited growth, which reduces unsaturated lipid synthesis and thus serves as the environmental trigger for flocculation. Transcriptional analysis shows that FLO1 is one of the most highly induced genes in response to changes in lipid unsaturation, and that the set of membrane fluidity-sensitive genes is globally activated as part of the cell's long-term response to hypoxia during fermentation. Finally, our results show how the lipid homeostasis machinery of budding yeast is adapted to carry out a broad response to an environmental stimulus important in biotechnology.

  19. 40 CFR 1042.605 - Dressing engines already certified to other standards for nonroad or heavy-duty highway engines...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... regulations during their useful life, we may require you to recall them under 40 CFR part 85, 89, 92, or 1068... regard to which company manufactures the vessel or equipment. Show this as follows: (i) If you are the... test data on the appropriate marine duty cycles. You can include the data in your application for...

  20. Fatigue in engineering structures. A three fold analysis approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malik, Afzaal M.; Qureshi, Ejaz M.; Dar, Naeem Ullah; Khan, Iqbal

    2007-01-01

    The integrity in most of the engineering structures in influenced by the presence of cracks or crack like defects. These structures fail, even catastrophically if a crack greater than a critically safe size exist. Although most of the optimal designed structures are initially free from critical cracks, sub-critical cracks can lead to failures under cyclic loadings, called fatigue crack growth. It is nearly impractical to prevent sub-critical crack growth in engineering structures particularly in crack sensitive structures like most of the structures in nuclear, aerospace and aeronautical domains. However, it is essential to predict the fatigue crack growth for these structures to preclude the in service failures causing loss of assets. The present research presents an automatic procedure for the prediction of fatigue crack growth in three dimensional engineering structures and the key data for the fracture mechanics based design: the stress intensity factors. Three fold analysis procedures are adopted to investigate the effects of repetitive (cyclic) loadings on the fatigue life of different geometries of aluminum alloy 2219-O. A general purpose Finite Element (FE) Code ANSYS-8.0 is used to predict/estimate the fatigue life of the geometries. Computer codes utilizing the Green's Function are developed to calculate the stress intensity factors. Another code based on superposition technique presented by Shivakumara and Foreman is developed to calculate the fatigue crack growth rate, fatigue life (No. of loading cycles are developed to validate the results and finally full scale laboratory tests are conducted for the comparison of the results. The results showing a close co-relation between the different techniques employed gives the promising feature of the analysis approach for the future work. (author)

  1. Tissue engineering in the treatment of cartilage lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jakob Naranđa

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Articular cartilage lesions with the inherent limited healing potential are difficult to treat and thus remain a challenging problem for orthopaedic surgeons. Regenerative treatment techniques, such as autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI, are promising as a treatment option to restore hyaline-like cartilage tissue in damaged articular surfaces, as opposed to the traditional reparative procedures (e.g. bone marrow stimulation – microfracture, which promote a fibrocartilage formation with lower tissue biomechanical properties and poorer clinical results. ACI technique has undergone several advances and is constantly improving. The new concept of cartilage tissue preservation uses tissue-engineering technologies, combining new biomaterials as a scaffold, application of growth factors, use of stem cells, and mechanical stimulation. The recent development of new generations of ACI uses a cartilage-like tissue in a 3-dimensional culture system that is based on the use of biodegradable material which serves as a temporary scaffold for the in vitro growth and subsequent implantation into the cartilage defect. For clinical practice, single stage procedures appear attractive to reduce cost and patient morbidity. Finally, modern concept of tissue engineering facilitates hyaline-like cartilage formation and a permanent treatment of cartilage lesions.Conclusion: The review focuses on innovations in the treatment of cartilage lesions and covers modern concepts of tissue engineering with the use of biomaterials, growth factors, stem cells and bioreactors, and presents options for clinical use.

  2. Calculation of magnetic fields for engineering devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colonias, J.S.

    1976-06-01

    The methodology of magnet technology and its application to various engineering devices are discussed. Magnet technology has experienced a rigid growth in the past few years as a result of the advances made in superconductivity, numerical methods and computational techniques. Included are discussions on: (1) mathematical models for solving magnetic field problems; (2) the applicability, usefulness, and limitations of computer programs that utilize these models; (3) examples of application in various engineering disciplines; and (4) areas where further contributions are needed

  3. Academic Performance as a Predictor of Student Growth in Achievement and Mental Motivation During an Engineering Design Challenge in Engineering and Technology Education

    OpenAIRE

    Mentzer, Nathan

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this correlational research study was to determine if students’ academic success was correlated with: (a) the student change in achievement during an engineering design challenge; and (b) student change in mental motivation toward solving problems and critical thinking during an engineering design challenge. Multiple experimental studies have shown engineering design challenges increase student achievement and attitude toward learning, but conflicting evidence surrounded the im...

  4. IntegromeDB: an integrated system and biological search engine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baitaluk, Michael; Kozhenkov, Sergey; Dubinina, Yulia; Ponomarenko, Julia

    2012-01-19

    With the growth of biological data in volume and heterogeneity, web search engines become key tools for researchers. However, general-purpose search engines are not specialized for the search of biological data. Here, we present an approach at developing a biological web search engine based on the Semantic Web technologies and demonstrate its implementation for retrieving gene- and protein-centered knowledge. The engine is available at http://www.integromedb.org. The IntegromeDB search engine allows scanning data on gene regulation, gene expression, protein-protein interactions, pathways, metagenomics, mutations, diseases, and other gene- and protein-related data that are automatically retrieved from publicly available databases and web pages using biological ontologies. To perfect the resource design and usability, we welcome and encourage community feedback.

  5. SCC growth behaviors of austenitic stainless steels in simulated PWR primary water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terachi, T.; Yamada, T.; Miyamoto, T.; Arioka, K.

    2012-07-01

    The rates of SCC growth were measured under simulated PWR primary water conditions (500 ppm B + 2 ppm Li + 30 cm3/kg-H2O-STP DH2) using cold worked 316SS and 304SS. The direct current potential drop method was applied to measure the crack growth rates for 53 specimens. Dependence of the major engineering factors, such as yield strength, temperature and stress intensity was systematically examined. The rates of crack growth were proportional to the 2.9 power of yield strength, and directly proportional to the apparent yield strength. The estimated apparent activation energy was 84 kJ/mol. No significant differences in the SCC growth rates and behaviors were identified between 316SS and 304SS. Based on the measured results, an empirical equation for crack growth rate was proposed for engineering applications. Although there were deviations, 92.8% of the measured crack growth rates did not exceed twice the value calculated by the empirical equation.

  6. MOVPE Growth of LWIR AlInAs/GaInAs/InP Quantum Cascade Lasers: Impact of Growth and Material Quality on Laser Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-02-01

    times are 4 influenced by the gas handling system , reactor geometry, and growth process parameters. Gas systems and reactors have been engineered...temperature," Journal of Crystal Growth, vol. 175-176, pp. 22-28, 1997. [60] K. Pantzas, G. Beaudoin, G. Patriarche , L. Largeau, O. Mauguin, G

  7. Offshore petroleum engineering task force report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruelokke, M.

    1999-05-01

    The Offshore Petroleum Engineering Task Force was established in July 1998 in response to concerns about Newfoundland and Labrador's share of offshore petroleum engineering activity, with the aim of determining the current capability of the local sector, the demand for such companies and individuals until the year 2010, their capability to grow over that time-frame, and requirements in order to achieve that growth. The report summarizes the analysis undertaken by the Task Force as well as the conclusions it reached and associated recommendations. Section two provides an overview of the offshore engineering activity, including its origins, structure, and key success factors, and its also provides a profile of the industry, internationally, in Canada and in Newfoundland. Section three presents an analysis of the future demand for offshore engineering in Newfoundland until 2010, based on three development scenarios. Section four based on a Consulting Engineers of Newfoundland and Labrador (CENL) survey, establishes the present offshore engineering capacity and capabilities within the province. Section five examines current education and training programs and their ability to respond to future demands. Section six summarizes the conclusions of the analysis and presents recommendations designed to facilitate and promote the development of the local offshore engineering industry. 6 figs

  8. Fatigue de-bond growth in adhesively bonded single lap joints

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    3Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science,. Bangalore 560012 ... experimental work, specimens were fabricated and fatigue de-bond growth tests were conducted at a ... such as the stress intensity factor, are related to fatigue crack growth. ..... American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia.

  9. Thermal models pertaining to continental growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morgan, P.; Ashwal, L.

    1988-01-01

    Thermal models are important to understanding continental growth as the genesis, stabilization, and possible recycling of continental crust are closely related to the tectonic processes of the earth which are driven primarily by heat. The thermal energy budget of the earth was slowly decreasing since core formation, and thus the energy driving the terrestrial tectonic engine was decreasing. This fundamental observation was used to develop a logic tree defining the options for continental growth throughout earth history

  10. High power blue LED development using different growth modes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Dong S.; Florescu, Doru I.; Ramer, Jeff C.; Merai, Vinod; Parekh, Aniruddh; Begarney, Michael J.; Armour, Eric A. [Veeco TurboDisc Operations, 394 Elizabeth Avenue, Somerset, NJ 08873 (United States); Lu Dong [Veeco TurboDisc Operations, 394 Elizabeth Avenue, Somerset, NJ 08873 (United States); School of Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (United States)

    2004-09-01

    Blue high brightness light emitting diodes (HB-LEDs) have been developed using different growth modes in the active layers. Piezoelectric field engineering improves the optical output power in multiple quantum well (MQW) LEDs by inserting an optimized transitional superlattice (TSL) before the active MQW layers. Within single quantum well (SQW) LEDs, quasi-Quantum Dot (QD) growth for Indium localization has been realized. The SQW LED output power exceeds the strain engineered MQW LEDs. The experimental data indicates that Indium localization enhances overall quantum efficiency and results in increased output power for HB-LEDs. (copyright 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  11. Genetic engineering in biotechnology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bedate, C.A.; Morales, J.C.; Lopez, E.H.

    1981-09-01

    The objective of this book is to encourage the use of genetic engineering for economic development. The report covers: (1) Precedents of genetic engineering; (2) a brief description of the technology, including the transfer of DNA in bacteria (vectors, E. coli and B. subtilis hosts, stages, and technical problems), practical examples of techniques used and their products (interferon; growth hormone; insulin; treatment of blood cells, Talasemia, and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome; and more nutritious soya), transfer to higher organisms, and cellular fusion; (3) biological risks and precautions; (4) possible applications (production of hydrogen, hydrocarbons, alcohol, chemicals, enzymes, peptides, viral antigens, monoclonal antibodies, genes, proteins, and insecticides; metal extraction; nitrogen fixation; biodegradation; and new varieties of plants and animals; and (5) international activities.

  12. Impact of accelerated plant growth on seed variety development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christophersen, Eric

    1998-01-01

    The commercial lives of agricultural seed products have steadily declined in recent years. The introduction of genetically engineered crop seeds in 1966 has accentuated that trend. Widespread grower demand for genetically engineered seed requires competitive response by industry followers in order to avert market share losses to the industry leaders. Limitations on plant transformation technology, regulatory requirements and patent impediments require companies to rapidly convert transformed lines into elite commercial products. Massive multigenerational backcrossing efforts are required to distribute genetically engineered traits into a broad product mix. Significant incidents of expression failures, or ``gene silencing,'' have occurred unexpectedly, requiring product substitution strategies. First-to-market strategies, competitive response, broad germplasm conversion and rescue of product failures all share the element of urgency. Technologies which reliably accelerate product development rates can expect favorable reception by commercial seed developers. A growth chamber which dramatically accelerates the rate of plant growth is described.

  13. Approaches to improve angiogenesis in tissue-engineered skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahota, Parbinder S; Burn, J Lance; Brown, Nicola J; MacNeil, Sheila

    2004-01-01

    A problem with tissue-engineered skin is clinical failure due to delays in vascularization. The aim of this study was to explore a number of simple strategies to improve angiogenesis/vascularization using a tissue-engineered model of skin to which small vessel human dermal microvascular endothelial cells were added. For the majority of these studies, a modified Guirguis chamber was used, which allowed the investigation of several variables within the same experiment using the same human dermis; cell type, angiogenic growth factors, the influence of keratinocytes and fibroblasts, mechanical penetration of the human dermis, the site of endothelial cell addition, and the influence of hypoxia were all examined. A qualitative scoring system was used to assess the impact of these factors on the penetration of endothelial cells throughout the dermis. Similar results were achieved using freshly isolated small vessel human dermal microvascular endothelial cells or an endothelial cell line and a minimum cell seeding density was identified. Cell penetration was not influenced by the addition of angiogenic growth factors (vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor); similarly, including epidermal keratinocytes or dermal fibroblasts did not encourage endothelial cell entry, and neither did mechanical introduction of holes throughout the dermis. Two factors were identified that significantly enhanced endothelial cell penetration into the dermis: hypoxia and the site of endothelial cell addition. Endothelial cells added from the papillary surface entered into the dermis much more effectively than when cells were added to the reticular surface of the dermis. We conclude that this model is valuable in improving our understanding of how to enhance vascularization of tissue-engineered grafts.

  14. IIT MMAE Dept. Research project the homogeneous charge thermal ignition (HCTI) engine

    OpenAIRE

    Domenech Menal, Joan Ignasi

    2011-01-01

    Nowadays the main kinds of engines that are used in ground transportation are, gasoline Spark Ignition engines and diesel Compression Ignition engines. As every day more fuel is being used by a growing number of vehicles, fuel dependency growth and a growing concern for our environment health, it is a crucial point to gain in fuel efficiency for ground transportation engines. Many approaches are being investigated, but we will focus in one kind that we call the HCTI, homogeneous charge the...

  15. 76 FR 80362 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Fuel Quality...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-23

    ... requirements for motor vehicle diesel fuel and non-road, locomotive and marine diesel fuel. It also includes... the regulations at 40 CFR Part 80, Subpart I--``Motor Vehicle, Non-Road, Locomotive, and Marine Diesel... expiring approval, we had estimated 285,261 hours. Most motor vehicle diesel reporting has now ended, which...

  16. Tissue engineered vascular grafts: Origins, development, and current strategies for clinical application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benrashid, Ehsan; McCoy, Christopher C; Youngwirth, Linda M; Kim, Jina; Manson, Roberto J; Otto, James C; Lawson, Jeffrey H

    2016-04-15

    Since the development of a dependable and durable synthetic non-autogenous vascular conduit in the mid-twentieth century, the field of vascular surgery has experienced tremendous growth. Concomitant with this growth, development in the field of bioengineering and the development of different tissue engineering techniques have expanded the armamentarium of the surgeon for treating a variety of complex cardiovascular diseases. The recent development of completely tissue engineered vascular conduits that can be implanted for clinical application is a particularly exciting development in this field. With the rapid advances in the field of tissue engineering, the great hope of the surgeon remains that this conduit will function like a true blood vessel with an intact endothelial layer, with the ability to respond to endogenous vasoactive compounds. Eventually, these engineered tissues may have the potential to supplant older organic but not truly biologic technologies, which are used currently. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Instruments to reduce pollutant emissions of the existing inland vessel fleet. Position paper for international workshop 'Emissions from the Legacy Fleet'

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Den Boer, E.

    2011-11-15

    Inland waterway transport (IWT) has a key performance on the GHG emissions per tonne kilometre shipped. Due to its potential to limit climate change, the recent EU Transport White Paper has set high goals for the non-road modes. The Ports of Rotterdam (NL), Antwerp (BE) and others strive to increase the use of IWT in their hinterland transport. The Port of Rotterdam authority has imposed a modal split on the newly built container terminals, thus increasing the use of rail and IWT. The growth is estimated to result in a quadrupling of inland barge container traffic on the Rhine corridor in the timeframe 2010-2035. Local air quality is another environmental issue, however, that plays a key role. Due to reasons of long ship engine lifetimes and progress made in road transport emissions, IWT needs to improve its air pollution profile. To turn the potential of IWT into real growth, it is important to: improve the air pollutant profile of inland shipping; take responsibility to maintain the air quality levels along inland waterway corridors over Europe, especially in urban areas where road transport, industry and IWT contribute to levels that will need to be in accordance with the EU air quality directive 2008/51. A new set of standards for new engines will shortly be proposed by the European Commission to be introduced in 2016. However, these will probably not be as tight as the Euro-VI standards for road transport. In addition, the long lifetime of inland barge engines (30,000 to over 200,000 hours, depending on the engine type) will result in a slow uptake of the phase-IV engines in the fleet. The German and Dutch authorities have the opinion that not only the air pollutant emissions of new engines need to be curbed, but deliberate over the development of instruments that will reduce the pollutant emissions of the existing fleet (legacy fleet), in addition to the limitedly effective subsidy schemes applied in recent years. This paper demonstrates the need for measures

  18. Prediction of Fatigue Crack Growth in Gas Turbine Engine Blades Using Acoustic Emission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhiheng; Yang, Guoan; Hu, Kun

    2018-04-25

    Fatigue failure is the main type of failure that occurs in gas turbine engine blades and an online monitoring method for detecting fatigue cracks in blades is urgently needed. Therefore, in this present study, we propose the use of acoustic emission (AE) monitoring for the online identification of the blade status. Experiments on fatigue crack propagation based on the AE monitoring of gas turbine engine blades and TC11 titanium alloy plates were conducted. The relationship between the cumulative AE hits and the fatigue crack length was established, before a method of using the AE parameters to determine the crack propagation stage was proposed. A method for predicting the degree of crack propagation and residual fatigue life based on the AE energy was obtained. The results provide a new method for the online monitoring of cracks in the gas turbine engine blade.

  19. Virtual parameter-estimation experiments in Bioprocess-Engineering education

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sessink, O.D.T.; Beeftink, H.H.; Hartog, R.J.M.; Tramper, J.

    2006-01-01

    Cell growth kinetics and reactor concepts constitute essential knowledge for Bioprocess-Engineering students. Traditional learning of these concepts is supported by lectures, tutorials, and practicals: ICT offers opportunities for improvement. A virtual-experiment environment was developed that

  20. Understanding the modeling skill shift in engineering: the impact of self-efficacy, epistemology, and metacognition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yildirim, Tuba Pinar

    A focus of engineering education is to prepare future engineers with problem solving, design and modeling skills. In engineering education, the former two skill areas have received copious attention making their way into the ABET criteria. Modeling, a representation containing the essential structure of an event in the real world, is a fundamental function of engineering, and an important academic skill that students develop during their undergraduate education. Yet the modeling process remains under-investigated, particularly in engineering, even though there is an increasing emphasis on modeling in engineering schools (Frey 2003). Research on modeling requires a deep understanding of multiple perspectives, that of cognition, affect, and knowledge expansion. In this dissertation, the relationship between engineering modeling skills and students' cognitive backgrounds including self-efficacy, epistemic beliefs and metacognition is investigated using model-eliciting activities (MEAs). Data were collected from sophomore students at two time periods, as well as senior engineering students. The impact of each cognitive construct on change in modeling skills was measured using a growth curve model at the sophomore level, and ordinary least squares regression at the senior level. Findings of this dissertation suggest that self-efficacy, through its direct and indirect (moderation or interaction term with time) impact, influences the growth of modeling abilities of an engineering student. When sophomore and senior modeling abilities are compared, the difference can be explained by varying self-efficacy levels. Epistemology influences modeling skill development such that the more sophisticated the student beliefs are, the higher the level of modeling ability students can attain, after controlling for the effects of conceptual learning, gender and GPA. This suggests that development of modeling ability may be constrained by the naivete of one's personal epistemology

  1. Manipulating Rayleigh-Taylor Growth Using Adjoints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kord, Ali; Capecelatro, Jesse

    2017-11-01

    It has been observed that initial interfacial perturbations affect the growth of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities. However, it remains to be seen to what extent the perturbations alter the RT growth rate. Direct numerical simulations (DNS) provide a powerful means for studying the effects of initial conditions (IC) on the growth rate. However, a brute-force approach for identifying optimal initial perturbations is not practical via DNS. In addition, identifying sensitivity of the RT growth to the large number of parameters used in defining the IC is computationally expensive. A discrete adjoint is formulated to measure sensitivities of multi-mode RT growth to ICs in a high-order finite difference framework. The sensitivity is used as a search direction for adjusting the initial perturbations to both maximize and suppress the RT growth rate during its non-linear regime. The modes that contribute the greatest sensitivity are identified, and optimized perturbation energy spectrum are reported. PhD Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

  2. Engineering of oriented carbon nanotubes in composite materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beigmoradi, Razieh; Mohebbi-Kalhori, Davod

    2018-01-01

    The orientation and arrangement engineering of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in composite structures is considered a challenging issue. In this regard, two groups of in situ and ex situ techniques have been developed. In the first, the arrangement is achieved during CNT growth, while in the latter, the CNTs are initially grown in random orientation and the arrangement is then achieved during the device integration process. As the ex situ techniques are free from growth restrictions and more flexible in terms of controlling the alignment and sorting of the CNTs, they are considered by some as the preferred technique for engineering of oriented CNTs. This review focuses on recent progress in the improvement of the orientation and alignment of CNTs in composite materials. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of the processes are discussed as well as their future outlook. PMID:29515955

  3. 76 FR 77521 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-13

    ... section 209 proceeding is to: consider all evidence that passes the threshold test of materiality and... Air Basin's non-attainment status by reducing NO X and PM 2.5 levels. AWO states that there is no....5 levels is inaccurate and outdated in that it does not represent the most current operation of...

  4. 78 FR 58089 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Off-Road Compression Ignition...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-20

    ... reduced the annual BACT requirements from a 28 percent turnover and retrofit requirement in the prior... Board (CARB) request for authorization of regulations designed to reduce PM and NO X emissions from in... progressively more stringent combined PM and NO X standard, or to reduce emissions through technology upgrades...

  5. Using Polymeric Scaffolds for Vascular Tissue Engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alida Abruzzo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available With the high occurrence of cardiovascular disease and increasing numbers of patients requiring vascular access, there is a significant need for small-diameter (<6 mm inner diameter vascular graft that can provide long-term patency. Despite the technological improvements, restenosis and graft thrombosis continue to hamper the success of the implants. Vascular tissue engineering is a new field that has undergone enormous growth over the last decade and has proposed valid solutions for blood vessels repair. The goal of vascular tissue engineering is to produce neovessels and neoorgan tissue from autologous cells using a biodegradable polymer as a scaffold. The most important advantage of tissue-engineered implants is that these tissues can grow, remodel, rebuild, and respond to injury. This review describes the development of polymeric materials over the years and current tissue engineering strategies for the improvement of vascular conduits.

  6. Linking genes to microbial growth kinetics: an integrated biochemical systems engineering approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koutinas, M.; Kiparissides, A.; Silva-Rocha, R.; Lam, M.C.; Martins Dos Santos, V.A.P.; Lorenzo, de V.; Pistikopoulos, E.N.; Mantalaris, A.

    2011-01-01

    The majority of models describing the kinetic properties of a microorganism for a given substrate are unstructured and empirical. They are formulated in this manner so that the complex mechanism of cell growth is simplified. Herein, a novel approach for modelling microbial growth kinetics is

  7. Engineering Microbial Metabolite Dynamics and Heterogeneity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitz, Alexander C; Hartline, Christopher J; Zhang, Fuzhong

    2017-10-01

    As yields for biological chemical production in microorganisms approach their theoretical maximum, metabolic engineering requires new tools, and approaches for improvements beyond what traditional strategies can achieve. Engineering metabolite dynamics and metabolite heterogeneity is necessary to achieve further improvements in product titers, productivities, and yields. Metabolite dynamics, the ensemble change in metabolite concentration over time, arise from the need for microbes to adapt their metabolism in response to the extracellular environment and are important for controlling growth and productivity in industrial fermentations. Metabolite heterogeneity, the cell-to-cell variation in a metabolite concentration in an isoclonal population, has a significant impact on ensemble productivity. Recent advances in single cell analysis enable a more complete understanding of the processes driving metabolite heterogeneity and reveal metabolic engineering targets. The authors present an overview of the mechanistic origins of metabolite dynamics and heterogeneity, why they are important, their potential effects in chemical production processes, and tools and strategies for engineering metabolite dynamics and heterogeneity. The authors emphasize that the ability to control metabolite dynamics and heterogeneity will bring new avenues of engineering to increase productivity of microbial strains. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Magnetic resonance microscopy for monitoring osteogenesis in tissue-engineered construct in vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu Huihui [Bioengineering Department (MC 063), University of Illinois at Chicago, 851 South Morgan Street, Chicago, IL 60607-7052 (United States); Othman, Shadi F [Bioengineering Department (MC 063), University of Illinois at Chicago, 851 South Morgan Street, Chicago, IL 60607-7052 (United States); Hong Liu [Bioengineering Department (MC 063), University of Illinois at Chicago, 851 South Morgan Street, Chicago, IL 60607-7052 (United States); Peptan, Ioana A [Bioengineering Department (MC 063), University of Illinois at Chicago, 851 South Morgan Street, Chicago, IL 60607-7052 (United States); Magin, Richard L [Bioengineering Department (MC 063), University of Illinois at Chicago, 851 South Morgan Street, Chicago, IL 60607-7052 (United States)

    2006-02-07

    Magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) is used to monitor osteogenesis in tissue-engineered constructs. Measurements of the developing tissue's MR relaxation times (T{sub 1} and T{sub 2}), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and elastic shear modulus were conducted over a 4-week growth period using an 11.74 T Bruker spectrometer with an imaging probe adapted for MR elastography (MRE). Both the relaxation times and the ADC show a statistically significant decrease after only one week of tissue development while the tissue stiffness increases progressively during the first two weeks of in vitro growth. The measured MR parameters are correlated with histologically monitored osteogenic tissue development. This study shows that MRM can provide quantitative data with which to characterize the growth and development of tissue-engineered bone.

  9. Effects of Crude Oil and Oil Products on Growth of Some Edible ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The vegetative growth response of three local edible mushrooms: Pleurotus pulmonarius (Pp), Pleurotus tuber-regium (Pt) and Lentinus squarrosulus (Ls) on different concentrations of Crude oil (COIL), Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO), Fresh Engine Oil (ENGOIL) and Spent Engine Oil (SENGOIL) was investigated. The result ...

