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

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

Feedback control for multi-resource usage of virtualised database server

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

Some results on disturbance attenuation for Hamiltonian systems via direct discrete‐time design

The disturbance attenuation and robust disturbance attenuation problems for Hamiltonian systems in the discrete‐time setting are considered and some new results are presented. The new results are derived utilizing the recently presented dissipativity equality obtained by adding the dissipation rate function to the classical dissipativity inequality. A selection of the dissipation rate function yields new results. These results include a condition on the dissipation structure of the system to achieve the desired disturbance attenuation level and gives direct construction of optimal control laws for any desired disturbance attenuation level. The results remove the need to solve Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaacs inequalities. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An experimental study of the exergetic performance of an underground air tunnel system for greenhouse cooling

The present study highlights the exergetic performance characteristics of an underground air tunnel for greenhouse cooling with a 47 m horizontal, 56 cm nominal diameter U-bend buried galvanized ground heat exchanger. This system was designed and installed in the Solar Energy Institute, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. Underground air tunnel systems, also known as earth-to-air heat exchangers, are recognized to be outstanding heating, cooling and air heating systems. On the other hand, they have not been used yet in the Turkish market. Greenhouses also have important economical potential in Turkey’s agricultural sector. Greenhouses should be cooled during the summer or hot days. In order to establish optimum growth conditions in greenhouses, renewable energy sources should be utilized as much as possible. It is expected that effective use of underground air tunnels with a suitable technology in the modern greenhouses will play a leading role in Turkey in the foreseeable future. The exergy transports between the components and the destructions in each of the components of the system are determined for the average measured parameters obtained from the experimental results. Exergetic efficiencies of the system components are determined in an attempt to assess their individual performances and the potential for improvements is also presented. The daily maximum cooling coefficient of performances (COP) values for the system are also obtained to be 15.8. The total average COP in the experimental period is found to be 10.09. The system COP was calculated based on the amount of cooling produced by the air tunnel and the amount of power required to move the air through the tunnel, while the exergetic efficiency of the air tunnel is found to be in a range among 57.8–63.2%. The overall exergy efficiency value for the system on a product/fuel basis is found to be 60.7%.     

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

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

Two approaches for solving the buffer allocation problem in unreliable production lines

This paper presents an integrated approach to solve the buffer allocation problem in unreliable production lines so as to maximize the throughput rate of the line with minimum total buffer size. The proposed integrated approach has two control loops; the inner loop and the outer loop. While the inner loop control includes an adaptive tabu search algorithm proposed by Demir et al. [8], binary search and tabu search are proposed for the outer loop. These nested loops aim at minimizing the total buffer size to achieve the desired throughput level. To improve the efficiency of the proposed tabu search, alternative neighborhood generation mechanisms are developed. The performances of the proposed algorithms are evaluated by extensive computational experimentation, and the results are reported.