  10. Distributed Control Architecture for Gas Turbine Engine. Chapter 4

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culley, Dennis; Garg, Sanjay

    2009-01-01

    The transformation of engine control systems from centralized to distributed architecture is both necessary and enabling for future aeropropulsion applications. The continued growth of adaptive control applications and the trend to smaller, light weight cores is a counter influence on the weight and volume of control system hardware. A distributed engine control system using high temperature electronics and open systems communications will reverse the growing trend of control system weight ratio to total engine weight and also be a major factor in decreasing overall cost of ownership for aeropropulsion systems. The implementation of distributed engine control is not without significant challenges. There are the needs for high temperature electronics, development of simple, robust communications, and power supply for the on-board electronics.

  11. Linking genes to microbial growth kinetics: an integrated biochemical systems engineering approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koutinas, Michalis; Kiparissides, Alexandros; Silva-Rocha, Rafael; Lam, Ming-Chi; Martins Dos Santos, Vitor A P; de Lorenzo, Victor; Pistikopoulos, Efstratios N; Mantalaris, Athanasios

    2011-07-01

    The majority of models describing the kinetic properties of a microorganism for a given substrate are unstructured and empirical. They are formulated in this manner so that the complex mechanism of cell growth is simplified. Herein, a novel approach for modelling microbial growth kinetics is proposed, linking biomass growth and substrate consumption rates to the gene regulatory programmes that control these processes. A dynamic model of the TOL (pWW0) plasmid of Pseudomonas putida mt-2 has been developed, describing the molecular interactions that lead to the transcription of the upper and meta operons, known to produce the enzymes for the oxidative catabolism of m-xylene. The genetic circuit model was combined with a growth kinetic model decoupling biomass growth and substrate consumption rates, which are expressed as independent functions of the rate-limiting enzymes produced by the operons. Estimation of model parameters and validation of the model's predictive capability were successfully performed in batch cultures of mt-2 fed with different concentrations of m-xylene, as confirmed by relative mRNA concentration measurements of the promoters encoded in TOL. The growth formation and substrate utilisation patterns could not be accurately described by traditional Monod-type models for a wide range of conditions, demonstrating the critical importance of gene regulation for the development of advanced models closely predicting complex bioprocesses. In contrast, the proposed strategy, which utilises quantitative information pertaining to upstream molecular events that control the production of rate-limiting enzymes, predicts the catabolism of a substrate and biomass formation and could be of central importance for the design of optimal bioprocesses. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Pericyte-targeting drug delivery and tissue engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kang E

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Eunah Kang,1 Jong Wook Shin2 1School of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, 2Division of Allergic and Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, South Korea Abstract: Pericytes are contractile mural cells that wrap around the endothelial cells of capillaries and venules. Depending on the triggers by cellular signals, pericytes have specific functionality in tumor microenvironments, properties of potent stem cells, and plasticity in cellular pathology. These features of pericytes can be activated for the promotion or reduction of angiogenesis. Frontier studies have exploited pericyte-targeting drug delivery, using pericyte-specific peptides, small molecules, and DNA in tumor therapy. Moreover, the communication between pericytes and endothelial cells has been applied to the induction of vessel neoformation in tissue engineering. Pericytes may prove to be a novel target for tumor therapy and tissue engineering. The present paper specifically reviews pericyte-specific drug delivery and tissue engineering, allowing insight into the emerging research targeting pericytes. Keywords: pericytes, pericyte-targeting drug delivery, tissue engineering, platelet-derived growth factor, angiogenesis, vascular remodeling

  13. Assessing the Higher National Diploma Chemical Engineering Programme in Ghana: Students' Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boateng, Cyril D.; Bensah, Edem Cudjoe; Ahiekpor, Julius C.

    2012-01-01

    Chemical engineers have played key roles in the growth of the chemical and allied industries in Ghana but indigenous industries that have traditionally been the domain of the informal sector need to be migrated to the formal sector through the entrepreneurship and innovation of chemical engineers. The Higher National Diploma Chemical Engineering…

  14. Industrial Employment, Investment Equipment and Economic Growth

    OpenAIRE

    Dellas, Harris

    2000-01-01

    The industrialization of labour is the main engine of growth during the early stages of economic development. In less developed countries, equipment investment has played a less important role than non-equipment investment; and it has only proved growth enhancing when it either encountered a substantial industrial labour force or fostered a large increase in the share of industrial employment. These findings draw attention to the effects of investment on the composition of the labour force; a...

  15. Practical pulse engineering: Gradient ascent without matrix exponentiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhole, Gaurav; Jones, Jonathan A.

    2018-06-01

    Since 2005, there has been a huge growth in the use of engineered control pulses to perform desired quantum operations in systems such as nuclear magnetic resonance quantum information processors. These approaches, which build on the original gradient ascent pulse engineering algorithm, remain computationally intensive because of the need to calculate matrix exponentials for each time step in the control pulse. In this study, we discuss how the propagators for each time step can be approximated using the Trotter-Suzuki formula, and a further speedup achieved by avoiding unnecessary operations. The resulting procedure can provide substantial speed gain with negligible costs in the propagator error, providing a more practical approach to pulse engineering.

  16. Clinical engineering in Romania. The coming of age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naianu, B P; Negoescu, R

    Biomedical engineering (BME) includes clinical engineering and bioengineering. Bioengineering is academically oriented towards theory and research in biology using the methods of exact sciences such as maths and physics, while clinical engineering (CE) has a rather practical orientation focusing on the general management of clinic/hospital equipment and providing aid to the medical staff in the use of advanced technologies for diagnosis and therapy purposes. The Romanian physiological community has been closely involved in the growth of BME that has now come of age in this country. Radu Vrâncianu's great intuition in opening the door to this science and its practical application in an institution created by Daniel Danielopolu definitely represented a good chance for Romanian public health. Recently, both clinical engineering and medical bioengineering have been introduced into the Romanian Classification of Occupations.

  17. A review of Curtiss-Wright rotary engine developments with respect to general aviation potential

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, C.

    1979-01-01

    Aviation related rotary (Wankel-type) engine tests, possible growth directions and relevant developments at Curtiss-Wright have been reviewed. Automotive rotary engines including stratified charge are described and flight test results of rotary aircraft engines are presented. The current 300 HP engine prototype shows basic durability and competitive performance potential. Recent parallel developments have separately confirmed the geometric advantages of the rotary engine for direct injected unthrottled stratified charge. Specific fuel consumption equal to or better than pre- or swirl-chamber diesels, low emission and multi-fuel capability have been shown by rig tests of similar rotary engine.

  18. Ecosystem engineering potential of the gastropod Terebralia palustris (Linnaeus, 1767) in mangrove wastewater wetlands - A controlled mesocosm experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Penha-Lopes, Gil, E-mail: gil.penha-lopes@biology-research.co [Centro de Oceanografia - Laboratorio Maritimo da Guia, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Na, Senhora do Cabo 939, 2750-374 Cascais (Portugal); Department of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Brussels (Belgium); Bartolini, Fabrizio [Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica, Universita degli Studi di Firenze, via Romana 17, I-50125 Firenze (Italy); Limbu, Samwel [University of Dar es Salaam, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, P.O. Box 35064, Dar es Salaam (Tanzania, United Republic of); Cannicci, Stefano [Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica, Universita degli Studi di Firenze, via Romana 17, I-50125 Firenze (Italy); Mgaya, Yunus [University of Dar es Salaam, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, P.O. Box 35064, Dar es Salaam (Tanzania, United Republic of); Kristensen, Erik [Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M (Denmark); Paula, Jose [Centro de Oceanografia - Laboratorio Maritimo da Guia, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Na, Senhora do Cabo 939, 2750-374 Cascais (Portugal)

    2010-01-15

    The effect of different sewage concentrations (0, 20, 60 and 100%), vegetation (Bare, Avicennia marina or Rhizophora mucronata) and immersion periods (immersion/emersion period of 12/12 h or 3/3 days just for 100%) conditions were studied for 6 months on survival and growth rates of Terebralia palustris (Linnaeus, 1767). Gastropods' activity and ecosystem engineering preformed at bare and A. marina planted cells and 3 sewage conditions (0, 20 and 60%) were determined. Survival rates were higher than 70% in all treatments. Growth rate decreased significantly with increasing sewage concentrations (mainly at unplanted conditions) and longer immersion periods. A complete shift (from immersion to emersion periods) and a significant decrease in mobility and consequently its engineer potential, due to sewage contamination, lead to a 3-4 fold decrease in the amount of sediment disturbed. Sewage contamination, primary producers' abundance and environmental conditions may have influenced the gastropods survival, growth and its ecosystem engineering potential. - Terebralia palustris high ecosystem engineering potential in constructed mangrove wetlands.

  19. Biotechnology and synthetic biology approaches for metabolic engineering of bioenergy crops.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shih, Patrick M; Liang, Yan; Loqué, Dominique

    2016-07-01

    The Green Revolution has fuelled an exponential growth in human population since the mid-20th century. Due to population growth, food and energy demands will soon surpass supply capabilities. To overcome these impending problems, significant improvements in genetic engineering will be needed to complement breeding efforts in order to accelerate the improvement of agronomical traits. The new field of plant synthetic biology has emerged in recent years and is expected to support rapid, precise, and robust engineering of plants. In this review, we present recent advances made in the field of plant synthetic biology, specifically in genome editing, transgene expression regulation, and bioenergy crop engineering, with a focus on traits related to lignocellulose, oil, and soluble sugars. Ultimately, progress and innovation in these fields may facilitate the development of beneficial traits in crop plants to meet society's bioenergy needs. © 2016 The Authors. The Plant Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. The Rise of Student-to-Student Learning: Youth-led Programs Impacting Engineering Education Globally

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julian O'Shea

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Around the globe, students and young engineers are playing an increasing role in the coordination and delivery of engineering education programs. Many youth-led initiatives are now conducted with students involved in all aspects of their creation, organisation and delivery. This trend presents an exciting opportunity for the education of engineering students, both those involved in delivery of the courses and for participants. This paper profiles four leading youth-led engineering education programs and analyses their structure and growth in recent years. Profiled are initiatives coordinated by Engineers Without Borders – Australia (EWB-A; the Board of European Students of Technology (BEST; the Electrical Engineering Students’ European Association (EESTEC; and the Student Platform for Engineering Education Development (SPEED. Each case study includes a brief history of the organisation, program overview, growth analysis and future projections. The common features amongst these programs were analysed, as were the aspects which made them distinct from traditional university offerings. Key findings about the initiatives include: an international focus; the mixture of formal learning and social aspects; an integral role of volunteers within the organisation; the use of residential programs; and the role of internal professional development of committee members and volunteers. Additionally, this paper outlines the benefits for universities and provides a guide for how engineering faculties can support and nurture these initiatives and effectively create partnerships.

  1. Mechanical stretching for tissue engineering: two-dimensional and three-dimensional constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riehl, Brandon D; Park, Jae-Hong; Kwon, Il Keun; Lim, Jung Yul

    2012-08-01

    Mechanical cell stretching may be an attractive strategy for the tissue engineering of mechanically functional tissues. It has been demonstrated that cell growth and differentiation can be guided by cell stretch with minimal help from soluble factors and engineered tissues that are mechanically stretched in bioreactors may have superior organization, functionality, and strength compared with unstretched counterparts. This review explores recent studies on cell stretching in both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) setups focusing on the applications of stretch stimulation as a tool for controlling cell orientation, growth, gene expression, lineage commitment, and differentiation and for achieving successful tissue engineering of mechanically functional tissues, including cardiac, muscle, vasculature, ligament, tendon, bone, and so on. Custom stretching devices and lab-specific mechanical bioreactors are described with a discussion on capabilities and limitations. While stretch mechanotransduction pathways have been examined using 2D stretch, studying such pathways in physiologically relevant 3D environments may be required to understand how cells direct tissue development under stretch. Cell stretch study using 3D milieus may also help to develop tissue-specific stretch regimens optimized with biochemical feedback, which once developed will provide optimal tissue engineering protocols.

  2. Engineered cell manipulation for biomedical application

    CERN Document Server

    Akashi, Misturu; Matsusaki, Michiya

    2014-01-01

    This book is the first to summarize new technologies for engineered cell manipulation. The contents focus on control of cellular functions by nanomaterials and control of three-dimensional cell-cell interactions. Control of cellular functions is important for cell differentiation, maturation, and activation, which generally are controlled by the addition of soluble cytokines or growth factors into cell culture dishes. Target antigen molecules can be efficiently delivered to the cytosol of the dendritic cells using the nanoparticle technique described here, and cellular functions such as dendritic cell maturation can be controlled easily and with precision. This book describes basic preparation of the nanoparticles, activation control of dendritic cells, immune function control, and in vivo application for various vaccination systems. The second type of control,that of cell-cell interaction, is important for tissue engineering in order to develop three-dimensional cellular constructs. To achieve in vitro engin...

  3. Trust growth model of engineering project partnership pattern%工程项目伙伴关系模式的信任增长模型

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    刘家锋

    2011-01-01

    将信任分为初步交易型、深度交易型和义利共生型,运用博弈论分析不同信任的产生机制,并建立工程项目伙伴关系模式的信任增长模型.研究结果表明:企业之间共同的追求目标、价值观和文化理念是信任产生和不断增长的源泉.随着信任程度的加深,业主、监理单位和承包商各自获得的总体效益呈渐进上升趋势,参与工程建设的各方才能够形成战略型的永久伙伴关系.%The trust was divided into preliminary transaction, depth transaction and the righteousness favorable par agenesis. The generation mechanism of different trusts with the game theory was analyzed, and the trust growth model of engineering project partnership pattern was suggested. It is suggested that the common goal, values and cultural idea of different enterprises are the source of the trust origin and growth. With trust degree increasing, the total benefit that the owner, the construction supervision unit and the contractor obtain goes up gradually and the strategy permanent partnership between the participations of the engineering construction can be formed.

  4. The effect of extracellular calcium and inorganic phosphate on the growth and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells in vitro: implication for bone tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Yukan; Lu Qiaozhi; Ji Huijiao; Zhao Xiaoli; Zhang Ming [College of Life Science, ZheJiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Pei Rui [XiJing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi An 710032 (China); Zhou Guoshun [Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province 313000 (China); Tang, Rui Kang, E-mail: Lyk_cn@yahoo.com.c [Department of Chemistry, College of Science, ZheJiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

    2009-04-15

    The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effect of extracellular calcium ion (Ca{sup 2+}) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentrations on the growth and differentiation of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which is essential to understand the interaction between calcium phosphate ceramic (CPC) scaffolds and seeded cells during the construction of tissue-engineered bones. MSCs were separated from rabbits and cultured in media with different concentrations of Ca{sup 2+} and Pi supplements. Their proliferation, apoptosis, mineralization and osteogenic differentiation were determined by the MTT assay, TUNEL assay, Vonkossa stain and RT-PCR examination. A two-way ANOVA calculation with comparisons of estimated marginal means by LSD was used for statistical analysis. Results showed that the optimal extracellular Ca{sup 2+} and Pi concentrations for the cells to proliferate and differentiate were 1.8 mM and 0.09 mM, respectively, which are the concentrations supplied in many commonly used culture media such as DMEM and alpha-MEM. Cell proliferation and differentiation decreased significantly with greater or lower concentrations of the Pi supplement. Greater Pi concentrations also led to significant cell apoptosis. Greater Ca{sup 2+} concentrations did not change cell proliferation but significantly inhibited cell differentiation. In addition, greater Ca{sup 2+} concentrations could significantly enhance cell mineralization. In conclusion, extracellular Ca{sup 2+} and Pi significantly influence the growth and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. It is important to take the cellular effect of Ca{sup 2+} and Pi into consideration when designing or constructing scaffolds for bone tissue engineering with CPC.

  5. Growth-coupled overproduction is feasible for almost all metabolites in five major production organisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Kamp, Axel; Klamt, Steffen

    2017-06-01

    Computational modelling of metabolic networks has become an established procedure in the metabolic engineering of production strains. One key principle that is frequently used to guide the rational design of microbial cell factories is the stoichiometric coupling of growth and product synthesis, which makes production of the desired compound obligatory for growth. Here we show that the coupling of growth and production is feasible under appropriate conditions for almost all metabolites in genome-scale metabolic models of five major production organisms. These organisms comprise eukaryotes and prokaryotes as well as heterotrophic and photoautotrophic organisms, which shows that growth coupling as a strain design principle has a wide applicability. The feasibility of coupling is proven by calculating appropriate reaction knockouts, which enforce the coupling behaviour. The study presented here is the most comprehensive computational investigation of growth-coupled production so far and its results are of fundamental importance for rational metabolic engineering.

  6. Concept definition study of small Brayton cycle engines for dispersed solar electric power systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Six, L. D.; Ashe, T. L.; Dobler, F. X.; Elkins, R. T.

    1980-01-01

    Three first-generation Brayton cycle engine types were studied for solar application: a near-term open cycle (configuration A), a near-term closed cycle (configuration B), and a longer-term open cycle (configuration C). A parametric performance analysis was carried out to select engine designs for the three configurations. The interface requirements for the Brayton cycle engine/generator and solar receivers were determined. A technology assessment was then carried out to define production costs, durability, and growth potential for the selected engine types.

  7. Engineering 1-Alkene Biosynthesis and Secretion by Dynamic Regulation in Yeast

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhou, Yongjin J.; Hu, Yating; Zhu, Zhiwei

    2018-01-01

    strategy to control the expression of membrane enzyme and 1-alkene production and cell growth by relieving the possible toxicity of overexpressed membrane proteins. With these efforts, the engineered yeast cell factory produced 35.3 mg/L 1-alkenes with more than 80% being secreted. This represents a 10...... product secretion. Here, we engineered the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce and secrete 1-alkenes by manipulation of the fatty acid metabolism, enzyme selection, engineering the electron transfer system and expressing a transporter. Furthermore, we implemented a dynamic regulation...

  8. (cucumis sativus l.) in spent engine oil contaminated soil amended

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    compost treatment recorded the highest number of leaves while the number of leaves for 0% ... KEYWORDS: Growth, Cucumis sativus, Urena lobata, spent engine oil, contamination, .... sawdust, peat, waste cotton and organic manures are.

  9. Biochemical Stimulus-Based Strategies for Meniscus Tissue Engineering and Regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Mingxue; Guo, Weimin; Gao, Shunag; Hao, Chunxiang; Shen, Shi; Zhang, Zengzeng; Wang, Zhenyong; Wang, Zehao; Li, Xu; Jing, Xiaoguang; Zhang, Xueliang; Yuan, Zhiguo; Wang, Mingjie; Zhang, Yu; Peng, Jiang; Wang, Aiyuan; Wang, Yu; Sui, Xiang

    2018-01-01

    Meniscus injuries are very common and still pose a challenge for the orthopedic surgeon. Meniscus injuries in the inner two-thirds of the meniscus remain incurable. Tissue-engineered meniscus strategies seem to offer a new approach for treating meniscus injuries with a combination of seed cells, scaffolds, and biochemical or biomechanical stimulation. Cell- or scaffold-based strategies play a pivotal role in meniscus regeneration. Similarly, biochemical and biomechanical stimulation are also important. Seed cells and scaffolds can be used to construct a tissue-engineered tissue; however, stimulation to enhance tissue maturation and remodeling is still needed. Such stimulation can be biomechanical or biochemical, but this review focuses only on biochemical stimulation. Growth factors (GFs) are one of the most important forms of biochemical stimulation. Frequently used GFs always play a critical role in normal limb development and growth. Further understanding of the functional mechanism of GFs will help scientists to design the best therapy strategies. In this review, we summarize some of the most important GFs in tissue-engineered menisci, as well as other types of biological stimulation. PMID:29581987

  10. Possible Health Hazards from Genetically Engineered Crops ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The paradox of Genetic Engineering of crops is evident from the unending revolution in the seeding and growth of new multibillion naira industries while it also poses the greatest hazards to life on the planet Earth. Recombination DNA technology is used to insert, delete, transpose and substitute new genes in plants that ...

  11. Layers and Multilayers of Self-Assembled Polymers: Tunable Engineered Extracellular Matrix Coatings for Neural Cell Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landry, Michael J; Rollet, Frédéric-Guillaume; Kennedy, Timothy E; Barrett, Christopher J

    2018-03-12

    Growing primary cells and tissue in long-term cultures, such as primary neural cell culture, presents many challenges. A critical component of any environment that supports neural cell growth in vivo is an appropriate 2-D surface or 3-D scaffold, typically in the form of a thin polymer layer that coats an underlying plastic or glass substrate and aims to mimic critical aspects of the extracellular matrix. A fundamental challenge to mimicking a hydrophilic, soft natural cell environment is that materials with these properties are typically fragile and are difficult to adhere to and stabilize on an underlying plastic or glass cell culture substrate. In this review, we highlight the current state of the art and overview recent developments of new artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) surfaces for in vitro neural cell culture. Notably, these materials aim to strike a balance between being hydrophilic and soft while also being thick, stable, robust, and bound well to the underlying surface to provide an effective surface to support long-term cell growth. We focus on improved surface and scaffold coating systems that can mimic the natural physicochemical properties that enhance neuronal survival and growth, applied as soft hydrophilic polymer coatings for both in vitro cell culture and for implantable neural probes and 3-D matrixes that aim to enhance stability and longevity to promote neural biocompatibility in vivo. With respect to future developments, we outline four emerging principles that serve to guide the development of polymer assemblies that function well as artificial ECMs: (a) design inspired by biological systems and (b) the employment of principles of aqueous soft bonding and self-assembly to achieve (c) a high-water-content gel-like coating that is stable over time in a biological environment and possesses (d) a low modulus to more closely mimic soft, compliant real biological tissue. We then highlight two emerging classes of thick material coatings that

  12. An Arts-Based Instructional Model for Student Creativity in Engineering Design

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian Laduca

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Over the past twenty years, nearly all job growth in the United States has emerged from new companies and organizations with assumedly innovative products, services, and practices. Yet, the nurturing of student creative thinking and problem solving is infrequent in engineering education. Inherent to developing these creativity skills and attributes is the need to be exposed to difference — in people and environment. Engineering education rarely offers such opportunities. Additionally, engineering students are rarely presented opportunities to develop designs responding to real human problems. This paper puts forth a new instructional model to address these needs by utilizing arts processes and practices as catalysts for both creativity development in students and transdisciplinary collaboration on problems addressing deep human needs. This model is premised on the substantiated role of the arts in developing creativity and growing understanding of the human condition. This art-based instructional model was piloted as exploratory pedagogical research during the summers of 2015 and 2016 as a partnership between the Arts Nexus (IAN and the School of Engineering at the University of Dayton. In each year, this program supported twelve student interns from engineering, business, science, the arts, and the humanities to develop innovative technologies and services meeting client needs. Student growth in creative problem-solving and transdisciplinary collaboration, as well as the success of the completed innovation technology prototype were assessed by the project mentors and participating students via survey evaluations and narrative responses. The assessment results revealed substantial student growth in student creativity and transdisciplinary collaboration and a remarkably strong evaluation of the success of the students’ innovations. Also realized for all students was a transformation in their perception of their place in the world as

  13. CIVIL ENGINEERS' ROLES IN PUBLIC WORKS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murata, Teruaki

    Recently, the public interests are becoming high in the way of executing public works and the future direction of infrastructure development, which raises nation-wide discussion on these issues. How should we make our country's growth strategy for sustainable development? How should we realize the grand design of infrastructure needed for the implementation of such a strategy? It is obvious that further discussions are needed for these challenging questions. With an aim to promote such discussions, this paper reviews the history of public works and the professional practices (or accomplishments) of our great civil engineers, and discusses the future of public works and the roles of civil engineers based on their origin. Further, in this paper, the author, as the chairman of the Public Works Committee of Japan Civil Engineering Contractors Association, introduces the Association's proposal of "realization of an attractive construction industry." However, for its realization, sustainable institutional arrangements under social consensus are indispensable. Also, individual engineer must establish his/her own identity based on sense of social ethics. It is the author's hope that, through these journals, the professional practices of civil engineers will be widely known to the public with objective logics and discussed to achieve social consensus.

  14. Tissue-Engineered Skeletal Muscle Organoids for Reversible Gene Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandenburgh, Herman; DelTatto, Michael; Shansky, Janet; Lemaire, Julie; Chang, Albert; Payumo, Francis; Lee, Peter; Goodyear, Amy; Raven, Latasha

    1996-01-01

    Genetically modified murine skeletal myoblasts were tissue engineered in vitro into organ-like structures (organoids) containing only postmitotic myofibers secreting pharmacological levels of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH). Subcutaneous organoid Implantation under tension led to the rapid and stable appearance of physiological sera levels of rhGH for up to 12 weeks, whereas surgical removal led to its rapid disappearance. Reversible delivery of bioactive compounds from postimtotic cells in tissue engineered organs has several advantages over other forms of muscle gene therapy.

  15. How Sustainable are Engineered Rivers in Arid Lands?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jurgen Schmandt

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Engineered rivers in arid lands play an important role in feeding the world’s growing population. Each continent has rivers that carry water from distant mountain sources to fertile soil downstream where rainfall is scarce. Over the course of the last century most rivers in arid lands have been equipped with large engineering structures that generate electric power and store water for agriculture and cities. This has changed the hydrology of the rivers. In this paper we discuss how climate variation, climate change, reservoir siltation, changes in land use and population growth will challenge the sustainability of engineered river systems over the course of the next few decades. We use the Rio Grande in North America, where we have worked with Mexican and American colleagues, to describe our methodology and results. Similar work is needed to study future water supply and demand in engineered rivers around the world.

  16. Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Esther J.; Kasper, F. Kurtis; Mikos, Antonios G.

    2013-01-01

    Biomaterials serve as an integral component of tissue engineering. They are designed to provide architectural framework reminiscent of native extracellular matrix in order to encourage cell growth and eventual tissue regeneration. Bone and cartilage represent two distinct tissues with varying compositional and mechanical properties. Despite these differences, both meet at the osteochondral interface. This article presents an overview of current biomaterials employed in bone and cartilage applications, discusses some design considerations, and alludes to future prospects within this field of research. PMID:23820768

  17. New tools for chloroplast genetic engineering allow the synthesis of human growth hormone in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wannathong, Thanyanan; Waterhouse, Janet C; Young, Rosanna E B; Economou, Chloe K; Purton, Saul

    2016-06-01

    In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the exploitation of microalgae in industrial biotechnology. Potentially, these phototrophic eukaryotes could be used for the low-cost synthesis of valuable recombinant products such as bioactive metabolites and therapeutic proteins. The algal chloroplast in particular represents an attractive target for such genetic engineering, both because it houses major metabolic pathways and because foreign genes can be targeted to specific loci within the chloroplast genome, resulting in high-level, stable expression. However, routine methods for chloroplast genetic engineering are currently available only for one species-Chlamydomonas reinhardtii-and even here, there are limitations to the existing technology, including the need for an expensive biolistic device for DNA delivery, the lack of robust expression vectors, and the undesirable use of antibiotic resistance markers. Here, we describe a new strain and vectors for targeted insertion of transgenes into a neutral chloroplast locus that (i) allow scar-less fusion of a transgenic coding sequence to the promoter/5'UTR element of the highly expressed endogenous genes psaA or atpA, (ii) employ the endogenous gene psbH as an effective but benign selectable marker, and (iii) ensure the successful integration of the transgene construct in all transformant lines. Transformation is achieved by a simple and cheap method of agitation of a DNA/cell suspension with glass beads, with selection based on the phototrophic rescue of a cell wall-deficient ΔpsbH strain. We demonstrate the utility of these tools in the creation of a transgenic line that produces high levels of functional human growth hormone.

  18. Non-viral gene therapy for bone tissue engineering

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wegman, F.

    2013-01-01

    In bone tissue engineering bone morphogentic protein-2 (BMP-2) is one of the most commonly used growth factors. It induces stem cells to differentiate into the osteogenic lineage to form new bone. Clinically however, high dosages of protein are administered due to fast degradation, which is

  19. The interplay between tissue growth and scaffold degradation in engineered tissue constructs

    KAUST Repository

    O’ Dea, R. D.; Osborne, J. M.; El Haj, A. J.; Byrne, H. M.; Waters, S. L.

    2012-01-01

    of the engineered tissue are appropriate for the in vivo environment. Achieving this goal will require detailed understanding of the interplay between cell proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and scaffold degradation. In this paper, we use a

  20. Design and characteristics of cytotoxic fibroblast growth factor 1 conjugate for fibroblast growth factor receptor-targeted cancer therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szlachcic A

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Anna Szlachcic, Malgorzata Zakrzewska, Michal Lobocki, Piotr Jakimowicz, Jacek Otlewski Department of Protein Engineering, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland Abstract: Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs are attractive candidate cancer therapy targets as they are overexpressed in multiple types of tumors, such as breast, prostate, bladder, and lung cancer. In this study, a natural ligand of FGFR, an engineered variant of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1V, was conjugated to a potent cytotoxic drug, monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE, and used as a targeting agent for cancer cells overexpressing FGFRs, similar to antibodies in antibody–drug conjugates. The FGF1V–valine–citrulline–MMAE conjugate showed a favorable stability profile, bound FGFRs on the cell surface specifically, and efficiently released the drug (MMAE upon cleavage by the lysosomal protease cathepsin B. Importantly, the conjugate showed a prominent cytotoxic effect toward cell lines expressing FGFR. FGF1V–vcMMAE was highly cytotoxic at concentrations even an order of magnitude lower than those found for free MMAE. This effect was FGFR-specific as cells lacking FGFR did not show any increased mortality. Keywords: fibroblast growth factor 1, FGF receptor, targeted cancer therapy, cytotoxic conjugates, FGFR-dependent cancer, MMAE, auristatin

  1. Nanomaterials for Craniofacial and Dental Tissue Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, G; Zhou, T; Lin, S; Shi, S; Lin, Y

    2017-07-01

    Tissue engineering shows great potential as a future treatment for the craniofacial and dental defects caused by trauma, tumor, and other diseases. Due to the biomimetic features and excellent physiochemical properties, nanomaterials are of vital importance in promoting cell growth and stimulating tissue regeneration in tissue engineering. For craniofacial and dental tissue engineering, the frequently used nanomaterials include nanoparticles, nanofibers, nanotubes, and nanosheets. Nanofibers are attractive for cell invasion and proliferation because of their resemblance to extracellular matrix and the presence of large pores, and they have been used as scaffolds in bone, cartilage, and tooth regeneration. Nanotubes and nanoparticles improve the mechanical and chemical properties of scaffold, increase cell attachment and migration, and facilitate tissue regeneration. In addition, nanofibers and nanoparticles are also used as a delivery system to carry the bioactive agent in bone and tooth regeneration, have better control of the release speed of agent upon degradation of the matrix, and promote tissue regeneration. Although applications of nanomaterials in tissue engineering remain in their infancy with numerous challenges to face, the current results indicate that nanomaterials have massive potential in craniofacial and dental tissue engineering.

  2. Growth study on chrysene degraders isolated from polycyclic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    GRACE

    2006-05-16

    May 16, 2006 ... naphthalene, crude oil, kerosene, diesel and engine oil as sole carbon ... (P< 0.05) in the growth of these organisms on chrysene as sole carbon and energy source when .... minimal salt plates free of chrysene were included.

  3. Selecting the Best: Evolutionary Engineering of Chemical Production in Microbes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepelin, Denis; Hansen, Anne Sofie Lærke; Lennen, Rebecca; Luo, Hao; Herrgård, Markus J

    2018-05-11

    Microbial cell factories have proven to be an economical means of production for many bulk, specialty, and fine chemical products. However, we still lack both a holistic understanding of organism physiology and the ability to predictively tune enzyme activities in vivo, thus slowing down rational engineering of industrially relevant strains. An alternative concept to rational engineering is to use evolution as the driving force to select for desired changes, an approach often described as evolutionary engineering. In evolutionary engineering, in vivo selections for a desired phenotype are combined with either generation of spontaneous mutations or some form of targeted or random mutagenesis. Evolutionary engineering has been used to successfully engineer easily selectable phenotypes, such as utilization of a suboptimal nutrient source or tolerance to inhibitory substrates or products. In this review, we focus primarily on a more challenging problem-the use of evolutionary engineering for improving the production of chemicals in microbes directly. We describe recent developments in evolutionary engineering strategies, in general, and discuss, in detail, case studies where production of a chemical has been successfully achieved through evolutionary engineering by coupling production to cellular growth.

  4. Elementary Students' Acquisition of Academic Vocabulary Through Engineering Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kugelmass, Rachel

    This study examines how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) inquiry-based learning through a hands-on engineering design can be beneficial in helping students acquire academic vocabulary. This research took place in a second grade dual- language classroom in a public, suburban elementary school. English language learners, students who speak Spanish at home, and native English speakers were evaluated in this study. Each day, students were presented with a general academic vocabulary focus word during an engineering design challenge. Vocabulary pre-tests and post-tests as well as observation field notes were used to evaluate the student's growth in reading and defining the focus academic vocabulary words. A quiz and KSB (knowledge and skill builder) packet were used to evaluate students' knowledge of science and math content and engineering design. The results of this study indicate that engineering design is an effective means for teaching academic vocabulary to students with varying levels of English proficiency.

  5. Tissue Engineering Strategies in Ligament Regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caglar Yilgor

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Ligaments are dense fibrous connective tissues that connect bones to other bones and their injuries are frequently encountered in the clinic. The current clinical approaches in ligament repair and regeneration are limited to autografts, as the gold standard, and allografts. Both of these techniques have their own drawbacks that limit the success in clinical setting; therefore, new strategies are being developed in order to be able to solve the current problems of ligament grafting. Tissue engineering is a novel promising technique that aims to solve these problems, by producing viable artificial ligament substitutes in the laboratory conditions with the potential of transplantation to the patients with a high success rate. Direct cell and/or growth factor injection to the defect site is another current approach aiming to enhance the repair process of the native tissue. This review summarizes the current approaches in ligament tissue engineering strategies including the use of scaffolds, their modification techniques, as well as the use of bioreactors to achieve enhanced regeneration rates, while also discussing the advances in growth factor and cell therapy applications towards obtaining enhanced ligament regeneration.

  6. Quantifying complexity in metabolic engineering using the LASER database

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James D. Winkler

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available We previously introduced the LASER database (Learning Assisted Strain EngineeRing, https://bitbucket.org/jdwinkler/laser_release (Winkler et al. 2015 to serve as a platform for understanding past and present metabolic engineering practices. Over the past year, LASER has been expanded by 50% to include over 600 engineered strains from 450 papers, including their growth conditions, genetic modifications, and other information in an easily searchable format. Here, we present the results of our efforts to use LASER as a means for defining the complexity of a metabolic engineering “design”. We evaluate two complexity metrics based on the concepts of construction difficulty and novelty. No correlation is observed between expected product yield and complexity, allowing minimization of complexity without a performance trade-off. We envision the use of such complexity metrics to filter and prioritize designs prior to implementation of metabolic engineering efforts, thereby potentially reducing the time, labor, and expenses of large-scale projects. Possible future developments based on an expanding LASER database are then discussed. Keywords: Metabolic engineering, Synthetic biology, Standardization, Design tools

  7. Natural Polymer-Cell Bioconstructs for Bone Tissue Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Titorencu, Irina; Albu, Madalina Georgiana; Nemecz, Miruna; Jinga, Victor V

    2017-01-01

    The major goal of bone tissue engineering is to develop bioconstructs which substitute the functionality of damaged natural bone structures as much as possible if critical-sized defects occur. Scaffolds that mimic the structure and composition of bone tissue and cells play a pivotal role in bone tissue engineering applications. First, composition, properties and in vivo synthesis of bone tissue are presented for the understanding of bone formation. Second, potential sources of osteoprogenitor cells have been investigated for their capacity to induce bone repair and regeneration. Third, taking into account that the main property to qualify one scaffold as a future bioconstruct for bone tissue engineering is the biocompatibility, the assessments which prove it are reviewed in this paper. Forth, various types of natural polymer- based scaffolds consisting in proteins, polysaccharides, minerals, growth factors etc, are discussed, and interaction between scaffolds and cells which proved bone tissue engineering concept are highlighted. Finally, the future perspectives of natural polymer-based scaffolds for bone tissue engineering are considered. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  8. Piezoelectric polymers as biomaterials for tissue engineering applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, Clarisse; Sencadas, Vítor; Correia, Daniela M; Lanceros-Méndez, Senentxu

    2015-12-01

    Tissue engineering often rely on scaffolds for supporting cell differentiation and growth. Novel paradigms for tissue engineering include the need of active or smart scaffolds in order to properly regenerate specific tissues. In particular, as electrical and electromechanical clues are among the most relevant ones in determining tissue functionality in tissues such as muscle and bone, among others, electroactive materials and, in particular, piezoelectric ones, show strong potential for novel tissue engineering strategies, in particular taking also into account the existence of these phenomena within some specific tissues, indicating their requirement also during tissue regeneration. This referee reports on piezoelectric materials used for tissue engineering applications. The most used materials for tissue engineering strategies are reported together with the main achievements, challenges and future needs for research and actual therapies. This review provides thus a compilation of the most relevant results and strategies and a start point for novel research pathways in the most relevant and challenging open questions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Injectable biomaterials for adipose tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Young, D A; Christman, K L

    2012-01-01

    Adipose tissue engineering has recently gained significant attention from materials scientists as a result of the exponential growth of soft tissue filler procedures being performed within the clinic. While several injectable materials are currently being marketed for filling subcutaneous voids, they often face limited longevity due to rapid resorption. Their inability to encourage natural adipose formation or ingrowth necessitates repeated injections for a prolonged effect and thus classifies them as temporary fillers. As a result, a significant need for injectable materials that not only act as fillers but also promote in vivo adipogenesis is beginning to be realized. This paper will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of commercially available soft tissue fillers. It will then summarize the current state of research using injectable synthetic materials, biopolymers and extracellular matrix-derived materials for adipose tissue engineering. Furthermore, the successful attributes observed across each of these materials will be outlined along with a discussion of the current difficulties and future directions for adipose tissue engineering. (paper)

  10. Fatigue crack growth retardation in spot heated mild steel sheet

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    Department of Metallurgical Engineering, *Department of Applied Mechanics and Hydraulics, ... growth retardation increases with increasing level of overload as well as with ..... Suresh S 1996 Fatigue of materials (Cambridge: Cambridge.

  11. Layer-by-Layer Epitaxial Growth of Defect-Engineered Strontium Cobaltites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andersen, Tassie K. [Materials Science; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States; Cook, Seyoung [Materials Science; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States; Wan, Gang [Materials Science; Hong, Hawoong [Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States; Marks, Laurence D. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States; Fong, Dillon D. [Materials Science

    2018-01-31

    Control over structure and composition of (ABO(3)) perovskite oxides offers exciting opportunities since these materials possess unique, tunable properties. Perovskite oxides with cobalt B-site cations are particularly promising, as the range of the cations stable oxidation states leads to many possible structural frameworks. Here, we report growth of strontium cobalt oxide thin films by molecular beam epitaxy, and conditions necessary to stabilize different defect concentration phases. In situ X-ray scattering is used to monitor structural evolution during growth, while in situ X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy is used to probe oxidation state and measure changes to oxygen vacancy concentration as a function of film thickness. Experimental results are compared to kinetically limited thermodynamic predictions, in particular, solute trapping, with semiquantitative agreement. Agreement between observations of dependence of cobaltite phase on oxidation activity and deposition rate, and predictions indicates that a combined experimental/theoretical approach is key to understanding phase behavior in the strontium cobalt oxide system.

  12. Engineering sustainable development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prendergast, J.

    1993-01-01

    This article discusses sustainable development, a policy which attempts to balance environmental preservation and economic growth, and promises a way to provide a decent life for Earth's human inhabitants without destroying the global ecosystem. Sustainable development is an effort to use technology to help clean up the mess it helped make, and engineers will be central players in its success or failure. Key aspects include more efficient energy use through conservation measures and switching to renewable sources, waste minimization, much greater recycling and reuse of materials, more comprehensive economic/environmental assessments employing life-cycle analyses, and better management of resources

  13. Biomedical engineering at UCT - challenges and opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas, Tania S

    2012-03-02

    The biomedical engineering programme at the University of Cape Town has the potential to address some of South Africa's unique public health challenges and to contribute to growth of the local medical device industry, directly and indirectly, through research activities and postgraduate education. Full realisation of this potential requires engagement with the clinical practice environment and with industry.

  14. Enhanced growth of neural networks on conductive cellulose-derived nanofibrous scaffolds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuzmenko, Volodymyr; Kalogeropoulos, Theodoros; Thunberg, Johannes; Johannesson, Sara; Hägg, Daniel; Enoksson, Peter; Gatenholm, Paul

    2016-01-01

    The problem of recovery from neurodegeneration needs new effective solutions. Tissue engineering is viewed as a prospective approach for solving this problem since it can help to develop healthy neural tissue using supportive scaffolds. This study presents effective and sustainable tissue engineering methods for creating biomaterials from cellulose that can be used either as scaffolds for the growth of neural tissue in vitro or as drug screening models. To reach this goal, nanofibrous electrospun cellulose mats were made conductive via two different procedures: carbonization and addition of multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The resulting scaffolds were much more conductive than untreated cellulose material and were used to support growth and differentiation of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. The cells were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy methods over a period of 15 days at different time points. The results showed that the cellulose-derived conductive scaffolds can provide support for good cell attachment, growth and differentiation. The formation of a neural network occurred within 10 days of differentiation, which is a promising length of time for SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. - Highlights: • The conductive scaffolds for neural tissue engineering are derived from cellulose. • The scaffolds are used to support growth and differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells. • Distinctive cell differentiation occurs within 10 days on conductive scaffolds. • Electrical conductivity and nanotopography improve neural network formation.

  15. Double emulsion electrospun nanofibers as a growth factor delivery vehicle for salivary gland regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foraida, Zahraa I.; Sharikova, Anna; Peerzada, Lubna N.; Khmaladze, Alexander; Larsen, Melinda; Castracane, James

    2017-08-01

    Sustained delivery of growth factors, proteins, drugs and other biologically active molecules is necessary for tissue engineering applications. Electrospun fibers are attractive tissue engineering scaffolds as they partially mimic the topography of the extracellular matrix (ECM). However, they do not provide continuous nourishment to the tissue. In search of a biomimetic scaffold for salivary gland tissue regeneration, we previously developed a blend nanofiber scaffold composed of the protein elastin and the synthetic polymer polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA). The nanofiber scaffold promoted in vivo-like salivary epithelial cell tissue organization and apicobasal polarization. However, in order to enhance the salivary cell proliferation and biomimetic character of the scaffold, sustained growth factor delivery is needed. The composite nanofiber scaffold was optimized to act as a growth factor delivery system using epidermal growth factor (EGF) as a model protein. The nanofiber/EGF hybrid nanofibers were synthesized by double emulsion electrospinning where EGF is emulsified within a water/oil/water (w/o/w) double emulsion system. Successful incorporation of EGF was confirmed using Raman spectroscopy. EGF release profile was characterized using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELIZA) of the EGF content. Double emulsion electrospinning resulted in slower release of EGF. We demonstrated the potential of the proposed double emulsion electrospun nanofiber scaffold for the delivery of growth factors and/or drugs for tissue engineering and pharmaceutical applications.

  16. Fumaric acid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by in silico aided metabolic engineering.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guoqiang Xu

    Full Text Available Fumaric acid (FA is a promising biomass-derived building-block chemical. Bio-based FA production from renewable feedstock is a promising and sustainable alternative to petroleum-based chemical synthesis. Here we report on FA production by direct fermentation using metabolically engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the aid of in silico analysis of a genome-scale metabolic model. First, FUM1 was selected as the target gene on the basis of extensive literature mining. Flux balance analysis (FBA revealed that FUM1 deletion can lead to FA production and slightly lower growth of S. cerevisiae. The engineered S. cerevisiae strain obtained by deleting FUM1 can produce FA up to a concentration of 610±31 mg L(-1 without any apparent change in growth in fed-batch culture. FT-IR and (1H and (13C NMR spectra confirmed that FA was synthesized by the engineered S. cerevisiae strain. FBA identified pyruvate carboxylase as one of the factors limiting higher FA production. When the RoPYC gene was introduced, S. cerevisiae produced 1134±48 mg L(-1 FA. Furthermore, the final engineered S. cerevisiae strain was able to produce 1675±52 mg L(-1 FA in batch culture when the SFC1 gene encoding a succinate-fumarate transporter was introduced. These results demonstrate that the model shows great predictive capability for metabolic engineering. Moreover, FA production in S. cerevisiae can be efficiently developed with the aid of in silico metabolic engineering.

  17. Fungal symbiosis and precipitation alter traits and dune building by the ecosystem engineer, Ammophila breviligulata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emery, Sarah M; Bell-Dereske, Lukas; Rudgers, Jennifer A

    2015-04-01

    Ecosystem engineer species influence their community and ecosystem by creating or altering the physical structure of habitats. The function of ecosystem engineers is variable and can depend on both abiotic and biotic factors. Here we make use of a primary successional system to evaluate the direct and interactive effects of climate change (precipitation) and fungal endophyte symbiosis on population traits and ecosystem function of the ecosystem engineering grass species, Ammophila breviligulata. We manipulated endophyte presence in A. breviligulata in combination with rain-out shelters and rainfall additions in a factorial field experiment established in 2010 on Lake Michigan sand dunes. We monitored plant traits, survival, growth, and sexual reproduction of A. breviligulata from 2010-2013, and quantified ecosystem engineering as the sand accumulation rate. Presence of the endophyte in A. breviligulata increased vegetative growth by up to 19%, and reduced sexual reproduction by up to 46% across all precipitation treatments. Precipitation was a less significant factor than endophyte colonization for A. breviligulata growth. Reduced precipitation increased average leaf number per tiller but had no other effects on plant traits. Changes in A. breviligulata traits corresponded to increases in sand accumulation in plots with the endophyte as well as in plots with reduced precipitation. Sand accumulation is a key ecosystem function in these primary successional habitats, and so microbial symbiosis in this ecosystem engineer could lead to direct effects on the value of these dune habitats for humans.

  18. The Application of Corals in Bone Tissue Engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iraj Nabipour

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Natural coral exoskeleton and coralline hydroxyapatite have been used as bone replacement graft for repairing of bone defects in animal models and humans since two decades ago. These bone replacement grafts have an osteoconductive, biodegradable and biocompatible features. Currently, three lines of researches in bone tissue engineering are conducting on corals. Corals have been used for construction of bony composites, stem cells attachments, and the growth factors-scaffold-based approaches. This review have paid to the wide range of coral use in clinical experiments as a bone graft substitute and cell-scaffold-based approaches in bone tissue engineering.

  19. 2000 emission inventory for the Lower Fraser Valley airshed

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-10-01

    This emissions inventory is a compilation of all emissions in the Lower Fraser Valley International Airshed. Its objective is to harmonize the inventory data of Canada's Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) and Whatcom County in the United States. It provides an idea of the current state of air emissions on both sides of the Canada-United States border. This inventory provides information regarding the types of emissions sources in the region, their location and the amount of air pollution emitted within a given time frame. It is designed to help manage air quality by identifying sectors which need to be more vigilant. The common air pollutants addressed in the inventory include total particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and ammonia. The greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The inventory distinguishes between point, area, and mobile sources. Carbon monoxide emissions are found to be dominated by cars, trucks and non-road engines. Nitrogen oxide emissions are also dominated by cars, trucks, marine vessels and non-road engines. Natural sources such as trees and vegetation contribute to volatile organic compounds, as do cars, lights trucks and solvent evaporation from industrial, commercial and consumer products. Marine vessels are the largest contributors of sulphur oxide emissions in the region. In addition, the petroleum industry emits 26 per cent of sulphur oxide emissions in the region. Significant amounts of particulate matter come from area sources such as wind erosion in the agricultural sector. Point sources for PM include bulk shipping terminals and the wood products industry. Agriculture contributes the largest amount of ammonia in the region. refs., tabs., figs

  20. Biocompatibility of biodegradable semiconducting melanin films for nerve tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bettinger, Christopher J; Bruggeman, Joost P; Misra, Asish; Borenstein, Jeffrey T; Langer, Robert

    2009-06-01

    The advancement of tissue engineering is contingent upon the development and implementation of advanced biomaterials. Conductive polymers have demonstrated potential for use as a medium for electrical stimulation, which has shown to be beneficial in many regenerative medicine strategies including neural and cardiac tissue engineering. Melanins are naturally occurring pigments that have previously been shown to exhibit unique electrical properties. This study evaluates the potential use of melanin films as a semiconducting material for tissue engineering applications. Melanin thin films were produced by solution processing and the physical properties were characterized. Films were molecularly smooth with a roughness (R(ms)) of 0.341 nm and a conductivity of 7.00+/-1.10 x 10(-5)S cm(-1) in the hydrated state. In vitro biocompatibility was evaluated by Schwann cell attachment and growth as well as neurite extension in PC12 cells. In vivo histology was evaluated by examining the biomaterial-tissue response of melanin implants placed in close proximity to peripheral nerve tissue. Melanin thin films enhanced Schwann cell growth and neurite extension compared to collagen films in vitro. Melanin films induced an inflammation response that was comparable to silicone implants in vivo. Furthermore, melanin implants were significantly resorbed after 8 weeks. These results suggest that solution-processed melanin thin films have the potential for use as a biodegradable semiconducting biomaterial for use in tissue engineering applications.

  1. The mathematics and mechanics of biological growth

    CERN Document Server

    Goriely, Alain

    2017-01-01

    This monograph presents a general mechanical theory for biological growth. It provides both a conceptual and a technical foundation for the understanding and analysis of problems arising in biology and physiology. The theory and methods is illustrated on a wide range of examples and applications. A process of extreme complexity, growth plays a fundamental role in many biological processes and is considered to be the hallmark of life itself. Its description has been one of the fundamental problems of life sciences, but until recently, it has not attracted much attention from mathematicians, physicists, and engineers. The author herein presents the first major technical monograph on the problem of growth since D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson’s 1917 book On Growth and Form. The emphasis of the book is on the proper mathematical formulation of growth kinematics and mechanics. Accordingly, the discussion proceeds in order of complexity and the book is divided into five parts. First, a general introduction on the pro...

  2. Induction of angiogenesis in tissue-engineered scaffolds designed for bone repair: a combined gene therapy-cell transplantation approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabbarzadeh, Ehsan; Starnes, Trevor; Khan, Yusuf M; Jiang, Tao; Wirtel, Anthony J; Deng, Meng; Lv, Qing; Nair, Lakshmi S; Doty, Steven B; Laurencin, Cato T

    2008-08-12

    One of the fundamental principles underlying tissue engineering approaches is that newly formed tissue must maintain sufficient vascularization to support its growth. Efforts to induce vascular growth into tissue-engineered scaffolds have recently been dedicated to developing novel strategies to deliver specific biological factors that direct the recruitment of endothelial cell (EC) progenitors and their differentiation. The challenge, however, lies in orchestration of the cells, appropriate biological factors, and optimal factor doses. This study reports an approach as a step forward to resolving this dilemma by combining an ex vivo gene transfer strategy and EC transplantation. The utility of this approach was evaluated by using 3D poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLAGA) sintered microsphere scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. Our goal was achieved by isolation and transfection of adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) with adenovirus encoding the cDNA of VEGF. We demonstrated that the combination of VEGF releasing ADSCs and ECs results in marked vascular growth within PLAGA scaffolds. We thereby delineate the potential of ADSCs to promote vascular growth into biomaterials.

  3. Induction of angiogenesis in tissue-engineered scaffolds designed for bone repair: A combined gene therapy–cell transplantation approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabbarzadeh, Ehsan; Starnes, Trevor; Khan, Yusuf M.; Jiang, Tao; Wirtel, Anthony J.; Deng, Meng; Lv, Qing; Nair, Lakshmi S.; Doty, Steven B.; Laurencin, Cato T.

    2008-01-01

    One of the fundamental principles underlying tissue engineering approaches is that newly formed tissue must maintain sufficient vascularization to support its growth. Efforts to induce vascular growth into tissue-engineered scaffolds have recently been dedicated to developing novel strategies to deliver specific biological factors that direct the recruitment of endothelial cell (EC) progenitors and their differentiation. The challenge, however, lies in orchestration of the cells, appropriate biological factors, and optimal factor doses. This study reports an approach as a step forward to resolving this dilemma by combining an ex vivo gene transfer strategy and EC transplantation. The utility of this approach was evaluated by using 3D poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLAGA) sintered microsphere scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. Our goal was achieved by isolation and transfection of adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) with adenovirus encoding the cDNA of VEGF. We demonstrated that the combination of VEGF releasing ADSCs and ECs results in marked vascular growth within PLAGA scaffolds. We thereby delineate the potential of ADSCs to promote vascular growth into biomaterials. PMID:18678895

  4. An economic survey of the emerging tissue engineering industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lysaght, M J; Nguy, N A; Sullivan, K

    1998-01-01

    The contemporary scope of worldwide tissue engineering research and development was estimated by totaling the relevant annual spending and other economic parameters of firms involved the field. Operating expenses allocated to tissue engineering in 1997 exceed $450 million and fund the activities of nearly 2,500 scientists and support personnel. Growth rate is 22.5% per annum. Most activity is centered in the United States. Government spending in this field represents investment and valuation represents a remarkable act of faith in the future of a technology yet to produce its first significant revenue-generating product.

  5. Evolutionary engineering of a glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-negative, acetate-reducing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain enables anaerobic growth at high glucose concentrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guadalupe-Medina, Víctor; Metz, Benjamin; Oud, Bart; van Der Graaf, Charlotte M; Mans, Robert; Pronk, Jack T; van Maris, Antonius J A

    2014-01-01

    Glycerol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is required for redox-cofactor balancing in anaerobic cultures, causes yield reduction in industrial bioethanol production. Recently, glycerol formation in anaerobic S. cerevisiae cultures was eliminated by expressing Escherichia coli (acetylating) acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (encoded by mhpF) and simultaneously deleting the GPD1 and GPD2 genes encoding glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, thus coupling NADH reoxidation to reduction of acetate to ethanol. Gpd– strains are, however, sensitive to high sugar concentrations, which complicates industrial implementation of this metabolic engineering concept. In this study, laboratory evolution was used to improve osmotolerance of a Gpd– mhpF-expressing S. cerevisiae strain. Serial batch cultivation at increasing osmotic pressure enabled isolation of an evolved strain that grew anaerobically at 1 M glucose, at a specific growth rate of 0.12 h−1. The evolved strain produced glycerol at low concentrations (0.64 ± 0.33 g l−1). However, these glycerol concentrations were below 10% of those observed with a Gpd+ reference strain. Consequently, the ethanol yield on sugar increased from 79% of the theoretical maximum in the reference strain to 92% for the evolved strains. Genetic analysis indicated that osmotolerance under aerobic conditions required a single dominant chromosomal mutation, and one further mutation in the plasmid-borne mhpF gene for anaerobic growth. PMID:24004455

  6. The electric power engineering handbook power system stability and control

    CERN Document Server

    Grisby, Leonard L

    2012-01-01

    With contributions from worldwide leaders in the field, Power System Stability and Control, Third Edition (part of the five-volume set, The Electric Power Engineering Handbook) updates coverage of recent developments and rapid technological growth in essential aspects of power systems. Edited by L.L. Grigsby, a respected and accomplished authority in power engineering, and section editors Miroslav Begovic, Prabha Kundur, and Bruce Wollenberg, this reference presents substantially new and revised content. Topics covered include: * Power System Protection * Power System Dynamics and Stability *

  7. Oil, gas field growth projections: Wishful thinking or reality?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Attanasi, E.D.; Mast, R.F.; Root, D.H.

    1999-01-01

    The observed `field growth' for the period from 1992 through 1996 with the US Geological Survey's (USGS) predicted field growth for the same period are compared. Known field recovery of field size is defined as the sum of past cumulative field production and the field's proved reserves. Proved reserves are estimated quantities of hydrocarbons which geologic and engineering data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to recoverable from known fields under existing economic and operating conditions. Proved reserve estimates calculated with this definition are typically conservative. The modeling approach used by the USGS to characterize `field growth phenomena' is statistical rather that geologic in nature.

  8. Restoring rocky intertidal communities: Lessons from a benthic macroalgal ecosystem engineer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellgrove, Alecia; McKenzie, Prudence F; Cameron, Hayley; Pocklington, Jacqueline B

    2017-04-15

    As coastal population growth increases globally, effective waste management practices are required to protect biodiversity. Water authorities are under increasing pressure to reduce the impact of sewage effluent discharged into the coastal environment and restore disturbed ecosystems. We review the role of benthic macroalgae as ecosystem engineers and focus particularly on the temperate Australasian fucoid Hormosira banksii as a case study for rocky intertidal restoration efforts. Research focussing on the roles of ecosystem engineers is lagging behind restoration research of ecosystem engineers. As such, management decisions are being made without a sound understanding of the ecology of ecosystem engineers. For successful restoration of rocky intertidal shores it is important that we assess the thresholds of engineering traits (discussed herein) and the environmental conditions under which they are important. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. A phenomenographic study of students' experiences with transition from pre-college engineering programs to first-year engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salzman, Noah

    Recent national dialogues on the importance of preparing more students for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics has driven the development of formal and informal learning opportunities for children and adolescents to explore engineering. Despite the growth of these programs, relatively little research exists on how participation in these programs affects students who choose to pursue further study in engineering. The present study addressed this gap through an exploration of the different ways that First-Year Engineering students experience the transition from pre-college engineering to undergraduate engineering studies. Given the focus of this research on students' experiences, phenomenography was chosen to explore the phenomenon of transition from pre-college to first-year engineering at a large, public Midwestern university. This facilitated understanding the range of variation in the ways that students experienced this transition. Twenty-two students with different amounts of participation in a variety of different engineering programs were selected to be interviewed using a purposeful maximum variation sampling strategy. The interviews were guided by a semi-structured interview protocol that encouraged the participants to reflect on their pre-college engineering experiences, their experiences in First-Year Engineering, and the transition between the two domains. The interviews were analyzed using phenomenographic methods to develop an outcome space consisting of five qualitatively different but related ways of experiencing the transition from pre-college to First-Year Engineering. These categories of description included Foreclosure, Frustration, Tedium, Connection, and Engaging Others. With the exception of the first category which was characterized by a lack of passion and commitment to engineering, the remaining four categories formed a hierarchical relationship representing increasing integration in First-Year Engineering. The

  10. Awareness of Malicious Social Engineering among Facebook Users

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slonka, Kevin J.

    2014-01-01

    With the rapid growth of Facebook, the social networking website is becoming a lucrative target for malicious activity. Users of Facebook therefore should be aware of various malicious attacks and know how to identify them. This research analyzed Facebook users' level of understanding in the domain of malicious social engineering on Facebook. The…

  11. An engineering methodology for fracture analyses of tough materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shih, C.F.

    1981-01-01

    The paper summarizes progress made in two research programs sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), to identify viable parameters for characterizing crack inititation and continued extension, and to develop an engineering/design methodology, based on these parameters, for the assessment of crack growth and instability in engineering structures which are stressed beyond the regime of applicability of linear elastic fracture mechanics. The ultimate goal in the development of such a methodology is to establish a rational basis for analyzing the effect of flaws (postulated or detected) on the safety margins of pressure boundary components of light water-cooled type nuclear steam supply systems. The methodology can also be employed for structural integrity analyses of other engineering structures. (Auth.)

  12. Propagation Engineering in Wireless Communications

    CERN Document Server

    Ghasemi, Abdollah; Ghasemi, Farshid

    2012-01-01

    Wireless communications has seen explosive growth in recent decades, in a realm that is both broad and rapidly expanding to include satellite services, navigational aids, remote sensing, telemetering, audio and video broadcasting, high-speed data communications, mobile radio systems and much more. Propagation Engineering in Wireless Communications deals with the basic principles of radiowaves propagation for frequency bands used in radio-communications, offering descriptions of new achievements and newly developed propagation models. The book bridges the gap between theoretical calculations and approaches, and applied procedures needed for advanced radio links design. The primary objective of this two-volume set is to demonstrate the fundamentals, and to introduce propagation phenomena and mechanisms that engineers are likely to encounter in the design and evaluation of radio links of a given type and operating frequency. Volume one covers basic principles, along with tropospheric and ionospheric propagation,...

  13. Passaged adult chondrocytes can form engineered cartilage with functional mechanical properties: a canine model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Kenneth W; Lima, Eric G; Bian, Liming; O'Conor, Christopher J; Jayabalan, Prakash S; Stoker, Aaron M; Kuroki, Keiichi; Cook, Cristi R; Ateshian, Gerard A; Cook, James L; Hung, Clark T

    2010-03-01

    It was hypothesized that previously optimized serum-free culture conditions for juvenile bovine chondrocytes could be adapted to generate engineered cartilage with physiologic mechanical properties in a preclinical, adult canine model. Primary or passaged (using growth factors) adult chondrocytes from three adult dogs were encapsulated in agarose, and cultured in serum-free media with transforming growth factor-beta3. After 28 days in culture, engineered cartilage formed by primary chondrocytes exhibited only small increases in glycosaminoglycan content. However, all passaged chondrocytes on day 28 elaborated a cartilage matrix with compressive properties and glycosaminoglycan content in the range of native adult canine cartilage values. A preliminary biocompatibility study utilizing chondral and osteochondral constructs showed no gross or histological signs of rejection, with all implanted constructs showing excellent integration with surrounding cartilage and subchondral bone. This study demonstrates that adult canine chondrocytes can form a mechanically functional, biocompatible engineered cartilage tissue under optimized culture conditions. The encouraging findings of this work highlight the potential for tissue engineering strategies using adult chondrocytes in the clinical treatment of cartilage defects.

  14. THE ROLE OF IRON IN Deinococcus radiodurans ENGINEERED FOR GROWTH ON TOLUENE AND THE ROLE OF MANGANESE IN THE EXTREME RADIATION RESISTANCE PHENOTYPE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassan Brim; Elena K. Gaidamakova; Vera Y. Matrosova; Min Zhai; Amudhan Venkateswaran; Marina Omelchenko; Kira S. Makarova; Lawrence P. Wackett; James K. Fredrickson; Michael J. Daly

    2004-01-01

    Toluene and other fuel hydrocarbons are commonly found in association with radionuclides at numerous Department of Energy (DOE) sites, frequently occurring together with Cr(VI) and other heavy metals. In this study, the extremely radiation resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans was engineered for complete toluene mineralization by cloned expression of tod and xyl genes of Pseudomonas putida. The recombinant Tod/Xyl strain showed significant incorporation of carbon from the toluene aromatic ring into cellular macromolecules and carbon dioxide, in the absence or presence of chronic radiation. We have shown that intracellular iron concentrations in wild-type D. radiodurans in minimal medium are exceptionally low and not sufficient to support growth on toluene using Fe-dependent oxygenases cloned from P. putida. Introducing the fur mutation into D. radiodurans increased intracellular Fe levels, and imparted on the engineered strain the ability to grow on meta-toluate as the sole carbon and energy source. The organism's native Cr(VI) reduction capabilities were facilitated by toluene when present as the sole carbon and energy source in natural sediment analogues of DOE contaminated environments. The engineered bacteria were able to oxidize toluene under both minimal and complex nutrient conditions, which is important since both conditions have environmental equivalents in the context of bioremediation processes. As such, the Tod/Xyl strain is providing a model for understanding the role of Fe and reduction of metals coupled to organic contaminant oxidation in aerobic radionuclide contaminated sediments. We have shown that D. radiodurans contains high intracellular manganese levels, and that Mn restriction sensitizes cells to irradiation. We propose that the unusually high Mn/Fe ratio of D. radiodurans facilitates survival by quenching oxidative stress during recovery.

  15. THE ROLE OF IRON IN Deinococcus radiodurans ENGINEERED FOR GROWTH ON TOLUENE AND THE ROLE OF MANGANESE IN THE EXTREME RADIATION RESISTANCE PHENOTYPE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hassan Brim; Elena K. Gaidamakova; Vera Y. Matrosova; Min Zhai; Amudhan Venkateswaran; Marina Omelchenko; Kira S. Makarova; Lawrence P. Wackett; James K. Fredrickson; Michael J. Daly

    2004-03-17

    Toluene and other fuel hydrocarbons are commonly found in association with radionuclides at numerous Department of Energy (DOE) sites, frequently occurring together with Cr(VI) and other heavy metals. In this study, the extremely radiation resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans was engineered for complete toluene mineralization by cloned expression of tod and xyl genes of Pseudomonas putida. The recombinant Tod/Xyl strain showed significant incorporation of carbon from the toluene aromatic ring into cellular macromolecules and carbon dioxide, in the absence or presence of chronic radiation. We have shown that intracellular iron concentrations in wild-type D. radiodurans in minimal medium are exceptionally low and not sufficient to support growth on toluene using Fe-dependent oxygenases cloned from P. putida. Introducing the fur mutation into D. radiodurans increased intracellular Fe levels, and imparted on the engineered strain the ability to grow on meta-toluate as the sole carbon and energy source. The organism's native Cr(VI) reduction capabilities were facilitated by toluene when present as the sole carbon and energy source in natural sediment analogues of DOE contaminated environments. The engineered bacteria were able to oxidize toluene under both minimal and complex nutrient conditions, which is important since both conditions have environmental equivalents in the context of bioremediation processes. As such, the Tod/Xyl strain is providing a model for understanding the role of Fe and reduction of metals coupled to organic contaminant oxidation in aerobic radionuclide contaminated sediments. We have shown that D. radiodurans contains high intracellular manganese levels, and that Mn restriction sensitizes cells to irradiation. We propose that the unusually high Mn/Fe ratio of D. radiodurans facilitates survival by quenching oxidative stress during recovery.

  16. NASA Applications and Lessons Learned in Reliability Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Safie, Fayssal M.; Fuller, Raymond P.

    2011-01-01

    Since the Shuttle Challenger accident in 1986, communities across NASA have been developing and extensively using quantitative reliability and risk assessment methods in their decision making process. This paper discusses several reliability engineering applications that NASA has used over the year to support the design, development, and operation of critical space flight hardware. Specifically, the paper discusses several reliability engineering applications used by NASA in areas such as risk management, inspection policies, components upgrades, reliability growth, integrated failure analysis, and physics based probabilistic engineering analysis. In each of these areas, the paper provides a brief discussion of a case study to demonstrate the value added and the criticality of reliability engineering in supporting NASA project and program decisions to fly safely. Examples of these case studies discussed are reliability based life limit extension of Shuttle Space Main Engine (SSME) hardware, Reliability based inspection policies for Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) turbine disc, probabilistic structural engineering analysis for reliability prediction of the SSME alternate turbo-pump development, impact of ET foam reliability on the Space Shuttle System risk, and reliability based Space Shuttle upgrade for safety. Special attention is given in this paper to the physics based probabilistic engineering analysis applications and their critical role in evaluating the reliability of NASA development hardware including their potential use in a research and technology development environment.

  17. Town engineers in South Africa before 1910, with reference to water supply

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harri Mäki

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available This article looks at the town engineers in South Africa prior to Union in 1910. It briefly examines the growth in the number of municipalities and town engineers in the country in this period and investigates the background and training of these engineers; why municipalities decided to appoint an engineer; and what kind of appointment processes were followed. Finally the relations between engineers and town councils and the prevailing circumstances at the end of the engineers’ tenures is studied. The article also presents ten specific cases which have reference to the development of water supply. It emerges that most early town engineers received training via apprenticeship for the positions they held, and that there was added pressure from elected councillors in municipalities who were prone to monitor assiduously how officials were spending public money. It is also clear that engineers who did not have earlier municipal experience were bound to have problems in their interaction with town councillors. Keywords: Municipal history, civil engineering, water supply, sanitation, Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal Disciplines: History, Engineering, Public Management

  18. Incorporating unnatural amino acids to engineer biocatalysts for industrial bioprocess applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravikumar, Yuvaraj; Nadarajan, Saravanan Prabhu; Hyeon Yoo, Tae; Lee, Chong-Soon; Yun, Hyungdon

    2015-12-01

    The bioprocess engineering with biocatalysts broadly spans its development and actual application of enzymes in an industrial context. Recently, both the use of bioprocess engineering and the development and employment of enzyme engineering techniques have been increasing rapidly. Importantly, engineering techniques that incorporate unnatural amino acids (UAAs) in vivo has begun to produce enzymes with greater stability and altered catalytic properties. Despite the growth of this technique, its potential value in bioprocess applications remains to be fully exploited. In this review, we explore the methodologies involved in UAA incorporation as well as ways to synthesize these UAAs. In addition, we summarize recent efforts to increase the yield of UAA engineered proteins in Escherichia coli and also the application of this tool in enzyme engineering. Furthermore, this protein engineering tool based on the incorporation of UAA can be used to develop immobilized enzymes that are ideal for bioprocess applications. Considering the potential of this tool and by exploiting these engineered enzymes, we expect the field of bioprocess engineering to open up new opportunities for biocatalysis in the near future. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Advances and perspectives in tooth tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monteiro, Nelson; Yelick, Pamela C

    2017-09-01

    Bio-engineered teeth that can grow and remodel in a manner similar to that of natural teeth have the potential to serve as permanent replacements to the currently used prosthetic teeth, such as dental implants. A major challenge in designing functional bio-engineered teeth is to mimic both the structural and anisotropic mechanical characteristics of the native tooth. Therefore, the field of dental and whole tooth regeneration has advanced towards the molecular and nanoscale design of bio-active, biomimetic systems, using biomaterials, drug delivery systems and stem cells. The focus of this review is to discuss recent advances in tooth tissue engineering, using biomimetic scaffolds that provide proper architectural cues, exhibit the capacity to support dental stem cell proliferation and differentiation and sequester and release bio-active agents, such as growth factors and nucleic acids, in a spatiotemporal controlled manner. Although many in vitro and in vivo studies on tooth regeneration appear promising, before tooth tissue engineering becomes a reality for humans, additional research is needed to perfect methods that use adult human dental stem cells, as opposed to embryonic dental stem cells, and to devise the means to generate bio-engineered teeth of predetermined size and shape. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. 77 FR 9239 - California State Motor Vehicle and Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Truck Idling...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-16

    ... routed into the truck's exhaust system and PM trap; (b) a level 3 verified PM control strategy; or (c) use of other procedures to demonstrate an equivalent level of emissions compliance. B. Clean Air Act... passes the threshold test of materiality and * * * thereafter assess such material evidence against a...

  1. 76 FR 5586 - California State Motor Vehicle and Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Mobile Cargo...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-01

    ... requirements are designed to use best available control technologies to reduce public exposure to emissions of...-use yard trucks to meet BACT performance standards primarily through accelerated turnover of older...

  2. 78 FR 38970 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Within-the-Scope Determination for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-28

    .... Discussion A. Within-the-Scope Analysis We initially evaluate California's TRU amendments by application of... amendments by application of our traditional within-the-scope analysis, as CARB requested. EPA can confirm... technical feasibility of meeting the in-use performance requirements of the TRU ATCM and do not affect the...

  3. Biological augmentation and tissue engineering approaches in meniscus surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moran, Cathal J; Busilacchi, Alberto; Lee, Cassandra A; Athanasiou, Kyriacos A; Verdonk, Peter C

    2015-05-01

    The purpose of this review was to evaluate the role of biological augmentation and tissue engineering strategies in meniscus surgery. Although clinical (human), preclinical (animal), and in vitro tissue engineering studies are included here, we have placed additional focus on addressing preclinical and clinical studies reported during the 5-year period used in this review in a systematic fashion while also providing a summary review of some important in vitro tissue engineering findings in the field over the past decade. A search was performed on PubMed for original works published from 2009 to March 31, 2014 using the term "meniscus" with all the following terms: "scaffolds," "constructs," "cells," "growth factors," "implant," "tissue engineering," and "regenerative medicine." Inclusion criteria were the following: English-language articles and original clinical, preclinical (in vivo), and in vitro studies of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine application in knee meniscus lesions published from 2009 to March 31, 2014. Three clinical studies and 18 preclinical studies were identified along with 68 tissue engineering in vitro studies. These reports show the increasing promise of biological augmentation and tissue engineering strategies in meniscus surgery. The role of stem cell and growth factor therapy appears to be particularly useful. A review of in vitro tissue engineering studies found a large number of scaffold types to be of promise for meniscus replacement. Limitations include a relatively low number of clinical or preclinical in vivo studies, in addition to the fact there is as yet no report in the literature of a tissue-engineered meniscus construct used clinically. Neither does the literature provide clarity on the optimal meniscus scaffold type or biological augmentation with which meniscus repair or replacement would be best addressed in the future. There is increasing focus on the role of mechanobiology and biomechanical and

  4. Crystal growth for high-efficiency silicon solar cells workshop: Summary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumas, K. A.

    1985-01-01

    The state of the art in the growth of silicon crystals for high-efficiency solar cells are reviewed, sheet requirements are defined, and furture areas of research are identified. Silicon sheet material characteristics that limit cell efficiencies and yields were described as well as the criteria for the ideal sheet-growth method. The device engineers wish list to the material engineer included: silicon sheet with long minority carrier lifetime that is uniform throughout the sheet, and which doesn't change during processing; and sheet material that stays flat throughout device processing, has uniform good mechanical strength, and is low cost. Impurities in silicon solar cells depreciate cell performance by reducing diffusion length and degrading junctions. The impurity behavior, degradation mechanisms, and variations in degradation threshold with diffusion length for silicon solar cells were described.

  5. Controllable mineral coatings on scaffolds as carriers for growth factor release for bone tissue engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saurez-Gonzalez, Darilis

    The work presented in this document, focused on the development and characterization of mineral coatings on scaffold materials to serve as templates for growth factor binding and release. Mineral coatings were formed using a biomimetic approach that consisted in the incubation of scaffolds in modified simulated body fluids (mSBF). To modulate the properties of the mineral coating, which we hypothesized would dictate growth factor release, we used carbonate (HCO3) concentration in mSBF of 4.2 mM, 25mM, and 100mM. Analysis of the mineral coatings formed using scanning electron microscopy indicated growth of a continuous layer of mineral with different morphologies. X-ray diffraction analysis showed peaks associated with hydroxyapatite. FTIR data confirmed the substitution of HCO3 in the mineral. As the extent of HCO3 substitution increased, the coating exhibited more rapid dissolution kinetics in an environment deficient in calcium and phosphate. The mineral coatings provided an effective mechanism for bioactive growth factor binding and release. Peptide versions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) were bound with efficiencies up to 90% to mineral-coated PCL scaffolds. Recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor (rhVEGF) also bound to mineral coated scaffolds with lower efficiency (20%) and released with faster release kinetics compared to peptides growth factor. Released rhVEGF induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation in vitro and enhanced blood vessel formation in vivo in an intramuscular sheep model. In addition to the use the mineral coatings for single growth factor release, we expanded the concept and bound both an angiogenic (rhVEGF) and osteogenic (mBMP2) growth factor by a simple double dipping process. Sustained release of both growth factors was demonstrated for over 60 days. Released rhVEGF enhanced blood vessel formation in vivo in sheep and its biological activity was

  6. Third International Conference on Inverse Design Concepts and Optimization in Engineering Sciences (ICIDES-3)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dulikravich, George S. (Editor)

    1991-01-01

    Papers from the Third International Conference on Inverse Design Concepts and Optimization in Engineering Sciences (ICIDES) are presented. The papers discuss current research in the general field of inverse, semi-inverse, and direct design and optimization in engineering sciences. The rapid growth of this relatively new field is due to the availability of faster and larger computing machines.

  7. Weapon System Requirements: Detailed Systems Engineering Prior to Product Development Positions Programs for Success

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-11-01

    modified, replaced, or sustained by consumers or different manufacturers in addition to the manufacturer that developed the system. It also allows...WEAPON SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Detailed Systems Engineering Prior to Product Development Positions Programs for Success...Engineering Prior to Product Development Positions Programs for Success Why GAO Did This Study Cost and schedule growth in DOD major defense

  8. Crack growth prediction for low-cycle fatigue regime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamaya, Masayuki

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this study is to show a crack growth prediction procedure for the low-cycle fatigue regime. First, fatigue crack growth tests using Type 316 stainless steel specimens at room temperature were reviewed. It was seen that the crack growth rates correlated well with the equivalent stress intensify factor, which was derived using strain range instead of stress range. Furthermore, the effective equivalent stress intensify factor derived using the effective strain range exhibited excellent correlation with the crack growth rates obtained under various specimen geometries and loading conditions including high and low-cycle regimens. The obtained crack growth rates were also compared with the growth rate prescribed in the fitness-for-service code of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME). The test results agreed with the growth rate of JSME code. Finally, the procedure for predicting the low-cycle fatigue crack growth was shown. Although the JSME code is aimed at predicting fatigue crack growth for the so-called small scale yielding condition (high-cycle fatigue regime), the material constants determined for the high-cycle fatigue regime can be used even for the low-cycle fatigue regime. (author)

  9. Phytotoxicity of nanoparticles: Inhibition of seed germination and root growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin Daohui [Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028 (China); Department of Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Stockbridge Hall, Amherst, MA 01003 (United States); Xing Baoshan [Department of Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Stockbridge Hall, Amherst, MA 01003 (United States)], E-mail: bx@pssci.umass.edu

    2007-11-15

    Plants need to be included to develop a comprehensive toxicity profile for nanoparticles. Effects of five types of nanoparticles (multi-walled carbon nanotube, aluminum, alumina, zinc, and zinc oxide) on seed germination and root growth of six higher plant species (radish, rape, ryegrass, lettuce, corn, and cucumber) were investigated. Seed germination was not affected except for the inhibition of nanoscale zinc (nano-Zn) on ryegrass and zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) on corn at 2000 mg/L. Inhibition on root growth varied greatly among nanoparticles and plants. Suspensions of 2000 mg/L nano-Zn or nano-ZnO practically terminated root elongation of the tested plant species. Fifty percent inhibitory concentrations (IC{sub 50}) of nano-Zn and nano-ZnO were estimated to be near 50 mg/L for radish, and about 20 mg/L for rape and ryegrass. The inhibition occurred during the seed incubation process rather than seed soaking stage. These results are significant in terms of use and disposal of engineered nanoparticles. - Engineered nanoparticles can inhibit the seed germination and root growth.

  10. Phytotoxicity of nanoparticles: Inhibition of seed germination and root growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Daohui; Xing Baoshan

    2007-01-01

    Plants need to be included to develop a comprehensive toxicity profile for nanoparticles. Effects of five types of nanoparticles (multi-walled carbon nanotube, aluminum, alumina, zinc, and zinc oxide) on seed germination and root growth of six higher plant species (radish, rape, ryegrass, lettuce, corn, and cucumber) were investigated. Seed germination was not affected except for the inhibition of nanoscale zinc (nano-Zn) on ryegrass and zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) on corn at 2000 mg/L. Inhibition on root growth varied greatly among nanoparticles and plants. Suspensions of 2000 mg/L nano-Zn or nano-ZnO practically terminated root elongation of the tested plant species. Fifty percent inhibitory concentrations (IC 50 ) of nano-Zn and nano-ZnO were estimated to be near 50 mg/L for radish, and about 20 mg/L for rape and ryegrass. The inhibition occurred during the seed incubation process rather than seed soaking stage. These results are significant in terms of use and disposal of engineered nanoparticles. - Engineered nanoparticles can inhibit the seed germination and root growth

  11. Vascular tissue engineering by computer-aided laser micromachining.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doraiswamy, Anand; Narayan, Roger J

    2010-04-28

    Many conventional technologies for fabricating tissue engineering scaffolds are not suitable for fabricating scaffolds with patient-specific attributes. For example, many conventional technologies for fabricating tissue engineering scaffolds do not provide control over overall scaffold geometry or over cell position within the scaffold. In this study, the use of computer-aided laser micromachining to create scaffolds for vascular tissue networks was investigated. Computer-aided laser micromachining was used to construct patterned surfaces in agarose or in silicon, which were used for differential adherence and growth of cells into vascular tissue networks. Concentric three-ring structures were fabricated on agarose hydrogel substrates, in which the inner ring contained human aortic endothelial cells, the middle ring contained HA587 human elastin and the outer ring contained human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells. Basement membrane matrix containing vascular endothelial growth factor and heparin was to promote proliferation of human aortic endothelial cells within the vascular tissue networks. Computer-aided laser micromachining provides a unique approach to fabricate small-diameter blood vessels for bypass surgery as well as other artificial tissues with complex geometries.

  12. A Transient 3D-CFD Model Incorporating Biological Processes for Use in Tissue Engineering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krühne, Ulrich; Wendt, D.; Martin, I.

    2010-01-01

    after 2, 8 and 13 days. The development of the cells is compared to the simulated growth of cells and it is attempted to draw a conclusion about the impact of the shear stress on the cell growth. Keyword: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD),Micro pores,Scaffold,Bioreactor,Fluid structure interaction,Tissue...... engineering...

  13. Metabolic engineering of microbial competitive advantage for industrial fermentation processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, A Joe; Lam, Felix H; Hamilton, Maureen; Consiglio, Andrew; MacEwen, Kyle; Brevnova, Elena E; Greenhagen, Emily; LaTouf, W Greg; South, Colin R; van Dijken, Hans; Stephanopoulos, Gregory

    2016-08-05

    Microbial contamination is an obstacle to widespread production of advanced biofuels and chemicals. Current practices such as process sterilization or antibiotic dosage carry excess costs or encourage the development of antibiotic resistance. We engineered Escherichia coli to assimilate melamine, a xenobiotic compound containing nitrogen. After adaptive laboratory evolution to improve pathway efficiency, the engineered strain rapidly outcompeted a control strain when melamine was supplied as the nitrogen source. We additionally engineered the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Yarrowia lipolytica to assimilate nitrogen from cyanamide and phosphorus from potassium phosphite, and they outcompeted contaminating strains in several low-cost feedstocks. Supplying essential growth nutrients through xenobiotic or ecologically rare chemicals provides microbial competitive advantage with minimal external risks, given that engineered biocatalysts only have improved fitness within the customized fermentation environment. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  14. Alveolar bone tissue engineering using composite scaffolds for drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomonori Matsuno

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available For many years, bone graft substitutes have been used to reconstruct bone defects in orthopedic and dental fields. However, synthetic bone substitutes such as hydroxyapatite or β-tricalcium phosphate have no osteoinductive or osteogenic abilities. Bone tissue engineering has also been promoted as an alternative approach to regenerating bone tissue. To succeed in bone tissue engineering, osteoconductive scaffolding biomaterials should provide a suitable environment for osteogenic cells and provide local controlled release of osteogenic growth factors. In addition, the scaffold for the bone graft substitute should biodegrade to replace the newly formed bone. Recent advances in bone tissue engineering have allowed the creation of composite scaffolds with tailored functional properties. This review focuses on composite scaffolds that consist of synthetic ceramics and natural polymers as drug delivery carriers for alveolar bone tissue engineering.

  15. Engineering the Surface/Interface Structures of Titanium Dioxide Micro and Nano Architectures towards Environmental and Electrochemical Applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Xiaoliang; Zhao, Yanyan; Mølhave, Kristian

    2017-01-01

    advances in the surface and interface engineering and applications in environmental and electrochemical applications. We analyze the advantages of surface/interface engineered TiO₂ micro and nano structures, and present the principles and growth mechanisms of TiO₂ nanostructures via different strategies...

  16. Environmental engineering education enhancement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caporali, E.

    2012-04-01

    Since higher education plays a central role in the development of both human beings and modern societies, enhancing social, cultural and economic development, active citizenship, ethical values and expertises for a sustainable growth, environment respectful, the European Commission promotes a wide range of programmes. Among the EC programmes, the TEMPUS - Trans European Mobility Programme for University Studies, with the support of the DG EAC of the European Commission, has contributed to many aspects of general interest for higher education. Curricula harmonization, LifeLong Learning Programme development, ICT use, quality assessment, accreditation, innovation learning methods, growth of networks of institutions trusting each other, are the focused aspects. Such a solid cooperation framework is surely among the main outcomes of the TEMPUS Projects leaded by the University of Firenze UNIFI (Italy), DEREC - Development of Environment and Resources Engineering Curriculum (2005-2008), and its spin-off DEREL - Development of Environment and Resources Engineering Learning (2010-2013), and VICES - Videoconferencing Educational Services (2009-2012). DEREC and DEREL TEMPUS projects, through the co-operation of Universities in Italy, Austria, Germany, Greece, Macedonia, Albania and Serbia, are aimed at the development of first and second level curricula in "Environment and Resources Engineering" at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - UKIM Skopje (MK). In the DEREC Project the conditions for offering a joint degree title in the field of Environmental Engineering between UNIFI and UKIM Skopje were fulfilled and a shared educational programme leading to the mutual recognition of degree titles was defined. The DEREL project, as logical continuation of DEREC, is aimed to introduce a new, up-to-date, postgraduate second level curriculum in Environment and Resources Engineering at UKIM Skopje, University of Novi Sad (RS) and Polytechnic University of Tirana (AL). following

  17. Biomechanics and mechanobiology in functional tissue engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guilak, Farshid; Butler, David L.; Goldstein, Steven A.; Baaijens, Frank P.T.

    2014-01-01

    The field of tissue engineering continues to expand and mature, and several products are now in clinical use, with numerous other preclinical and clinical studies underway. However, specific challenges still remain in the repair or regeneration of tissues that serve a predominantly biomechanical function. Furthermore, it is now clear that mechanobiological interactions between cells and scaffolds can critically influence cell behavior, even in tissues and organs that do not serve an overt biomechanical role. Over the past decade, the field of “functional tissue engineering” has grown as a subfield of tissue engineering to address the challenges and questions on the role of biomechanics and mechanobiology in tissue engineering. Originally posed as a set of principles and guidelines for engineering of load-bearing tissues, functional tissue engineering has grown to encompass several related areas that have proven to have important implications for tissue repair and regeneration. These topics include measurement and modeling of the in vivo biomechanical environment; quantitative analysis of the mechanical properties of native tissues, scaffolds, and repair tissues; development of rationale criteria for the design and assessment of engineered tissues; investigation of the effects biomechanical factors on native and repair tissues, in vivo and in vitro; and development and application of computational models of tissue growth and remodeling. Here we further expand this paradigm and provide examples of the numerous advances in the field over the past decade. Consideration of these principles in the design process will hopefully improve the safety, efficacy, and overall success of engineered tissue replacements. PMID:24818797

  18. Design of Molecular Materials: Supramolecular Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Jacques; Bassoul, Pierre

    2001-02-01

    This timely and fascinating book is destined to be recognised as THE book on supramolecular engineering protocols. It covers this sometimes difficult subject in an approachable form, gathering together information from many sources. Supramolecular chemistry, which links organic chemistry to materials science, is one of the fastest growth areas of chemistry research. This book creates a correlation between the structure of single molecules and the physical and chemical properties of the resulting materials. By making systematic changes to the component molecules, the resulting solid can be engineered for optimum performance. There is a clearly written development from synthesis of designer molecules to properties of solids and further on to devices and complex materials systems, providing guidelines for mastering the organisation of these systems. Topics covered include: Systemic chemistry Molecular assemblies Notions of symmetry Supramolecular engineering Principe de Curie Organisation in molecular media Molecular semiconductors Industrial applications of molecular materials This superb book will be invaluable to researchers in the field of supramolecular materials and also to students and teachers of the subject.

  19. The suitability of human adipose-derived stem cells for the engineering of ligament tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eagan, Michael J; Zuk, Patricia A; Zhao, Ke-Wei; Bluth, Benjamin E; Brinkmann, Elyse J; Wu, Benjamin M; McAllister, David R

    2012-10-01

    Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the one of the most common sports-related injuries. With its poor healing capacity, surgical reconstruction using either autografts or allografts is currently required to restore function. However, serious complications are associated with graft reconstructions and the number of such reconstructions has steadily risen over the years, necessitating the search for an alternative approach to ACL repair. Such an approach may likely be tissue engineering. Recent engineering approaches using ligament-derived fibroblasts have been promising, but the slow growth rate of such fibroblasts in vitro may limit their practical application. More promising results are being achieved using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The adipose-derived stem cell (ASC) is often proposed as an alternative choice to the MSC and, as such, may be a suitable stem cell for ligament engineering. However, the use of ASCs in ligament engineering still remains relatively unexplored. Therefore, in this study, the potential use of human ASCs in ligament tissue engineering was initially explored by examining their ability to express several ligament markers under growth factor treatment. ASC populations treated for up to 4 weeks with TGFβ1 or IGF1 did not show any significant and consistent upregulation in the expression of collagen types 1 and 3, tenascin C and scleraxis. While treatment with EGF or bFGF resulted in increased tenascin C expression, increased expression of collagens 1 and 3 were never observed. Therefore, simple in vitro treatment of human ASC populations with growth factors may not stimulate their ligament differentiative potential. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Clean versus Dirty Economic Growth

    OpenAIRE

    Palokangas, Tapio

    2012-01-01

    This document considers an economy with many regions and two engines of growth: horizontal R&D, which increases the number of polluting product lines; and vertical R&D, which improves productivity in these lines. Pollution in any region decreases welfare in all regions. Any group of regions can form a jurisdiction where a common policy maker controls pollution. Large jurisdictions, which can better internalize externality through pollution, perform vertical R&D. Because jurisdictions face dec...

  1. A Case for the Need of Using Scaffolding Methods in Teaching Introductory, Fundamental Engineering Mechanics Classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boylan-Ashraf, Peggy C.; Freeman, Steven A.; Shelley, Mack C.

    2015-01-01

    In the past ten years, engineering classrooms have seen an exponential growth in the use of technology, more than during any other previous decade. Unprecedented advancements, such as the advent of innovative gadgets and fundamental instructional alterations in engineering classrooms, have introduced changes in both teaching and learning. Student…

  2. A unified architecture for biomedical search engines based on semantic web technologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jalali, Vahid; Matash Borujerdi, Mohammad Reza

    2011-04-01

    There is a huge growth in the volume of published biomedical research in recent years. Many medical search engines are designed and developed to address the over growing information needs of biomedical experts and curators. Significant progress has been made in utilizing the knowledge embedded in medical ontologies and controlled vocabularies to assist these engines. However, the lack of common architecture for utilized ontologies and overall retrieval process, hampers evaluating different search engines and interoperability between them under unified conditions. In this paper, a unified architecture for medical search engines is introduced. Proposed model contains standard schemas declared in semantic web languages for ontologies and documents used by search engines. Unified models for annotation and retrieval processes are other parts of introduced architecture. A sample search engine is also designed and implemented based on the proposed architecture in this paper. The search engine is evaluated using two test collections and results are reported in terms of precision vs. recall and mean average precision for different approaches used by this search engine.

  3. From biomedical-engineering research to clinical application and industrialization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taguchi, Tetsushi; Aoyagi, Takao

    2012-12-01

    The rising costs and aging of the population due to a low birth rate negatively affect the healthcare system in Japan. In 2011, the Council for Science and Technology Policy released the 4th Japan's Science and Technology Basic Policy Report from 2011 to 2015. This report includes two major innovations, 'Life Innovation' and 'Green Innovation', to promote economic growth. Biomedical engineering research is part of 'Life Innovation' and its outcomes are required to maintain people's mental and physical health. It has already resulted in numerous biomedical products, and new ones should be developed using nanotechnology-based concepts. The combination of accumulated knowledge and experience, and 'nanoarchitechtonics' will result in novel, well-designed functional biomaterials. This focus issue contains three reviews and 19 original papers on various biomedical topics, including biomaterials, drug-delivery systems, tissue engineering and diagnostics. We hope that it demonstrates the importance of collaboration among scientists, engineers and clinicians, and will contribute to the further development of biomedical engineering.

  4. New generation of the multimedia search engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mijes Cruz, Mario Humberto; Soto Aldaco, Andrea; Maldonado Cano, Luis Alejandro; López Rodríguez, Mario; Rodríguez Vázqueza, Manuel Antonio; Amaya Reyes, Laura Mariel; Cano Martínez, Elizabeth; Pérez Rosas, Osvaldo Gerardo; Rodríguez Espejo, Luis; Flores Secundino, Jesús Abimelek; Rivera Martínez, José Luis; García Vázquez, Mireya Saraí; Zamudio Fuentes, Luis Miguel; Sánchez Valenzuela, Juan Carlos; Montoya Obeso, Abraham; Ramírez Acosta, Alejandro Álvaro

    2016-09-01

    Current search engines are based upon search methods that involve the combination of words (text-based search); which has been efficient until now. However, the Internet's growing demand indicates that there's more diversity on it with each passing day. Text-based searches are becoming limited, as most of the information on the Internet can be found in different types of content denominated multimedia content (images, audio files, video files). Indeed, what needs to be improved in current search engines is: search content, and precision; as well as an accurate display of expected search results by the user. Any search can be more precise if it uses more text parameters, but it doesn't help improve the content or speed of the search itself. One solution is to improve them through the characterization of the content for the search in multimedia files. In this article, an analysis of the new generation multimedia search engines is presented, focusing the needs according to new technologies. Multimedia content has become a central part of the flow of information in our daily life. This reflects the necessity of having multimedia search engines, as well as knowing the real tasks that it must comply. Through this analysis, it is shown that there are not many search engines that can perform content searches. The area of research of multimedia search engines of new generation is a multidisciplinary area that's in constant growth, generating tools that satisfy the different needs of new generation systems.

  5. Exergetic optimization of turbofan engine with genetic algorithm method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Turan, Onder [Anadolu University, School of Civil Aviation (Turkey)], e-mail: onderturan@anadolu.edu.tr

    2011-07-01

    With the growth of passenger numbers, emissions from the aeronautics sector are increasing and the industry is now working on improving engine efficiency to reduce fuel consumption. The aim of this study is to present the use of genetic algorithms, an optimization method based on biological principles, to optimize the exergetic performance of turbofan engines. The optimization was carried out using exergy efficiency, overall efficiency and specific thrust of the engine as evaluation criteria and playing on pressure and bypass ratio, turbine inlet temperature and flight altitude. Results showed exergy efficiency can be maximized with higher altitudes, fan pressure ratio and turbine inlet temperature; the turbine inlet temperature is the most important parameter for increased exergy efficiency. This study demonstrated that genetic algorithms are effective in optimizing complex systems in a short time.

  6. Engineering Education in Russia in an Era of Changes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukianenko, M. V.; Polezhaev, O. A.; Churliaeva, N. P.

    2013-01-01

    Engineering education in Russia is undergoing reforms, but the history of this form of higher education does not indicate that it will succeed in bringing it into line with current world standards, or even making it more able to contribute at a high level to Russian economic growth. (Contains 5 notes.)

  7. Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue Crack Growth of RR1000.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pretty, Christopher John; Whitaker, Mark Thomas; Williams, Steve John

    2017-01-04

    Non-isothermal conditions during flight cycles have long led to the requirement for thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) evaluation of aerospace materials. However, the increased temperatures within the gas turbine engine have meant that the requirements for TMF testing now extend to disc alloys along with blade materials. As such, fatigue crack growth rates are required to be evaluated under non-isothermal conditions along with the development of a detailed understanding of related failure mechanisms. In the current work, a TMF crack growth testing method has been developed utilising induction heating and direct current potential drop techniques for polycrystalline nickel-based superalloys, such as RR1000. Results have shown that in-phase (IP) testing produces accelerated crack growth rates compared with out-of-phase (OOP) due to increased temperature at peak stress and therefore increased time dependent crack growth. The ordering of the crack growth rates is supported by detailed fractographic analysis which shows intergranular crack growth in IP test specimens, and transgranular crack growth in 90° OOP and 180° OOP tests. Isothermal tests have also been carried out for comparison of crack growth rates at the point of peak stress in the TMF cycles.

  8. Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue Crack Growth of RR1000

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher John Pretty

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Non-isothermal conditions during flight cycles have long led to the requirement for thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF evaluation of aerospace materials. However, the increased temperatures within the gas turbine engine have meant that the requirements for TMF testing now extend to disc alloys along with blade materials. As such, fatigue crack growth rates are required to be evaluated under non-isothermal conditions along with the development of a detailed understanding of related failure mechanisms. In the current work, a TMF crack growth testing method has been developed utilising induction heating and direct current potential drop techniques for polycrystalline nickel-based superalloys, such as RR1000. Results have shown that in-phase (IP testing produces accelerated crack growth rates compared with out-of-phase (OOP due to increased temperature at peak stress and therefore increased time dependent crack growth. The ordering of the crack growth rates is supported by detailed fractographic analysis which shows intergranular crack growth in IP test specimens, and transgranular crack growth in 90° OOP and 180° OOP tests. Isothermal tests have also been carried out for comparison of crack growth rates at the point of peak stress in the TMF cycles.

  9. Modeling of a Turbofan Engine with Ice Crystal Ingestion in the NASA Propulsion System Laboratory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veres, Joseph P.; Jorgenson, Philip C. E.; Jones, Scott M.; Nili, Samaun

    2017-01-01

    The main focus of this study is to apply a computational tool for the flow analysis of the turbine engine that has been tested with ice crystal ingestion in the Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL) at NASA Glenn Research Center. The PSL has been used to test a highly instrumented Honeywell ALF502R-5A (LF11) turbofan engine at simulated altitude operating conditions. Test data analysis with an engine cycle code and a compressor flow code was conducted to determine the values of key icing parameters, that can indicate the risk of ice accretion, which can lead to engine rollback (un-commanded loss of engine thrust). The full engine aerothermodynamic performance was modeled with the Honeywell Customer Deck specifically created for the ALF502R-5A engine. The mean-line compressor flow analysis code, which includes a code that models the state of the ice crystal, was used to model the air flow through the fan-core and low pressure compressor. The results of the compressor flow analyses included calculations of the ice-water flow rate to air flow rate ratio (IWAR), the local static wet bulb temperature, and the particle melt ratio throughout the flow field. It was found that the assumed particle size had a large effect on the particle melt ratio, and on the local wet bulb temperature. In this study the particle size was varied parametrically to produce a non-zero calculated melt ratio in the exit guide vane (EGV) region of the low pressure compressor (LPC) for the data points that experienced a growth of blockage there, and a subsequent engine called rollback (CRB). At data points where the engine experienced a CRB having the lowest wet bulb temperature of 492 degrees Rankine at the EGV trailing edge, the smallest particle size that produced a non-zero melt ratio (between 3 percent - 4 percent) was on the order of 1 micron. This value of melt ratio was utilized as the target for all other subsequent data points analyzed, while the particle size was varied from 1 micron - 9

  10. Strategies and applications for incorporating physical and chemical signal gradients in tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Milind; Berkland, Cory; Detamore, Michael S

    2008-12-01

    From embryonic development to wound repair, concentration gradients of bioactive signaling molecules guide tissue formation and regeneration. Moreover, gradients in cellular and extracellular architecture as well as in mechanical properties are readily apparent in native tissues. Perhaps tissue engineers can take a cue from nature in attempting to regenerate tissues by incorporating gradients into engineering design strategies. Indeed, gradient-based approaches are an emerging trend in tissue engineering, standing in contrast to traditional approaches of homogeneous delivery of cells and/or growth factors using isotropic scaffolds. Gradients in tissue engineering lie at the intersection of three major paradigms in the field-biomimetic, interfacial, and functional tissue engineering-by combining physical (via biomaterial design) and chemical (with growth/differentiation factors and cell adhesion molecules) signal delivery to achieve a continuous transition in both structure and function. This review consolidates several key methodologies to generate gradients, some of which have never been employed in a tissue engineering application, and discusses strategies for incorporating these methods into tissue engineering and implant design. A key finding of this review was that two-dimensional physicochemical gradient substrates, which serve as excellent high-throughput screening tools for optimizing desired biomaterial properties, can be enhanced in the future by transitioning from two dimensions to three dimensions, which would enable studies of cell-protein-biomaterial interactions in a more native tissue-like environment. In addition, biomimetic tissue regeneration via combined delivery of graded physical and chemical signals appears to be a promising strategy for the regeneration of heterogeneous tissues and tissue interfaces. In the future, in vivo applications will shed more light on the performance of gradient-based mechanical integrity and signal delivery

  11. Engineered chitosan based nanomaterials: Bioactivities, mechanisms and perspectives in plant protection and growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumaraswamy, R V; Kumari, Sarita; Choudhary, Ram Chandra; Pal, Ajay; Raliya, Ramesh; Biswas, Pratim; Saharan, Vinod

    2018-07-01

    Excessive use of agrochemicals for enhancing crop production and its protection posed environmental and health concern. Integration of advanced technology is required to realize the concept of precision agriculture by minimizing the input of pesticides and fertilizers per unit while improving the crop productivity. Notably, chitosan based biodegradable nanomaterials (NMs) including nanoparticles, nanogels and nanocomposites have eventually proceeded as a key choice in agriculture due to their inimitable properties like antimicrobial and plant growth promoting activities. The foreseeable role of chitosan based NMs in plants might be in achieving sustainable plant growth through boosting the intrinsic potential of plants. In-spite of the fact that chitosan based NMs abode immense biological activities in plants, these materials have not yet been widely adopted in agriculture due to poor understanding of their bioactivity and modes of action towards pathogenic microbes and in plant protection and growth. To expedite the anticipated claims of chitosan based NMs, it is imperative to line up all the possible bioactivities which denote for sustainable agriculture. Herein, we have highlighted, in-depth, various chitosan based NMs which have been used in plant growth and protection mainly against fungi, bacteria and viruses and have also explained their modes of action. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Electrospun silk fibroin/poly (L-lactide-ε-caplacton) graft with platelet-rich growth factor for inducing smooth muscle cell growth and infiltration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Anlin; Bowlin, Gary L; Luo, Rifang; Zhang, Xingdong; Wang, Yunbing; Mo, Xiumei

    2016-12-01

    The construction of a smooth muscle layer for blood vessel through electrospinning method plays a key role in vascular tissue engineering. However, smooth muscle cells (SMCs) penetration into the electrospun graft to form a smooth muscle layer is limited due to the dense packing of fibers and lack of inducing factors. In this paper, silk fibroin/poly (L-lactide-ε-caplacton) (SF/PLLA-CL) vascular graft loaded with platelet-rich growth factor (PRGF) was fabricated by electrospinning. The in vitro results showed that SMCs cultured in the graft grew fast, and the incorporation of PRGF could induce deeper SMCs infiltrating compared to the SF/PLLA-CL graft alone. Mechanical properties measurement showed that PRGF-incorporated graft had proper tensile stress, suture retention strength, burst pressure and compliance which could match the demand of native blood vessel. The success in the fabrication of PRGF-incorporated SF/PLLA-CL graft to induce fast SMCs growth and their strong penetration into graft has important application for tissue-engineered blood vessels.

  13. A global study of undergraduate environmental engineering programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abro, Q.M.

    2005-01-01

    Recent analyses of environmental engineering and management (EE and M) field has highlighted its rapidly expanding size and increasingly diverse nature (Hart and Nolan, 1999). The last 30 years have seen growing international recognition that the challenges associated with environmental degradation and sustainable development have important implications for, and connections with, education and research (IUCN, 1970; UNCED, 1992). The concept of environmental education is now widespread in national educational policies, curriculum documents, curriculum development initiatives, and conservation strategies. Reflecting this trend, several universities throughout the world offer a wide range of graduate as well as undergraduate programs in environment. These programs have originated from various academic schools and disciplines (engineering, public policy, business, management, etc) creating considerable diversity of focus, themes emphasized, courses and methods of offerings. The rise of these programs, in part, reflects the growing need for engineers, technologists as well as managers, who are able to understand, contribute to, and manage a wide variety of technology-based programs and organizations. In addition, the large number of environmental engineering research journals, professional associations and international/national conferences point to the rapid growth of this field. This paper will examine the trends in provision, type of program, major curriculum focus of undergraduate environmental engineering and management education and then compare these trends with the emerging trends in the environmental engineering and management research journals of the last decade. (author)

  14. Mechanical design criteria for intervertebral disc tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nerurkar, Nandan L; Elliott, Dawn M; Mauck, Robert L

    2010-04-19

    Due to the inability of current clinical practices to restore function to degenerated intervertebral discs, the arena of disc tissue engineering has received substantial attention in recent years. Despite tremendous growth and progress in this field, translation to clinical implementation has been hindered by a lack of well-defined functional benchmarks. Because successful replacement of the disc is contingent upon replication of some or all of its complex mechanical behaviors, it is critically important that disc mechanics be well characterized in order to establish discrete functional goals for tissue engineering. In this review, the key functional signatures of the intervertebral disc are discussed and used to propose a series of native tissue benchmarks to guide the development of engineered replacement tissues. These benchmarks include measures of mechanical function under tensile, compressive, and shear deformations for the disc and its substructures. In some cases, important functional measures are identified that have yet to be measured in the native tissue. Ultimately, native tissue benchmark values are compared to measurements that have been made on engineered disc tissues, identifying where functional equivalence was achieved, and where there remain opportunities for advancement. Several excellent reviews exist regarding disc composition and structure, as well as recent tissue engineering strategies; therefore this review will remain focused on the functional aspects of disc tissue engineering. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The claims handling process of engineering insurance in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.C. de Beer

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Due to technological developments, the complicated world of engineering and its associated products are continuously becoming more specialized. Short-term insurers provide engineering insurance to enable the owners and operators of engineering assets to combat the negative impact of the associated risks. It is, however, a huge challenge to the insurers of engineering insurance to manage the particular risks against the background of technological enhancement. The skills gap in the short-term insurance market and the engineering environment may be the main factor which inhibits the growth of the engineering insurance market. The objective of this research embodies the improvement of financial decision-making concerning the claims handling process of engineering insurance. Secondary as well as primary data were necessary to achieve the stated objective. The secondary data provided the background of the research and enabled the researchers to compile a questionnaire for the empirical survey. The questionnaire and a cover letter were sent to the top 10 short-term insurers in South Africa that are providing engineering insurance. Their perceptions should provide guidelines to other short-term insurers who are engaged in engineering insurance, as they are regarded as the market leaders of engineering insurance in South Africa. The empirical results of this research focus on the importance of various claims handling factors when assessing the claims handling process of engineering insurance, the problem areas in the claims handling process concerned, as well as how often the stipulations of engineering insurance policies are adjusted to take the claims handling factors into account.

  16. Continuous-Scan Phased Array Measurement Methods for Turbofan Engine Acoustic Testing, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — To allow aviation growth to continue in the face of increasingly stringent noise pollution standards, new aircraft engines must be designed with noise performance as...

  17. Engineering Biomaterials to Influence Oligodendroglial Growth, Maturation, and Myelin Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell, Lauren N; Lampe, Kyle J

    2016-01-01

    Millions of people suffer from damage or disease to the nervous system that results in a loss of myelin, such as through a spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis. Diminished myelin levels lead to further cell death in which unmyelinated neurons die. In the central nervous system, a loss of myelin is especially detrimental because of its poor ability to regenerate. Cell therapies such as stem or precursor cell injection have been investigated as stem cells are able to grow and differentiate into the damaged cells; however, stem cell injection alone has been unsuccessful in many areas of neural regeneration. Therefore, researchers have begun exploring combined therapies with biomaterials that promote cell growth and differentiation while localizing cells in the injured area. The regrowth of myelinating oligodendrocytes from neural stem cells through a biomaterials approach may prove to be a beneficial strategy following the onset of demyelination. This article reviews recent advancements in biomaterial strategies for the differentiation of neural stem cells into oligodendrocytes, and presents new data indicating appropriate properties for oligodendrocyte precursor cell growth. In some cases, an increase in oligodendrocyte differentiation alongside neurons is further highlighted for functional improvements where the biomaterial was then tested for increased myelination both in vitro and in vivo. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  18. EVALUATION OF ECONOMIC SECURITY NOVOSIBIRSK REGION (FOR EXAMPLE, A REGIONAL ENGINEERING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lugacheva L. I.

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The article shows the importance of regional engineering for the Russian economy, it clarifies the factors of economic security of the Novosibirsk region (NSO. Analyzed the characteristics prevailing in the engineering industry, its competitive advantages. The research results of the export orientation of the regional engineering VAT: its direction and priorities; discusses the trends that influence the growth during the recovery has formed a new profile of its foreign economic relations. Threats identified in the development of engineering and to propose measures to overcome them to ensure the economic security of the region. The article deals with the problem-tional institutes provide for the sustainable development of regional engineering, discusses the possibility of using pub-lic-private partnerships. Sharing of risks and responsibilities between the subject of the Russian Federation, municipalities and entrepreneurs - one of the priorities in the creation of the necessary conditions for the economic security of the NSO.

  19. International Conference on Software Engineering, Knowledge Engineering and Information Engineering (SEKEIE 2012)

    CERN Document Server

    Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering: Theory and Practice

    2012-01-01

    2012 International Conference on Software Engineering, Knowledge Engineering and Information Engineering (SEKEIE 2012) will be held in Macau, April 1-2, 2012 . This conference will bring researchers and experts from the three areas of Software Engineering, Knowledge Engineering and Information Engineering together to share their latest research results and ideas.   This volume book covered significant recent developments in the Software Engineering, Knowledge Engineering and Information Engineering field, both theoretical and applied. We are glad this conference attracts your attentions, and thank your support to our conference. We will absorb remarkable suggestion, and make our conference more successful and perfect.

  20. Microfluidic systems for stem cell-based neural tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karimi, Mahdi; Bahrami, Sajad; Mirshekari, Hamed; Basri, Seyed Masoud Moosavi; Nik, Amirala Bakhshian; Aref, Amir R; Akbari, Mohsen; Hamblin, Michael R

    2016-07-05

    Neural tissue engineering aims at developing novel approaches for the treatment of diseases of the nervous system, by providing a permissive environment for the growth and differentiation of neural cells. Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems provide a closer biomimetic environment, and promote better cell differentiation and improved cell function, than could be achieved by conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture systems. With the recent advances in the discovery and introduction of different types of stem cells for tissue engineering, microfluidic platforms have provided an improved microenvironment for the 3D-culture of stem cells. Microfluidic systems can provide more precise control over the spatiotemporal distribution of chemical and physical cues at the cellular level compared to traditional systems. Various microsystems have been designed and fabricated for the purpose of neural tissue engineering. Enhanced neural migration and differentiation, and monitoring of these processes, as well as understanding the behavior of stem cells and their microenvironment have been obtained through application of different microfluidic-based stem cell culture and tissue engineering techniques. As the technology advances it may be possible to construct a "brain-on-a-chip". In this review, we describe the basics of stem cells and tissue engineering as well as microfluidics-based tissue engineering approaches. We review recent testing of various microfluidic approaches for stem cell-based neural tissue engineering.

  1. Genetic Engineering of Crypthecodinium cohnii to Increase Growth and Lipid Accumulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinjin Diao

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we evaluated suitable selected markers and optimized transformation protocols to develop a new genetic transformation methodology for DHA-producing Crypthecodinium cohnii. Additionally, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO, potentially involved in CO2 fixation under autotrophic conditions, was selected as the target for construction of a gene knockdown mutant. Our results show that the constructs were successfully inserted into the C. cohnii chromosome by homologous recombination. Comparative analysis showed that deletion of the RuBisCO gene promoted cell growth and increased the lipid content of C. cohnii under heterotrophic conditions compared with those of the wild-type. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS based metabolomic analysis showed that the metabolites involved in energy metabolism were upregulated, suggesting that the deletion of the RuBisCO gene may contribute to the re-direction of more carbon or energy toward growth and lipid accumulation under heterotrophic conditions.

  2. Osteogenesis and angiogenesis: The potential for engineering bone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JM Kanczler

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available The repair of large bone defects remains a major clinical orthopaedic challenge. Bone is a highly vascularised tissue reliant on the close spatial and temporal connection between blood vessels and bone cells to maintain skeletal integrity. Angiogenesis thus plays a pivotal role in skeletal development and bone fracture repair. Current procedures to repair bone defects and to provide structural and mechanical support include the use of grafts (autologous, allogeneic or implants (polymeric or metallic. These approaches face significant limitations due to insufficient supply, potential disease transmission, rejection, cost and the inability to integrate with the surrounding host tissue.The engineering of bone tissue offers new therapeutic strategies to aid musculoskeletal healing. Various scaffold constructs have been employed in the development of tissue-engineered bone; however, an active blood vessel network is an essential pre-requisite for these to survive and integrate with existing host tissue. Combination therapies of stem cells and polymeric growth factor release scaffolds tailored to promote angiogenesis and osteogenesis are under evaluation and development actively to stimulate bone regeneration. An understanding of the cellular and molecular interactions of blood vessels and bone cells will enhance and aid the successful development of future vascularised bone scaffold constructs, enabling survival and integration of bioengineered bone with the host tissue. The role of angiogenic and osteogenic factors in the adaptive response and interaction of osteoblasts and endothelial cells during the multi step process of bone development and repair will be highlighted in this review, with consideration of how some of these key mechanisms can be combined with new developments in tissue engineering to enable repair and growth of skeletal fractures. Elucidation of the processes of angiogenesis, osteogenesis and tissue engineering strategies offer

  3. Induction of growth and proliferation of fibroblast cells in magnetic field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naghmeh Ezatti

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Tissue engineering is generally defined as developing and changing the laboratory growth of molecules and cells in tissues or organs to replace and repair the damaged part of body. This study was carried out to stimulate the growth of cultured fibroblast cells by a physical electromagnetic method. Methods: First, an air-core coil was prepared and the cell culture plate was placed comfortably into the mold, then the plate containing the culture medium and human fibroblast cell along with air-core coil were placed in an incubator and then connected to the power supply. Thus, the sample underwent electromagnetic field at different times, and cell proliferation was studied by MTTassay. Results: Microscopic images indicated that the cells undergoing electromagnetic field (0.35 amps had a significant growth compared to the cells in control group in a definit range of stimulation. Conclusion: In conclusion, electromagnetic stimulation in a definite range led to cell proliferation and could be used as a positive factor in tissue engineering.

  4. Controlling particulate matter under the Clean Air Act: a menu of options

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-07-01

    This document was prepared by STAPPA and ALAPCO to help US state and local air pollution control officials understand the effects of particulate matter (PM) on human health and air quality, the relative contribution of various sources to particulate emissions, and the effectiveness and costs of various approaches - including innovative ones - to minimizing these emissions. The document covers particulate matter with a nominal diameter of 10 microns ({mu}m) or less (PM{sub 10}), including `fine` PM of 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM{sub 2.5}). Sections cover: the effects of particulate matter on human health; regulatory issues; characterization of particulate matter; emission control strategies for mobile sources (diesel engines, small nonroad engines, alternative fuels etc.), particulates from stationary sources (electric utilities, industry and commercial fuel combustion; mineral products industry, metallurgical industry etc.); particulates from area sources; and market-based strategies for controlling particulate matter. 2 apps.

  5. Epitaxial growth on porous GaAs substrates

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Grym, Jan; Nohavica, Dušan; Gladkov, Petar; Hulicius, Eduard; Pangrác, Jiří; Piksová, K.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 16, č. 1 (2013), s. 59-64 ISSN 1631-0748 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP102/10/1201; GA ČR GAP108/10/0253 Institutional support: RVO:67985882 ; RVO:68378271 Keywords : Electrochemical etching * Porous semiconductors * Epitaxial growth * GaAs Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers; JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering (FZU-D) Impact factor: 1.483, year: 2013

  6. Engineering in-plane silicon nanowire springs for highly stretchable electronics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Zhaoguo; Dong, Taige; Zhu, Zhimin; Zhao, Yaolong; Sun, Ying; Yu, Linwei

    2018-01-01

    Crystalline silicon (c-Si) is unambiguously the most important semiconductor that underpins the development of modern microelectronics and optoelectronics, though the rigid and brittle nature of bulk c-Si makes it difficult to implement directly for stretchable applications. Fortunately, the one-dimensional (1D) geometry, or the line-shape, of Si nanowire (SiNW) can be engineered into elastic springs, which indicates an exciting opportunity to fabricate highly stretchable 1D c-Si channels. The implementation of such line-shape-engineering strategy demands both a tiny diameter of the SiNWs, in order to accommodate the strains under large stretching, and a precise growth location, orientation and path control to facilitate device integration. In this review, we will first introduce the recent progresses of an in-plane self-assembly growth of SiNW springs, via a new in-plane solid-liquid-solid (IPSLS) mechanism, where mono-like but elastic SiNW springs are produced by surface-running metal droplets that absorb amorphous Si thin film as precursor. Then, the critical growth control and engineering parameters, the mechanical properties of the SiNW springs and the prospects of developing c-Si based stretchable electronics, will be addressed. This efficient line-shape-engineering strategy of SiNW springs, accomplished via a low temperature batch-manufacturing, holds a strong promise to extend the legend of modern Si technology into the emerging stretchable electronic applications, where the high carrier mobility, excellent stability and established doping and passivation controls of c-Si can be well inherited. Project supported by the National Basic Research 973 Program (No. 2014CB921101), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61674075), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2017YFA0205003), the Jiangsu Excellent Young Scholar Program (No. BK20160020), the Scientific and Technological Support Program in Jiangsu Province (No. BE

  7. Sustainable solid waste management a systems engineering approach

    CERN Document Server

    Chang, N

    2015-01-01

    Interactions between human activities and the environment are complicated and often difficult to quantify. In many occasions, judging where the optimal balance should lie among environmental protection, social well-being, economic growth, and technological progress is complex. The use of a systems engineering approach will fill in the gap contributing to how we understand the intricacy by a holistic way and how we generate better sustainable solid waste management practices. This book aims to advance interdisciplinary understanding of intertwined facets between policy and technology relevant to solid waste management issues interrelated to climate change, land use, economic growth, environmental pollution, industrial ecology, and population dynamics.

  8. Restoring rocky intertidal communities: Lessons from a benthic macroalgal ecosystem engineer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bellgrove, Alecia; McKenzie, Prudence F.; Cameron, Hayley; Pocklington, Jacqueline B.

    2017-01-01

    As coastal population growth increases globally, effective waste management practices are required to protect biodiversity. Water authorities are under increasing pressure to reduce the impact of sewage effluent discharged into the coastal environment and restore disturbed ecosystems. We review the role of benthic macroalgae as ecosystem engineers and focus particularly on the temperate Australasian fucoid Hormosira banksii as a case study for rocky intertidal restoration efforts. Research focussing on the roles of ecosystem engineers is lagging behind restoration research of ecosystem engineers. As such, management decisions are being made without a sound understanding of the ecology of ecosystem engineers. For successful restoration of rocky intertidal shores it is important that we assess the thresholds of engineering traits (discussed herein) and the environmental conditions under which they are important. - Highlights: • Fucoid algae can be important ecosystem engineers in rocky reef ecosystems • Sewage-effluent disposal negatively affects fucoids and associated communities • Restoring fucoid populations can improve biodiversity of degraded systems • Clarifying the roles of fucoids in ecosystem function can improve restoration efforts • Thresholds of engineering traits and associated environmental conditions important

  9. Silk scaffolds in bone tissue engineering: An overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharjee, Promita; Kundu, Banani; Naskar, Deboki; Kim, Hae-Won; Maiti, Tapas K; Bhattacharya, Debasis; Kundu, Subhas C

    2017-11-01

    Bone tissue plays multiple roles in our day-to-day functionality. The frequency of accidental bone damage and disorder is increasing worldwide. Moreover, as the world population continues to grow, the percentage of the elderly population continues to grow, which results in an increased number of bone degenerative diseases. This increased elderly population pushes the need for artificial bone implants that specifically employ biocompatible materials. A vast body of literature is available on the use of silk in bone tissue engineering. The current work presents an overview of this literature from materials and fabrication perspective. As silk is an easy-to-process biopolymer; this allows silk-based biomaterials to be molded into diverse forms and architectures, which further affects the degradability. This makes silk-based scaffolds suitable for treating a variety of bone reconstruction and regeneration objectives. Silk surfaces offer active sites that aid the mineralization and/or bonding of bioactive molecules that facilitate bone regeneration. Silk has also been blended with a variety of polymers and minerals to enhance its advantageous properties or introduce new ones. Several successful works, both in vitro and in vivo, have been reported using silk-based scaffolds to regenerate bone tissues or other parts of the skeletal system such as cartilage and ligament. A growing trend is observed toward the use of mineralized and nanofibrous scaffolds along with the development of technology that allows to control scaffold architecture, its biodegradability and the sustained releasing property of scaffolds. Further development of silk-based scaffolds for bone tissue engineering, taking them up to and beyond the stage of human trials, is hoped to be achieved in the near future through a cross-disciplinary coalition of tissue engineers, material scientists and manufacturing engineers. The state-of-art of silk biomaterials in bone tissue engineering, covering their wide

  10. Automotive Stirling engine Market and Industrial Readiness Program (MIRP), phase 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-05-01

    A program, begun in 1978, has the goal of transferring Stirling engine technology from United Stirling of Sweden to the US and, then, following design, fabrication, and prototype testing, to secure US manufacturers for the engine. The ultimate objective is the large-scale commercial use of the Automotive Stirling Engine (ASE) by the year 2000. The fist phase of the Market and Industrial Readiness Program for the ASE was concerned with defining the market, product, economic and technical factors necessary to be addressed to assure a reasonable chance of ultimate commercial acceptance. Program results for this first phase are reported and discussed. These results pertain to licensing strategy development, economic analysis, market factors, product planning, market growth, cost studies, and engine performance as measured by fuel economy using conventional fuels and by vehicle speed and acceleration characteristics.

  11. Evaluation of the growth environment of a hydrostatic force bioreactor for preconditioning of tissue-engineered constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reinwald, Yvonne; Leonard, Katherine H L; Henstock, James R; Whiteley, Jonathan P; Osborne, James M; Waters, Sarah L; Levesque, Philippe; El Haj, Alicia J

    2015-01-01

    Bioreactors have been widely acknowledged as valuable tools to provide a growth environment for engineering tissues and to investigate the effect of physical forces on cells and cell-scaffold constructs. However, evaluation of the bioreactor environment during culture is critical to defining outcomes. In this study, the performance of a hydrostatic force bioreactor was examined by experimental measurements of changes in dissolved oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and pH after mechanical stimulation and the determination of physical forces (pressure and stress) in the bioreactor through mathematical modeling and numerical simulation. To determine the effect of hydrostatic pressure on bone formation, chick femur skeletal cell-seeded hydrogels were subjected to cyclic hydrostatic pressure at 0-270 kPa and 1 Hz for 1 h daily (5 days per week) over a period of 14 days. At the start of mechanical stimulation, dissolved O2 and CO2 in the medium increased and the pH of the medium decreased, but remained within human physiological ranges. Changes in physiological parameters (O2, CO2, and pH) were reversible when medium samples were placed in a standard cell culture incubator. In addition, computational modeling showed that the distribution and magnitude of physical forces depends on the shape and position of the cell-hydrogel constructs in the tissue culture format. Finally, hydrostatic pressure was seen to enhance mineralization of chick femur skeletal cell-seeded hydrogels.

  12. Dynamic material characterization by combining ballistic testing and an engineering model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Carton, E.P.; Roebroeks, G.H.J.J.; Wal, R. van der

    2013-01-01

    At TNO several energy-based engineering models have been created for various failure mechanism occurring in ballistic testing of materials, like ductile hole growth, denting, plugging, etc. Such models are also under development for ceramic and fiberbased materials (fabrics). As the models are

  13. A material-independent cell–environment niche based on microreciprocating motion for cell growth enhancement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Ching-Wen; Wang, Gou-Jen

    2013-01-01

    In tissue engineering, cell–cell, cell–scaffold and cell–environment communication balances regulate how cell populations participate in tissue generation, maintenance and repair. These communication balances are called niches. In this study, an easily implemented and material-independent cell–environment niche based on microreciprocating motions is developed to enhance cell growth. A micropositioning piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate stage is used to provide precise microreciprocating shear stress motions. Various shear stresses were applied to bovine endothelial cells (BECs) that were cultured on the artificially synthesized materials to obtain the suitable shear stress for growth enhancement. It was found that the suitable shear stress for apparent enhancement of BEC growth ranges from 1.8 to 2.2 N m −2 . Biopolymers were further used to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach using the optimized shear stress obtained from the culture on artificially synthesized polymers. The results further confirmed that the growth of BECs was enhanced as expected under the calculated reciprocating frequencies based on the suitable shear stress. It is hoped that the proposed microshear-stress-based niche could be a more cost- and time-effective solution for the enhancement of cell growth in tissue engineering applications. (paper)

  14. A naturally occurring nanomaterial from the Sundew (Drosera) for tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lenaghan, S C; Xia, L; He, W; Zhang, M; Serpersu, K

    2011-01-01

    In recent years advances have been made in the design of novel materials for tissue engineering through the use of polysaccharides. This study evaluated the ability of a naturally secreted polysaccharide adhesive from the Sundew (Drosera capensis) as a support for cell growth. The Sundew adhesive has several advantages including its high elasticity and antibiotic nature. By coating glass cover slips with the Sundew adhesive, a network of nanofibers was generated that was capable of promoting attachment and differentiation of a model neuronal cell line, PC-12. We also demonstrated the potential of this material for repairing bone and soft tissue injuries, by testing attachment of osteoblasts and endothelial cells. Finally, it was determined that the Sundew biomaterial was stable through testing by atomic force microscopy and prolonged cell growth. This work has proven the capabilities of using a nanomaterial derived from the Sundew adhesive for the purpose of tissue engineering.

  15. Holistic Development of Computer Engineering Curricula Using Y-Chart Methodology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashid, Muhammad; Tasadduq, Imran A.

    2014-01-01

    The exponential growth of advancing technologies is pushing curriculum designers in computer engineering (CpE) education to compress more and more content into the typical 4-year program, without necessarily paying much attention to the cohesiveness of those contents. The result has been highly fragmented curricula consisting of various…

  16. About, for, in or through entrepreneurship in engineering education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mäkimurto-Koivumaa, Soili; Belt, Pekka

    2016-09-01

    Engineering competences form a potential basis for entrepreneurship. There are pressures to find new approaches to entrepreneurship education (EE) in engineering education, as the traditional analytical logic of engineering does not match the modern view of entrepreneurship. Since the previous models do not give tangible enough tools on how to organise EE in practice, this article aims to develop a new framework for EE at the university level. We approach this aim by analysing existing scientific literature complemented by long-term practical observations, enabling a fruitful interplay between theory and practice. The developed framework recommends aspects in EE to be emphasised during each year of the study process. Action-based learning methods are highlighted in the beginning of studies to support students' personal growth. Explicit business knowledge is to be gradually increased only when professional, field-specific knowledge has been adequately accumulated.

  17. Nuclear scientists and engineers in Canada - A coming shortage?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stoll, P.

    1995-01-01

    A survey of large Canadian employers was used to identify the current level of employment of engineers and scientists in applications of nuclear technology. The survey assessed the labour market implications of three alternative future scenarios for the industry over the period 1994-2009 to determine the capability of the industry to maintain a competitive Canadian presence in domestic and international markets for nuclear generating facilities. The study found that under the nuclear phase-out and no-growth scenarios the requirements for nuclear experts decline from present levels of employment, but the Canadian industry retains to ability to meet an eventual renewed demand for CANDU generating systems. Under the growth scenario, requirements for nuclear scientists and engineers increase, although at a rate which can be met from domestic sources. The Canadian situation was compared with that in other OECD countries, as assessed by a study conducted by the OECD/NEA. According to this source, labour market conditions for nuclear qualified human resources in most participating OECD member countries resemble those of Canada. (author). 3 refs, 2 figs, 4 tabs

  18. Economic and Mathematical Modelling of Optimisation of Transaction Expenses of Engineering Enterprises

    OpenAIRE

    Makaliuk Iryna V.

    2014-01-01

    The article identifies stages of the process of optimisation of transaction expenses. It develops an economic and mathematical model of optimisation of transaction expenses of engineering enterprises by the criterion of maximisation of income from realisation of products and system of restrictions, which envisages exceeding income growth rate over the expenses growth rate. The article offers to use types of expenses by accounting accounts as indicators of transaction expenses. In the result o...

  19. Engineering Encounters: Engineering Adaptations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gatling, Anne; Vaughn, Meredith Houle

    2015-01-01

    Engineering is not a subject that has historically been taught in elementary schools, but with the emphasis on engineering in the "Next Generation Science Standards," curricula are being developed to explicitly teach engineering content and design. However, many of the scientific investigations already conducted with students have…

  20. Tissue engineering of ligaments for reconstructive surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogan, MaCalus V; Kawakami, Yohei; Murawski, Christopher D; Fu, Freddie H

    2015-05-01

    The use of musculoskeletal bioengineering and regenerative medicine applications in orthopaedic surgery has continued to evolve. The aim of this systematic review was to address tissue-engineering strategies for knee ligament reconstruction. A systematic review of PubMed/Medline using the terms "knee AND ligament" AND "tissue engineering" OR "regenerative medicine" was performed. Two authors performed the search, independently assessed the studies for inclusion, and extracted the data for inclusion in the review. Both preclinical and clinical studies were reviewed, and the articles deemed most relevant were included in this article to provide relevant basic science and recent clinical translational knowledge concerning "tissue-engineering" strategies currently used in knee ligament reconstruction. A total of 224 articles were reviewed in our initial PubMed search. Non-English-language studies were excluded. Clinical and preclinical studies were identified, and those with a focus on knee ligament tissue-engineering strategies including stem cell-based therapies, growth factor administration, hybrid biomaterial, and scaffold development, as well as mechanical stimulation modalities, were reviewed. The body of knowledge surrounding tissue-engineering strategies for ligament reconstruction continues to expand. Presently, various tissue-engineering techniques have some potential advantages, including faster recovery, better ligamentization, and possibly, a reduction of recurrence. Preclinical research of these novel therapies continues to provide promising results. There remains a need for well-designed, high-powered comparative clinical studies to serve as a foundation for successful translation into the clinical setting going forward. Level IV, systematic review of Level IV studies. Copyright © 2015 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. 40 CFR 90.116 - Certification procedure-determining engine displacement, engine class, and engine families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... engine displacement, engine class, and engine families. 90.116 Section 90.116 Protection of Environment...-IGNITION ENGINES AT OR BELOW 19 KILOWATTS Emission Standards and Certification Provisions § 90.116 Certification procedure—determining engine displacement, engine class, and engine families. (a) Engine...

  2. Examining Entrepreneurial Competencies and their Relationship to Self-Employment Intentions among Engineering Students: A Case Study from India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumara, S. A. Vasantha; Kumar, Y. Vijaya

    2010-01-01

    The growth of technological institutions in India has been exponential and supply has exceeded demand in the job market. Against this background, it is a social responsibility of universities to provide alternative career options for engineering graduates. To encourage entrepreneurship careers among engineering graduates, the Visvesvarayya…

  3. Science and Engineering Indicators: Digest 2012. NSB 12-02

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Science Foundation, 2012

    2012-01-01

    The United States holds a preeminent position in science and engineering (S&E) in the world, derived in large part from its long history of public and private investment in S&E research and development (R&D) and education. Investment in R&D, science, technology, and education correlate strongly with economic growth, as well the development of a…

  4. Transposon mutagenesis to improve the growth of recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae on D-xylose

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haiying Ni; Jose M. Laplaza; Thomas W. Jeffries

    2007-01-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae L2612 transformed with genes for xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase (XYL1 and XYL2) grows well on glucose but very poorly on D-xylose. When a gene for D-xylulokinase (XYL3 or XKS1) is overexpressed, growth on glucose is unaffected, but growth on xylose is blocked. Spontaneous or chemically induced mutants of this engineered yeast that...

  5. Business oriented educational experiments enhance active learning by engineering students

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Nynne Mia; Schjær-Jacobsen, Hans; Simon, Jens

    2012-01-01

    It is generally agreed that one of the keys to recreating industrial growth after the financial crisis is to mobilize universities and engineering schools to be more actively involved in innovation and entrepreneurship activities in cooperation with industrial companies. This active learning...... exploration symposium on bridging the gap between engineering education and business is proposed on the basis of the Copenhagen University College of Engineering (IHK) being involved in a DKK 50m ongoing project “Business Oriented Educational Experiments” financed by the Capital Region of Denmark...... and the European Social Fund. The project is carried out with other major educational institutions in the Copenhagen area and organized in five themes: 1) world class competences, 2) new interactions between education and business, 3) the experimenting organization, 4) education on demand, and 5) new career paths...

  6. Development and Evaluation of Thesauri-Based Bibliographic Biomedical Search Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alghoson, Abdullah

    2017-01-01

    Due to the large volume and exponential growth of biomedical documents (e.g., books, journal articles), it has become increasingly challenging for biomedical search engines to retrieve relevant documents based on users' search queries. Part of the challenge is the matching mechanism of free-text indexing that performs matching based on…

  7. Sound engineering for diesel engines; Sound Engineering an Dieselmotoren

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Enderich, A.; Fischer, R. [MAHLE Filtersysteme GmbH, Stuttgart (Germany)

    2006-07-01

    The strong acceptance for vehicles powered by turbo-charged diesel engines encourages several manufacturers to think about sportive diesel concepts. The approach of suppressing unpleasant noise by the application of distinctive insulation steps is not adequate to satisfy sportive needs. The acoustics cannot follow the engine's performance. This report documents, that it is possible to give diesel-powered vehicles a sportive sound characteristic by using an advanced MAHLE motor-sound-system with a pressure-resistant membrane and an integrated load controlled flap. With this the specific acoustic disadvantages of the diesel engine, like the ''diesel knock'' or a rough engine running can be masked. However, by the application of a motor-sound-system you must not negate the original character of the diesel engine concept, but accentuate its strong torque characteristic in the middle engine speed range. (orig.)

  8. Engineering bacteria for enhanced polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA biosynthesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guo-Qiang Chen

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA have been produced by some bacteria as bioplastics for many years. Yet their commercialization is still on the way. A few issues are related to the difficulty of PHA commercialization: namely, high cost and instabilities on molecular weights (Mw and structures, thus instability on thermo-mechanical properties. The high cost is the result of complicated bioprocessing associated with sterilization, low conversion of carbon substrates to PHA products, and slow growth of microorganisms as well as difficulty of downstream separation. Future engineering on PHA producing microorganisms should be focused on contamination resistant bacteria especially extremophiles, developments of engineering approaches for the extremophiles, increase on carbon substrates to PHA conversion and controlling Mw of PHA. The concept proof studies could still be conducted on E. coli or Pseudomonas spp. that are easily used for molecular manipulations. In this review, we will use E. coli and halophiles as examples to show how to engineer bacteria for enhanced PHA biosynthesis and for increasing PHA competitiveness.

  9. Engineering justice transforming engineering education and practice

    CERN Document Server

    Leydens, Jon A

    2018-01-01

    Using social justice as a catalyst for curricular transformation, Engineering Justice presents an examination of how politics, culture, and other social issues are inherent in the practice of engineering. It aims to align engineering curricula with socially just outcomes, increase enrollment among underrepresented groups, and lessen lingering gender, class, and ethnicity gaps by showing how the power of engineering knowledge can be explicitly harnessed to serve the underserved and address social inequalities. This book is meant to transform the way educators think about engineering curricula through creating or transforming existing courses to attract, retain, and motivate engineering students to become professionals who enact engineering for social justice. Engineering Justice offers thought-provoking chapters on: why social justice is inherent yet often invisible in engineering education and practice; engineering design for social justice; social justice in the engineering sciences; social justice in human...

  10. Chemical engineering challenges and investment opportunities in sustainable energy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heller, Adam

    2008-01-01

    The chemical and energy industries are transforming as they adjust to the new era of high-priced petroleum and severe global warming. As a result of the transformation, engineering challenges and investment opportunities abound. Rapid evolution and fast growth are expected in cathode and anode materials as well as polymeric electrolytes for vehicular batteries and in high-performance polymer-ceramic composites for wind turbines, fuel-efficient aircraft, and lighter and safer cars. Unique process-engineering opportunities exist in sand-oil, coal, and possibly also shale liquefaction to produce transportation fuel; and also in genetic engineering of photosynthesizing plants and other organisms for their processing into high-performance biodegradable polymers and high-value-added environmentally friendly chemicals. Also, research on the feasibility of mitigation of global warming through enhancement of CO(2) uptake by the southern oceans by fertilization with trace amounts of iron is progressing. Because chemical engineers are uniquely well trained in mathematical modeling of mass transport, flow, and mixing, and also in cost analysis, they are likely to join the oceanographers and marine biologists in this important endeavor.

  11. The role of material/energy resources and dematerialisation in economic growth theories

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ayres, R.U. [Center for the Management of Environmental Resources INSEAD, Fountainebleau (France); Van den Bergh, J.C.J.M. [Department of Spatial Economics, Free University, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

    2000-06-01

    The nature of energy and material resources in an endogenous growth theory framework is clarified. This involves three modifications of the conventional theory. Firstly, multiple feedback mechanisms or 'growth engines' are identified. Secondly, a production function distinguishes between resource use, technical efficiency and value creation. Thirdly, the impact of the cost of production through demand on growth is accounted for. A formal model is analytically solved under a condition of a constant growth rate. Given model complexity, numerical experiments are performed as well, providing relevant insights to the academic and political debates on 'environmental Kuznets curves' and 'dematerialization'. 49 refs.

  12. Design properties of hydrogel tissue-engineering scaffolds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Junmin; Marchant, Roger E

    2011-01-01

    This article summarizes the recent progress in the design and synthesis of hydrogels as tissue-engineering scaffolds. Hydrogels are attractive scaffolding materials owing to their highly swollen network structure, ability to encapsulate cells and bioactive molecules, and efficient mass transfer. Various polymers, including natural, synthetic and natural/synthetic hybrid polymers, have been used to make hydrogels via chemical or physical crosslinking. Recently, bioactive synthetic hydrogels have emerged as promising scaffolds because they can provide molecularly tailored biofunctions and adjustable mechanical properties, as well as an extracellular matrix-like microenvironment for cell growth and tissue formation. This article addresses various strategies that have been explored to design synthetic hydrogels with extracellular matrix-mimetic bioactive properties, such as cell adhesion, proteolytic degradation and growth factor-binding. PMID:22026626

  13. Predicting the growth of new links by new preferential attachment ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2014-03-07

    Mar 7, 2014 ... ... Science and Engineering, Central University of Finance and Economics, ... nism of network evolution, and also for predicting the growth of new links, without .... the high voltage transmission lines between them. ..... 6104104, 11147121 and 61104143), the Scientific Research Fund of Education Depart-.

  14. Transgenic plants with enhanced growth characteristics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Unkefer, Pat J.; Anderson, Penelope S.; Knight, Thomas J.

    2018-01-09

    The invention relates to transgenic plants exhibiting dramatically enhanced growth rates, greater seed and fruit/pod yields, earlier and more productive flowering, more efficient nitrogen utilization, increased tolerance to high salt conditions, and increased biomass yields. In one embodiment, transgenic plants engineered to over-express both glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glutamine synthetase (GS) are provided. The GPT+GS double-transgenic plants of the invention consistently exhibit enhanced growth characteristics, with T0 generation lines showing an increase in biomass over wild type counterparts of between 50% and 300%. Generations that result from sexual crosses and/or selfing typically perform even better, with some of the double-transgenic plants achieving an astounding four-fold biomass increase over wild type plants.

  15. Transgenic plants with enhanced growth characteristics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Unkefer, Pat J.; Anderson, Penelope S.; Knight, Thomas J.

    2016-09-06

    The invention relates to transgenic plants exhibiting dramatically enhanced growth rates, greater seed and fruit/pod yields, earlier and more productive flowering, more efficient nitrogen utilization, increased tolerance to high salt conditions, and increased biomass yields. In one embodiment, transgenic plants engineered to over-express both glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glutamine synthetase (GS) are provided. The GPT+GS double-transgenic plants of the invention consistently exhibit enhanced growth characteristics, with T0 generation lines showing an increase in biomass over wild type counterparts of between 50% and 300%. Generations that result from sexual crosses and/or selfing typically perform even better, with some of the double-transgenic plants achieving an astounding four-fold biomass increase over wild type plants.

  16. Tissue-engineered skin preserving the potential of epithelial cells to differentiate into hair after grafting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larouche, Danielle; Cuffley, Kristine; Paquet, Claudie; Germain, Lucie

    2011-03-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate whether tissue-engineered skin produced in vitro was able to sustain growth of hair follicles in vitro and after grafting. Different tissues were designed. Dissociated newborn mouse keratinocytes or newborn mouse hair buds (HBs) were added onto dermal constructs consisting of a tissue-engineered cell-derived matrix elaborated from either newborn mouse or adult human fibroblasts cultured with ascorbic acid. After 7-21 days of maturation at the air-liquid interface, no hair was noticed in vitro. Epidermal differentiation was observed in all tissue-engineered skin. However, human fibroblast-derived tissue-engineered dermis (hD) promoted a thicker epidermis than mouse fibroblast-derived tissue-engineered dermis (mD). In association with mD, HBs developed epithelial cyst-like inclusions presenting outer root sheath-like attributes. In contrast, epidermoid cyst-like inclusions lined by a stratified squamous epithelium were present in tissues composed of HBs and hD. After grafting, pilo-sebaceous units formed and hair grew in skin elaborated from HBs cultured 10-26 days submerged in culture medium in association with mD. However, the number of normal hair follicles decreased with longer culture time. This hair-forming capacity after grafting was not observed in tissues composed of hD overlaid with HBs. These results demonstrate that epithelial stem cells can be kept in vitro in a permissive tissue-engineered dermal environment without losing their potential to induce hair growth after grafting.

  17. Growth factor combination for chondrogenic induction from human mesenchymal stem cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Indrawattana, Nitaya; Chen Guoping; Tadokoro, Mika; Shann, Linzi H.; Ohgushi, Hajime; Tateishi, Tetsuya; Tanaka, Junzo; Bunyaratvej, Ahnond

    2004-01-01

    During the last decade, many strategies for cartilage engineering have been emerging. Stem cell induction is one of the possible approaches for cartilage engineering. The mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with their pluripotency and availability have been demonstrated to be an attractive cell source. It needs the stimulation with cell growth factors to make the multipluripotent MSCs differentiate into chondrogenic lineage. We have shown particular patterns of in vitro chondrogenesis induction on human bone marrow MSCs (hBMSCs) by cycling the growth factors. The pellet cultures of hBMSCs were prepared for chondrogenic induction. Growth factors: TGF-β3, BMP-6, and IGF-1 were used in combination for cell induction. Gene expression, histology, immunohistology, and real-time PCR methods were measured on days 21 after cell induction. As shown by histology and immunohistology, the induced cells have shown the feature of chondrocytes in their morphology and extracellular matrix in both inducing patterns of combination and cycling induction. Moreover, the real-time PCR assay has shown the expression of gene markers of chondrogenesis, collagen type II and aggrecan. This study has demonstrated that cartilage tissue can be created from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Interestingly, the combined growth factors TGF-β3 and BMP-6 or TGF-β3 and IGF-1 were more effective for chondrogenesis induction as shown by the real-time PCR assay. The combination of these growth factors may be the important key for in vitro chondrogenesis induction

  18. Platelet-Rich Blood Derivatives for Stem Cell-Based Tissue Engineering and Regeneration

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Masoudi, E.A.; Ribas, J.; Kaushik, G.; Leijten, Jeroen Christianus Hermanus; Khademhosseini, A.

    2016-01-01

    Platelet-rich blood derivatives have been widely used in different fields of medicine and stem cell-based tissue engineering. They represent natural cocktails of autologous growth factors, which could provide an alternative for recombinant protein-based approaches. Platelet-rich blood derivatives,

  19. Mechanical Engineering | Classification | College of Engineering & Applied

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engineering Concentration on Ergonomics M.S. Program in Computer Science Interdisciplinary Concentration on Energy Doctoral Programs in Engineering Non-Degree Candidate Departments Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Industry Advisory Council Civil & Environmental Engineering Civil &

  20. Biomedical Engineering | Classification | College of Engineering & Applied

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engineering Concentration on Ergonomics M.S. Program in Computer Science Interdisciplinary Concentration on Energy Doctoral Programs in Engineering Non-Degree Candidate Departments Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Industry Advisory Council Civil & Environmental Engineering Civil &

  1. Electrical Engineering | Classification | College of Engineering & Applied

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engineering Concentration on Ergonomics M.S. Program in Computer Science Interdisciplinary Concentration on Energy Doctoral Programs in Engineering Non-Degree Candidate Departments Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Industry Advisory Council Civil & Environmental Engineering Civil &

  2. Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Divert Activities and Exercises, Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-01

    and other wildlife from suitable habitat in the 7 proposed Project Area. Smaller, less-mobile species and those seeking refuge in burrows could 8...the NONROAD model and were provided to e²M by Larry Landman of the Air Quality and Modeling Center (Landman.Larry@epamail.epa.gov) on 12/14/07...Emission factors are taken from the NONROAD model and were provided to e²M by Larry Landman of the Air Quality and Modeling Center (Landman.Larry

  3. Materials Science & Engineering | Classification | College of Engineering &

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biomedical Engineering Concentration on Ergonomics M.S. Program in Computer Science Interdisciplinary Concentration on Energy Doctoral Programs in Engineering Non-Degree Candidate Departments Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Industry Advisory Council Civil & Environmental Engineering Civil &

  4. Engineering Encounters: Teaching Educators about Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tank, Kristina M.; Raman, D. Raj; Lamm, Monica H.; Sundararajan, Sriram; Estapa, Anne

    2017-01-01

    This column presents ideas and techniques to enhance science teaching. This month's issue describes preservice elementary teachers learning engineering principles from engineers. Few elementary teachers have experience with implementing engineering into the classroom. While engineering professional development opportunities for inservice teachers…

  5. Antibiotic Algae by Chemical Surface Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerschgens, Isabel P; Gademann, Karl

    2018-03-02

    Chemical cell-surface engineering is a tool for modifying and altering cellular functions. Herein, we report the introduction of an antibiotic phenotype to the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by chemically modifying its cell surface. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy studies demonstrated that a hybrid of the antibiotic vancomycin and a 4-hydroxyproline oligomer binds reversibly to the cell wall without affecting the viability or motility of the cells. The modified cells were used to inhibit bacterial growth of Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis cultures. Delivery of the antibiotic from the microalgae to the bacterial cells was verified by microscopy. Our studies provide compelling evidence that 1) chemical surface engineering constitutes a useful tool for the introduction of new, previously unknown functionality, and 2) living microalgae can serve as new platforms for drug delivery. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. An engineering context for software engineering

    OpenAIRE

    Riehle, Richard D.

    2008-01-01

    New engineering disciplines are emerging in the late Twentieth and early Twenty-first Century. One such emerging discipline is software engineering. The engineering community at large has long harbored a sense of skepticism about the validity of the term software engineering. During most of the fifty-plus years of software practice, that skepticism was probably justified. Professional education of software developers often fell short of the standard expected for conventional engineers; so...

  7. Mid-term clinical results of tissue-engineered vascular autografts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumura, Goki; Shin'oka, Toshiharu; Hibino, Narutoshi; Saito, Satoshi; Sakamoto, Takahiko; Ichihara, Yuki; Hobo, Kyoko; Miyamoto, Shin'ka; Kurosawa, Hiromi

    2007-01-01

    Prosthetic and bioprosthetic materials currently in use lack growth potential and therefore must be repeatedly replaced in pediatric patients as they grow. Tissue engineering is a new discipline that offers the potential for creating replacement structures from autologous cells and biodegradable polymer scaffolds. In May 2000, we initiated clinical application of tissue-engineered vascular grafts seeded with cultured cells. However, cell culturing is time-consuming, and xenoserum must be used. To overcome these disadvantages, we began to use bone marrow cells, readily available on the day of surgery, as a cell source. Since September 2001, tissue-engineered grafts seeded with autologous bone marrow cells have been implanted in 44 patients. The patients or their parents were fully informed and had given consent to the procedure. A 3 to 10 ml/kg specimen of bone marrow was aspirated with the patient under general anesthesia before the skin incision. The polymer tube serving as a scaffold for the cells was composed of a copolymer of lactide and ε-caprolactone (50:50) which degrades by hydrolysis. Polyglycolic or poly-l-lactic acid woven fabric was used for reinforcement. Twenty-six tissue-engineered conduits and 19 tissue-engineered patches were used for the repair of congenital heart defects. The patients' ages ranged from 1 to 24 years (median 7.4 years). All patients underwent a catheterization study, CT scan, or both, for evaluation after the operation. There were 4 late deaths due to heart failure with or without multiple organ failure or brain bleeding in this series; these were unrelated to the tissue-engineered graft function. One patient required percutaneous balloon angioplasty for tubular graft-stenosis and 4 patients for the stenosis of the patch-shaped tissue engineered material. Two patients required re-do operation; one for recurrent pulmonary stenosis and another for a resulting R-L shunt after the lateral tunnel method. Kaplan-Meier analysis in

  8. Engineering opportunities in nuclear engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walton, D.G.

    1980-01-01

    The pattern of education and training of Nuclear Engineers in the UK is outlined under the headings; degree courses for professional engineers, postgraduate courses, education of technician engineers. Universities which offer specific courses are stated and useful addresses listed. (UK)

  9. Characteristics of Early Flame Development in a Direct-Injection Spark-Ignition CNG Engine Fitted with a Variable Swirl Control Valve

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abd Rashid Abd Aziz

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effect of the structure of the induction flow on the characteristics of early flames in a lean-stratified and lean-homogeneous charge combustion of compressed natural gas (CNG fuel in a direct injection (DI engine at different engine speeds. The engine speed was varied at 1500 rpm, 1800 rpm and 2100 rpm, and the ignition timing was set at a 38.5° crank angle (CA after top dead center (TDC for all conditions. The engine was operated in a partial-load mode and a homogeneous air/fuel charge was achieved by injecting the fuel early (before the intake valve closure, while late injection during the compression stroke was used to produce a stratified charge. Different induction flow structures were obtained by adjusting the swirl control valves (SCV. Using an endoscopic intensified CCD (ICCD camera, flame images were captured and analyzed. Code was developed to analyze the level of distortion of the flame and its wrinkledness, displacement and position relative to the spark center, as well as the flame growth rate. The results showed a higher flame growth rate with the flame kernel in the homogeneous charge, compared to the stratified combustion case. In the stratified charge combustion scenario, the 10° SCV closure (medium-tumble resulted in a higher early flame growth rate, whereas a homogeneous charge combustion (characterized by strong swirl resulted in the highest rate of flame growth.

  10. Humanitarian engineering in the engineering curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandersteen, Jonathan Daniel James

    There are many opportunities to use engineering skills to improve the conditions for marginalized communities, but our current engineering education praxis does not instruct on how engineering can be a force for human development. In a time of great inequality and exploitation, the desire to work with the impoverished is prevalent, and it has been proposed to adjust the engineering curriculum to include a larger focus on human needs. This proposed curriculum philosophy is called humanitarian engineering. Professional engineers have played an important role in the modern history of power, wealth, economic development, war, and industrialization; they have also contributed to infrastructure, sanitation, and energy sources necessary to meet human need. Engineers are currently at an important point in time when they must look back on their history in order to be more clear about how to move forward. The changing role of the engineer in history puts into context the call for a more balanced, community-centred engineering curriculum. Qualitative, phenomenographic research was conducted in order to understand the need, opportunity, benefits, and limitations of a proposed humanitarian engineering curriculum. The potential role of the engineer in marginalized communities and details regarding what a humanitarian engineering program could look like were also investigated. Thirty-two semi-structured research interviews were conducted in Canada and Ghana in order to collect a pool of understanding before a phenomenographic analysis resulted in five distinct outcome spaces. The data suggests that an effective curriculum design will include teaching technical skills in conjunction with instructing about issues of social justice, social location, cultural awareness, root causes of marginalization, a broader understanding of technology, and unlearning many elements about the role of the engineer and the dominant economic/political ideology. Cross-cultural engineering development

  11. 76 FR 77515 - California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth in...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-13

    ... direct contributors in its assignment of costs. PMSA presented each of these comments in the California... challenges overall cost-effectiveness of the regulation, how costs are allocated, and the variability of... development of the necessary technology giving appropriate consideration to the cost of compliance within that...

  12. Some Trends in the Engineering Education in Nigeria: A Case Study ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Education is the key to creating, adapting and spreading knowledge upon which the wealth of any nation is based. The proportion of students majoring in mathematics, science, and engineering, has been found to be positively associated with subsequent growth rates, suggesting higher returns to education investments in ...

  13. International conference on Recent Advances in Aerospace Engineering (ICRAAE-2017)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    Introduction The First International conference on Recent Advances in Aerospace Engineering (ICRAAE-2017) will be conducted by the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Karunya University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India, on 3rd and 4th March, 2017. The conference aims to bring together students, academicians, leading scientists, researchers and industrialists working in diverse fields of Aerospace Engineering. This conference provides an inter-disciplinary platform for the educators, researchers and practitioners to present, share and discuss the recent trends, innovations, concerns and solutions in the cutting edge technologies of Aerospace Engineering for mutual benefit and the growth of the nation. Objectives The conference is devoted to benefit the participants who will have the opportunity to gain insight into state-of-the-art technologies in the field of Aerospace Engineering by the expert lectures of scientists and pioneering researchers from India and abroad. In addition, the two-day conference will enable knowledge sharing by personnel involved in active research working on the recent developments in this diverse field. List of International Deep Drawing Research Group, Conference Topics, Facts and Statistics, Achknowledgement, Keynote Speakers, Scientific Committee, Editors all are available in this PDF.

  14. Tissue-Engineered Skin Substitute Enhances Wound Healing after Radiation Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Busra, Mohd Fauzi bin Mh; Chowdhury, Shiplu Roy; bin Ismail, Fuad; bin Saim, Aminuddin; Idrus, Ruszymah Bt Hj

    2016-03-01

    When given in conjunction with surgery for treating cancer, radiation therapy may result in impaired wound healing, which, in turn, could cause skin ulcers. In this study, bilayer and monolayer autologous skin substitutes were used to treat an irradiated wound. A single dose of 30 Gy of linear electron beam radiation was applied to the hind limb of nude mice before creating the skin lesion (area of 78.6 mm). Monolayer tissue-engineered skin substitutes (MTESSs) were prepared by entrapping cultured keratinocytes in fibrin matrix, and bilayer tissue-engineered skin substitutes (BTESSs) were prepared by entrapping keratinocytes and fibroblasts in separate layers. Bilayer tissue-engineered skin substitute and MTESS were implanted to the wound area. Gross appearance and wound area were analyzed to evaluate wound healing efficiency. Skin regeneration and morphological appearance were observed via histological and electron microscopy. Protein expressions of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in skin regeneration were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Macroscopic observation revealed that at day 13, treatments with BTESS completely healed the irradiated wound, whereas wound sizes of 1.1 ± 0.05 and 6.8 ± 0.14 mm were measured in the MTESS-treated and untreated control groups, respectively. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) analysis showed formation of compact and organized epidermal and dermal layers in the BTESS-treated group, as compared with MTESS-treated and untreated control groups. Ultrastructural analysis indicates maturation of skin in BTESS-treated wound evidenced by formation of intermediate filament bundles in the dermal layer and low intercellular space in the epidermal layer. Expressions of TGF-β1, PDGF-BB, and VEGF were also higher in BTESS-treated wounds, compared with MTESS-treated wounds. These results indicate that BTESS is the preferred treatment for

  15. Soft Skills in Pedagogical Practices with Different Curriculum for Engineering Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamad, M. M.; Yee, M. H.; Tee, T. K.; Mukhtar, M. Ibrahim; Ahmad, A.

    2017-08-01

    The rapid growth of the economy in Malaysia is a benchmark for the country’s progress. The demand for skilled worker has started to increase from year to year resulted in the implementation of reforms and necessary skills will be applied to each of the graduates who will step into the nature of work. Therefore, a study was conducted to identify the level of soft skills among students in higher education institutions. The study was conducted at the Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and involved 302 samples of final year students from Faculty of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. There are several types of soft skills have been viewed on the students such as creative thinking skills, teamwork skills, communication skills, decision-making skills, interpersonal skills and leadership skills. The analysis results show that all of the soft skills are on the high level. Furthermore, the results of ANOVA showed a significant difference in soft skills mastery among Civil Engineering students and Mechanical Engineering students. As a conclusion, the overall level of soft skills mastery among Faculty of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering students is on the high level. The soft skills elements are very important in order to produce skills workers that suitable with the industry.

  16. Value-added biotransformation of cellulosic sugars by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, Stephan; Dong, Jia; Jin, Yong-Su

    2018-07-01

    The substantial research efforts into lignocellulosic biofuels have generated an abundance of valuable knowledge and technologies for metabolic engineering. In particular, these investments have led to a vast growth in proficiency of engineering the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for consuming lignocellulosic sugars, enabling the simultaneous assimilation of multiple carbon sources, and producing a large variety of value-added products by introduction of heterologous metabolic pathways. While microbial conversion of cellulosic sugars into large-volume low-value biofuels is not currently economically feasible, there may still be opportunities to produce other value-added chemicals as regulation of cellulosic sugar metabolism is quite different from glucose metabolism. This review summarizes these recent advances with an emphasis on employing engineered yeast for the bioconversion of lignocellulosic sugars into a variety of non-ethanol value-added products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. MicroRNAs in skin tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Kyle J; Brown, David A; Ibrahim, Mohamed M; Ramchal, Talisha D; Levinson, Howard

    2015-07-01

    35.2 million annual cases in the U.S. require clinical intervention for major skin loss. To meet this demand, the field of skin tissue engineering has grown rapidly over the past 40 years. Traditionally, skin tissue engineering relies on the "cell-scaffold-signal" approach, whereby isolated cells are formulated into a three-dimensional substrate matrix, or scaffold, and exposed to the proper molecular, physical, and/or electrical signals to encourage growth and differentiation. However, clinically available bioengineered skin equivalents (BSEs) suffer from a number of drawbacks, including time required to generate autologous BSEs, poor allogeneic BSE survival, and physical limitations such as mass transfer issues. Additionally, different types of skin wounds require different BSE designs. MicroRNA has recently emerged as a new and exciting field of RNA interference that can overcome the barriers of BSE design. MicroRNA can regulate cellular behavior, change the bioactive milieu of the skin, and be delivered to skin tissue in a number of ways. While it is still in its infancy, the use of microRNAs in skin tissue engineering offers the opportunity to both enhance and expand a field for which there is still a vast unmet clinical need. Here we give a review of skin tissue engineering, focusing on the important cellular processes, bioactive mediators, and scaffolds. We further discuss potential microRNA targets for each individual component, and we conclude with possible future applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Dynamic gene expression for metabolic engineering of mammalian cells in culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le, Huong; Vishwanathan, Nandita; Kantardjieff, Anne; Doo, Inseok; Srienc, Michael; Zheng, Xiaolu; Somia, Nikunj; Hu, Wei-Shou

    2013-11-01

    Recombinant mammalian cells are the major hosts for the production of protein therapeutics. In addition to high expression of the product gene, a hyper-producer must also harbor superior phenotypic traits related to metabolism, protein secretion, and growth control. Introduction of genes endowing the relevant hyper-productivity traits is a strategy frequently used to enhance the productivity. Most of such cell engineering efforts have been performed using constitutive expression systems. However, cells respond to various environmental cues and cellular events dynamically according to cellular needs. The use of inducible systems allows for time dependent expression, but requires external manipulation. Ideally, a transgene's expression should be synchronous to the host cell's own rhythm, and at levels appropriate for the objective. To that end, we identified genes with different expression dynamics and intensity ranges using pooled transcriptome data. Their promoters may be used to drive the expression of the transgenes following the desired dynamics. We isolated the promoter of the Thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip) gene and demonstrated its capability to drive transgene expression in concert with cell growth. We further employed this Chinese hamster promoter to engineer dynamic expression of the mouse GLUT5 fructose transporter in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, enabling them to utilize sugar according to cellular needs rather than in excess as typically seen in culture. Thus, less lactate was produced, resulting in a better growth rate, prolonged culture duration, and higher product titer. This approach illustrates a novel concept in metabolic engineering which can potentially be used to achieve dynamic control of cellular behaviors for enhanced process characteristics. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Genetic engineering and sustainable production of ornamentals: current status and future directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lütken, Henrik; Clarke, Jihong Liu; Müller, Renate

    2012-07-01

    Through the last decades, environmentally and health-friendly production methods and conscientious use of resources have become crucial for reaching the goal of a more sustainable plant production. Protection of the environment requires careful consumption of limited resources and reduction of chemicals applied during production of ornamental plants. Numerous chemicals used in modern plant production have negative impacts on human health and are hazardous to the environment. In Europe, several compounds have lost their approval and further legal restrictions can be expected. This review presents the more recent progress of genetic engineering in ornamental breeding, delivers an overview of the biological background of the used technologies and critically evaluates the usefulness of the strategies to obtain improved ornamental plants. First, genetic engineering is addressed as alternative to growth retardants, comprising recombinant DNA approaches targeting relevant hormone pathways, e.g. the gibberellic acid (GA) pathway. A reduced content of active GAs causes compact growth and can be facilitated by either decreased anabolism, increased catabolism or altered perception. Moreover, compactness can be accomplished by using a natural transformation approach without recombinant DNA technology. Secondly, metabolic engineering approaches targeting elements of the ethylene signal transduction pathway are summarized as a possible alternative to avoid the use of chemical ethylene inhibitors. In conclusion, molecular breeding approaches are dealt with in a way allowing a critical biological assessment and enabling the scientific community and public to put genetic engineering of ornamental plants into a perspective regarding their usefulness in plant breeding.

  20. Microencapsulation of Lefty-secreting engineered cells for pulmonary fibrosis therapy in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Hongge; Qiao, Shupei; Wang, Zeli; Geng, Shuai; Zhao, Yufang; Hou, Xiaolu; Tian, Weiming; Chen, Xiongbiao; Yao, Lifen

    2017-05-01

    Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease that causes unremitting deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, thus resulting in distortion of the pulmonary architecture and impaired gas exchange. Associated with high morbidity and mortality, IPF is generally refractory to current pharmacological therapies. Lefty A, a potent inhibitor of transforming growth factor-β signaling, has been shown to have promising antifibrotic ability in vitro for the treatment of renal fibrosis and other potential organ fibroses. Here, we determined whether Lefty A can attenuate bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in vivo based on a novel therapeutic strategy where human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells are genetically engineered with the Lefty A-associated GFP gene. The engineered HEK293 cells were encapsulated in alginate microcapsules and then subcutaneously implanted in ICR mice that had 1 wk earlier been intratracheally administered BLM to induce pulmonary fibrosis. The severity of fibrosis in lung tissue was assessed using pathological morphology and collagen expression to examine the effect of Lefty A released from the microencapsulated cells. The engineered HEK293 cells with Lefty A significantly reduced the expression of connective tissue growth factor and collagen type I mRNA, lessened the morphological fibrotic effects induced by BLM, and increased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9. This illustrates that engineered HEK293 cells with Lefty A can attenuate pulmonary fibrosis in vivo, thus providing a novel method to treat human pulmonary fibrotic disease and other organ fibroses. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  1. Engineers and scientists in the Canadian nuclear industry 1992-2007

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stoll, P.

    1993-01-01

    The study utilized a survey of large employers to identify the current level of employment of engineers and scientists in applications of nuclear technology. The labour market implications of three possible alternative future evolutionary paths over the 1992-2007 period were assessed to determine the adequacy of the available labour force to maintain a competitive Canadian presence in domestic and international markets. It is shown that under the nuclear phaseout and no-growth scenarios, the requirements for nuclear experts decline; under the growth scenario, requirements increase, although not at a rate which cannot be met from domestic sources. 2 tabs., 7 refs

  2. Combinatorial metabolic engineering of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 for efficient mineralization of 1,2,3-trichloropropane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Ting; Xu, Xiaoqing; Che, You; Liu, Ruihua; Gao, Weixia; Zhao, Fengjie; Yu, Huilei; Liang, Jingnan; Xu, Ping; Song, Cunjiang; Yang, Chao

    2017-08-01

    An industrial waste, 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP), is toxic and extremely recalcitrant to biodegradation. To date, no natural TCP degraders able to mineralize TCP aerobically have been isolated. In this work, we engineered a biosafety Pseudomonas putida strain KT2440 for aerobic mineralization of TCP by implantation of a synthetic biodegradation pathway into the chromosome and further improved TCP mineralization using combinatorial engineering strategies. Initially, a synthetic pathway composed of haloalkane dehalogenase, haloalcohol dehalogenase and epoxide hydrolase was functionally assembled for the conversion of TCP into glycerol in P. putida KT2440. Then, the growth lag-phase of using glycerol as a growth precursor was eliminated by deleting the glpR gene, significantly enhancing the flux of carbon through the pathway. Subsequently, we improved the oxygen sequestering capacity of this strain through the heterologous expression of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin, which makes this strain able to mineralize TCP under oxygen-limited conditions. Lastly, we further improved intracellular energy charge (ATP/ADP ratio) and reducing power (NADPH/NADP + ratio) by deleting flagella-related genes in the genome of P. putida KT2440. The resulting strain (named KTU-TGVF) could efficiently utilize TCP as the sole source of carbon for growth. Degradation studies in a bioreactor highlight the value of this engineered strain for TCP bioremediation.

  3. Interface engineering for oxide electronics: tuning electronic properties by atomically controlled growth

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huijben, Mark

    2006-01-01

    The main aim of this thesis is to develop a controlled growth with atomic precision for the realization of artificial perovskite structures, to exploit the exceptional physical properties of complex oxide materials such as high-temperature superconductors and conducting interfaces between band

  4. Grain Boundary Engineering of Electrodeposited Thin Films

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alimadadi, Hossein

    is not yet well-understood. This, at least partly, owes to the lack of robust characterization methods for analyzing the nature of grain boundaries including the grain boundary plane characteristics, until recently. In the past decade, significant improvements in the 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional analysis...... of the favorable boundaries that break the network of general grain boundaries. Successful dedicated synthesis of a textured nickel film fulfilling the requirements of grain boundary engineered materials, suggests improved boundary specific properties. However, the textured nickel film shows fairly low...... thermal stability and growth twins annihilate by thermal treatment at 600 degree C. In contrast, for oriented grains, growth nano-twins which are enveloped within columnar grains show a high thermal stability even after thermal treatment at 600 degree C. In order to exploit the high thermal...

  5. The Key to Promoting Economic Growth

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2009-01-01

    The low contribution of consumption to economic growth has become a source of anxiety for Chinese economic officials. With a sharp decline in exports as a result of the international financial crisis, the Chinese Government hopes that consumption will become a new engine of economic growth. The aim of promoting domestic demand is very clear in the 4-trillion-yuan ($586-billion) economic stimulus package the government approved last fall. How should we assess the present situation of consumption in China and its future course? At the Global Think Tank Summit held in Beijing on July 4, Ma Jiantang, Commissioner of the National Bureau of Statistics, Wang Guangqian, President of the Central University of Finance and Economics, and Yuan Yue, Chairman of the Board of Horizon Research Consultancy Group, shared their opinions.

  6. A Regression Study of Salary Determinants in Indian Job Markets for Entry Level Engineering Graduates

    OpenAIRE

    Singh, Rajveer

    2016-01-01

    The economic liberalisation of Indian markets in early 90s boosted the economic growth of the nation in various sectors over the next two decades. One such sector that has seen a massive growth in this time is Information Technology (IT). The IT industry has played a very crucial role in transforming India from a slow moving economy to one of the largest exporters of IT services. This growth created a huge demand in the labour markets for skilled labour, which in turn made engineering one of ...

  7. Utilization of waste cooking oil as an alternative fuel for Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arslan, Ridvan; Ulusoy, Yahya

    2017-04-03

    This study is based on three essential considerations concerning biodiesel obtained from waste cooking oil: diesel engine emissions of biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil, its potential in Turkey, and policies of the Turkish government about environmentally friendly alternative fuels. Emission tests have been realized with 35.8 kW, four-cylinder, four-stroke, direct injection diesel tractor engine. Test results are compared with Euro non-road emission standards for diesel fuel and five different blends of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil. The results of the experimental study show that the best blends are B10 and B20 as they show the lowest emission level. The other dimensions of the study include potential analysis of waste cooking oil as diesel fuels, referring to fuel price policies applied in the past, and proposed future policies about the same issues. It was also outlined some conclusions and recommendations in connection with recycling of waste oils as alternative fuels.

  8. Quiet engine program flight engine design study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klapproth, J. F.; Neitzel, R. E.; Seeley, C. T.

    1974-01-01

    The results are presented of a preliminary flight engine design study based on the Quiet Engine Program high-bypass, low-noise turbofan engines. Engine configurations, weight, noise characteristics, and performance over a range of flight conditions typical of a subsonic transport aircraft were considered. High and low tip speed engines in various acoustically treated nacelle configurations were included.

  9. A multiscale analysis of nutrient transport and biological tissue growth in vitro

    KAUST Repository

    O'Dea, R. D.

    2014-10-15

    © The authors 2014. In this paper, we consider the derivation of macroscopic equations appropriate to describe the growth of biological tissue, employing a multiple-scale homogenization method to accommodate explicitly the influence of the underlying microscale structure of the material, and its evolution, on the macroscale dynamics. Such methods have been widely used to study porous and poroelastic materials; however, a distinguishing feature of biological tissue is its ability to remodel continuously in response to local environmental cues. Here, we present the derivation of a model broadly applicable to tissue engineering applications, characterized by cell proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition in porous scaffolds used within tissue culture systems, which we use to study coupling between fluid flow, nutrient transport, and microscale tissue growth. Attention is restricted to surface accretion within a rigid porous medium saturated with a Newtonian fluid; coupling between the various dynamics is achieved by specifying the rate of microscale growth to be dependent upon the uptake of a generic diffusible nutrient. The resulting macroscale model comprises a Darcy-type equation governing fluid flow, with flow characteristics dictated by the assumed periodic microstructure and surface growth rate of the porous medium, coupled to an advection-reaction equation specifying the nutrient concentration. Illustrative numerical simulations are presented to indicate the influence of microscale growth on macroscale dynamics, and to highlight the importance of including experimentally relevant microstructural information to correctly determine flow dynamics and nutrient delivery in tissue engineering applications.

  10. Improving Formwork Engineering Using the Toyota Way

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiun-De Kuo

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Construction is a labor-intensive industry with formwork engineering requiring a disproportionate amount of labor and costs. Formwork accounts for approximately one-third of the cost of reinforced concrete construction, partly because traditional formwork processes frequently result in delivery delays and material waste. The purpose of this research is to adapt production concepts pioneered by Toyota (the “Toyota Way” to improve formwork engineering. The Toyota Way of production consists of four tiers of management philosophy, known as the “4Ps” model. This research adopts the 4Ps as steps for formwork improvement. The first step, “establishing long term vision,” emphasizes long term considerations for formwork improvement. Step two, “establishing value streams,” reviews formwork flows and eliminates wastage. The third step, “developing the crew,” forms mold workers as a team. The final step is “developing a culture of continuous improvement” that provides a basis for constant review and provides a basis for continuous progress. The present research used the Toyota Way to improve formwork engineering. The improvements include reductions in resource waste and increases in operational value. In the long run, the proposed model could provide a learning and growth platform for individuals, the business unit, and the company’s extended network of partners. It could also serve to spur innovative thinking in the improvement of formwork engineering.

  11. A nuclear engineering curriculum for Asia-Pacific

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bereznai, G.; Sumitra, T.; Chankow, N.; Chanyotha, S.

    1996-01-01

    This paper describes the nuclear engineering education and professional development curricula that are being developed at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. The program was initiated in response to the Thai Government's policy to keep the option of nuclear electric generation available as the country responds to the rapid growth of industrialization and increased standard of living, and the accompanying increase in electricity consumption. The program has three main thrusts: university education, professional development, and public education. Although this paper concentrates on the university curriculum, it is shown how the university program is integrated with the development of industry professionals. The Nuclear Engineering Curricula being developed and implemented at Chulalongkorn University will offer programs at the Bachelor, Master and Doctorate levels. The curricula are designed to provide comprehensive education and training for engineers and scientists planning careers in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, with emphasis on the applications to industry and for nuclear electric generation. The Project of Human Resource Development in the Nuclear Engineering field is the result of a cooperative effort between agencies of the Thai and Canadian Governments, including the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the Office of Atomic Energy for Peace, Chulalongkorn University and several other Thai Universities; Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, the Canadian International Development Agency, several Canadian Universities as well as members of the Canadian Nuclear Industry. (author)

  12. Mechanostimulation Protocols for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Govoni

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Owing to the inability of self-replacement by a damaged myocardium, alternative strategies to heart transplantation have been explored within the last decades and cardiac tissue engineering/regenerative medicine is among the present challenges in biomedical research. Hopefully, several studies witness the constant extension of the toolbox available to engineer a fully functional, contractile, and robust cardiac tissue using different combinations of cells, template bioscaffolds, and biophysical stimuli obtained by the use of specific bioreactors. Mechanical forces influence the growth and shape of every tissue in our body generating changes in intracellular biochemistry and gene expression. That is why bioreactors play a central role in the task of regenerating a complex tissue such as the myocardium. In the last fifteen years a large number of dynamic culture devices have been developed and many results have been collected. The aim of this brief review is to resume in a single streamlined paper the state of the art in this field.

  13. An analysis of tourism contribution to economic growth in SADC ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study how the tourism sector can be an engine of economic growth in SADC member countries. The paper found the contribution of tourism to GDP, employment, export receipts and investment is significant. Although this sector's contribution to the economy varies among SADC countries, the the study found that ...

  14. Redox cofactor engineering in industrial microorganisms: strategies, recent applications and future directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jiaheng; Li, Huiling; Zhao, Guangrong; Caiyin, Qinggele; Qiao, Jianjun

    2018-05-01

    NAD and NADP, a pivotal class of cofactors, which function as essential electron donors or acceptors in all biological organisms, drive considerable catabolic and anabolic reactions. Furthermore, they play critical roles in maintaining intracellular redox homeostasis. However, many metabolic engineering efforts in industrial microorganisms towards modification or introduction of metabolic pathways, especially those involving consumption, generation or transformation of NAD/NADP, often induce fluctuations in redox state, which dramatically impede cellular metabolism, resulting in decreased growth performance and biosynthetic capacity. Here, we comprehensively review the cofactor engineering strategies for solving the problematic redox imbalance in metabolism modification, as well as their features, suitabilities and recent applications. Some representative examples of in vitro biocatalysis are also described. In addition, we briefly discuss how tools and methods from the field of synthetic biology can be applied for cofactor engineering. Finally, future directions and challenges for development of cofactor redox engineering are presented.

  15. Bioactive glass in tissue engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahaman, Mohamed N.; Day, Delbert E.; Bal, B. Sonny; Fu, Qiang; Jung, Steven B.; Bonewald, Lynda F.; Tomsia, Antoni P.

    2011-01-01

    This review focuses on recent advances in the development and use of bioactive glass for tissue engineering applications. Despite its inherent brittleness, bioactive glass has several appealing characteristics as a scaffold material for bone tissue engineering. New bioactive glasses based on borate and borosilicate compositions have shown the ability to enhance new bone formation when compared to silicate bioactive glass. Borate-based bioactive glasses also have controllable degradation rates, so the degradation of the bioactive glass implant can be more closely matched to the rate of new bone formation. Bioactive glasses can be doped with trace quantities of elements such as Cu, Zn and Sr, which are known to be beneficial for healthy bone growth. In addition to the new bioactive glasses, recent advances in biomaterials processing have resulted in the creation of scaffold architectures with a range of mechanical properties suitable for the substitution of loaded as well as non-loaded bone. While bioactive glass has been extensively investigated for bone repair, there has been relatively little research on the application of bioactive glass to the repair of soft tissues. However, recent work has shown the ability of bioactive glass to promote angiogenesis, which is critical to numerous applications in tissue regeneration, such as neovascularization for bone regeneration and the healing of soft tissue wounds. Bioactive glass has also been shown to enhance neocartilage formation during in vitro culture of chondrocyte-seeded hydrogels, and to serve as a subchondral substrate for tissue-engineered osteochondral constructs. Methods used to manipulate the structure and performance of bioactive glass in these tissue engineering applications are analyzed. PMID:21421084

  16. Bioactive nanofibers for fibroblastic differentiation of mesenchymal precursor cells for ligament/tendon tissue engineering applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahoo, Sambit; Ang, Lay-Teng; Cho-Hong Goh, James; Toh, Siew-Lok

    2010-02-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells and precursor cells are ideal candidates for tendon and ligament tissue engineering; however, for the stem cell-based approach to succeed, these cells would be required to proliferate and differentiate into tendon/ligament fibroblasts on the tissue engineering scaffold. Among the various fiber-based scaffolds that have been used in tendon/ligament tissue engineering, hybrid fibrous scaffolds comprising both microfibers and nanofibers have been recently shown to be particularly promising. With the nanofibrous coating presenting a biomimetic surface, the scaffolds can also potentially mimic the natural extracellular matrix in function by acting as a depot for sustained release of growth factors. In this study, we demonstrate that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) could be successfully incorporated, randomly dispersed within blend-electrospun nanofibers and released in a bioactive form over 1 week. The released bioactive bFGF activated tyrosine phosphorylation signaling within seeded BMSCs. The bFGF-releasing nanofibrous scaffolds facilitated BMSC proliferation, upregulated gene expression of tendon/ligament-specific ECM proteins, increased production and deposition of collagen and tenascin-C, reduced multipotency of the BMSCs and induced tendon/ligament-like fibroblastic differentiation, indicating their potential in tendon/ligament tissue engineering applications. 2009 International Society of Differentiation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Phytohormones and their metabolic engineering for abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shabir H. Wani

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Abiotic stresses including drought, salinity, heat, cold, flooding, and ultraviolet radiation causes crop losses worldwide. In recent times, preventing these crop losses and producing more food and feed to meet the demands of ever-increasing human populations have gained unprecedented importance. However, the proportion of agricultural lands facing multiple abiotic stresses is expected only to rise under a changing global climate fueled by anthropogenic activities. Identifying the mechanisms developed and deployed by plants to counteract abiotic stresses and maintain their growth and survival under harsh conditions thus holds great significance. Recent investigations have shown that phytohormones, including the classical auxins, cytokinins, ethylene, and gibberellins, and newer members including brassinosteroids, jasmonates, and strigolactones may prove to be important metabolic engineering targets for producing abiotic stress-tolerant crop plants. In this review, we summarize and critically assess the roles that phytohormones play in plant growth and development and abiotic stress tolerance, besides their engineering for conferring abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic crops. We also describe recent successes in identifying the roles of phytohormones under stressful conditions. We conclude by describing the recent progress and future prospects including limitations and challenges of phytohormone engineering for inducing abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants.

  18. 2016 Milwaukee Engineering Research Conference | College of Engineering &

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biomedical Engineering Concentration on Ergonomics M.S. Program in Computer Science Interdisciplinary Concentration on Energy Doctoral Programs in Engineering Non-Degree Candidate Departments Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Industry Advisory Council Civil & Environmental Engineering Civil &

  19. In situ tissue engineering: endothelial growth patterns as a function of flow diverter design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marosfoi, Miklos; Langan, Erin T; Strittmatter, Lara; van der Marel, Kajo; Vedantham, Srinivasan; Arends, Jennifer; Lylyk, Ivan R; Loganathan, Siddharth; Hendricks, Gregory M; Szikora, Istvan; Puri, Ajit S; Wakhloo, Ajay K; Gounis, Matthew J

    2017-10-01

    Vascular remodeling in response to implantation of a tissue engineering scaffold such as a flow diverter (FD) leads to the cure of intracranial aneurysms. We hypothesize that the vascular response is dependent on FD design, and CD34+ progenitor cells play an important role in the endothelialization of the implant. Sixteen rabbit aneurysms were randomly treated with two different single-layer braided FDs made of cobalt-chrome alloys. The FD-48 and FD-72 devices had 48 and 72 wires, respectively. Aneurysm occlusion rate was assessed during the final digital subtraction angiogram at 10, 20, 30, and 60 days (n=2 per device per time point). Implanted vessels were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy for tissue coverage, endothelialization, and immuno-gold labeling for CD34+ cells. Complete aneurysm occlusion rates were similar between the devices; however, complete or near complete occlusion was more frequently observed in aneurysms with neck ≤4.2 mm (p=0.008). Total tissue coverage at 10 days over the surface of the FD-48 and FD-72 devices was 56.4±11.6% and 76.6±3.6%, respectively. Endothelial cell growth over the surface was time-dependent for the FD-72 device (Spearman's r=0.86, p=0.013) but not for the FD-48 device (Spearman's r=-0.59, p=0.094). The endothelialization score was marginally correlated with the distance from the aneurysm neck for the FD-48 device (Spearman's r=1, p=0.083) but not for the FD-72 device (Spearman's r=0.8, p=0.33). CD34+ cells were present along the entirety of both devices at all time points. This study gives preliminary evidence that temporal and spatial endothelialization is dependent on FD design. Circulating CD34+ progenitor cells contribute to endothelialization throughout the healing process. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  20. 8. Forum on solar engineering in practice - solar engineering - politics, market and finances, marketing and sales. Proceedings 2007; 8. Forum Solarpraxis. Solartechnik - Politik, Markt and Finanzen, Marketing and Verkauf. Tagungsband 2007

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2007-07-01

    The 8th forum on solar engineering in practice includes based upon a proven concept talks, impulse briefings and discussions in larger and smaller groups in many different ways about the subjects politics, market, finances, marketing and sales. In terms of contents the forum incorporates all subjects, which are of importance for the growth of solar engineering: New European Energy Law and Thermal Energy Law, supporting industry, mechanical engineering, training and finances. Latest subjects like Start-Up, finances, energy efficiency and market conditions and applications like solar cooling and solar thermal power plants are presented and discussed. In the frame of the forum on solar engineering in practice analyst conferences are held this year as well. Many companies, which are quoted at the stock exchange present their numbers to the analysts and financial groups. Furthermore companies in the field of the supporting industry present themselves to the fields of finance and solar engineering. (orig.)