bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enteral Immunomodulatory Diet (Omega-3 Fatty Acid, γ-Linolenic Acid and Antioxidant Supplementation) for Acute Lung Injury and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Congcong , Bo Liyan , Liu Wei , Lu Xi , Jin Faguang
Published: July 2015

Enteral immunomodulatory nutrition is considered as a promising therapy for the treatment of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS). However, there are still some divergences, and it is unclear whether this treatment should be recommended for patients with ALI/ARDS. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of an enteral immunomodulatory diet on the clinical outcomes of ALI/ARDS patients. Methods: We retrieved potentially relevant clinical trials though electronic databases. All trials of enteral immunomodulatory diet for ALI/ARDS were included. Analyses of the overall all-cause mortality, 28-day ventilator-free days and 28-day intensive care unit (ICU) free days were conducted. Results: In total six controlled trials were evaluated. The pooled results did not show a significant reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality (M-H RR (the overall Mantel-Haenszel relative risk), 0.81 (95% CI, 0.50–1.31); p = 0.38; 6 trials, n = 717) in ALI/ARDS patients treated with the immunomodulatory diet. This treatment also did not extend the ventilator-free days and ICU-free days. However, patients with high mortality might benefit from this treatment. Conclusions: The enteral immunomodulatory diet could not reduce the severity of the patients with ALI/ARDS. Whereas, for ALI/ARDS patients with high mortality, this treatment might reduce the all-cause mortality, but its use should be treated with discretion.
HACCP-Based Programs for Preventing Disease and Injury from Premise Plumbing: A Building Consensus
Authors: McCoy William , Rosenblatt Aaron
Published: July 2015

Thousands of preventable injuries and deaths are annually caused by microbial, chemical and physical hazards from building water systems. Water is processed in buildings before use; this can degrade the quality of the water. Processing steps undertaken on-site in buildings often include conditioning, filtering, storing, heating, cooling, pressure regulation and distribution through fixtures that restrict flow and temperature. Therefore, prevention of disease and injury requires process management. A process management framework for buildings is the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) adaptation of failure mode effects analysis (FMEA). It has been proven effective for building water system management. Validation is proof that hazards have been controlled under operating conditions and may include many kinds of evidence including cultures of building water samples to detect and enumerate potentially pathogenic microorganisms. However, results from culture tests are often inappropriately used because the accuracy and precision are not sufficient to support specifications for control limit or action triggers. A reliable negative screen is based on genus-level Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for Legionella in building water systems; however, building water samples with positive results from this test require further analysis by culture methods.
Poly(butylene succinate) Ionomers with Enhanced Hydrodegradability
Authors: Bautista Mayka , De Ilarduya Antxon , Alla Abdelilah , Muñoz-Guerra Sebastián
Published: July 2015

A series of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) ionomers containing up to 14 mol% of sulfonated succinate units have been synthesized by polycondensation in the melt-phase. The copolyesters were obtained with weight average molecular weights oscillating between 33,000 and 72,000 g·mol−1. All copolyesters were semicrystalline with melting temperatures and enthalpies decreasing and glass transition temperatures increasing with the content of ionic units. The thermal stability of PBS was slightly reduced by the incorporation of these units, and it was also found that the copolyesters were stiffer but also more brittle than PBS. The hydrolytic degradability of PBS was enhanced by copolymerization, an effect that was much more pronounced in basic media.
A Vision-Based Sensor for Noncontact Structural Displacement Measurement
Authors: Feng Dongming , Feng Maria , Ozer Ekin , Fukuda Yoshio
Published: July 2015

Conventional displacement sensors have limitations in practical applications. This paper develops a vision sensor system for remote measurement of structural displacements. An advanced template matching algorithm, referred to as the upsampled cross correlation, is adopted and further developed into a software package for real-time displacement extraction from video images. By simply adjusting the upsampling factor, better subpixel resolution can be easily achieved to improve the measurement accuracy. The performance of the vision sensor is first evaluated through a laboratory shaking table test of a frame structure, in which the displacements at all the floors are measured by using one camera to track either high-contrast artificial targets or low-contrast natural targets on the structural surface such as bolts and nuts. Satisfactory agreements are observed between the displacements measured by the single camera and those measured by high-performance laser displacement sensors. Then field tests are carried out on a railway bridge and a pedestrian bridge, through which the accuracy of the vision sensor in both time and frequency domains is further confirmed in realistic field environments. Significant advantages of the noncontact vision sensor include its low cost, ease of operation, and flexibility to extract structural displacement at any point from a single measurement.
Fiber Optic Fabry-Perot Current Sensor Integrated with Magnetic Fluid Using a Fiber Bragg Grating Demodulation
Authors: Xia Ji , Wang Qi , Liu Xu , Luo Hong
Published: July 2015

An optical fiber current sensor based on Fabry-Perot interferometer using a fiber Bragg grating demodulation is proposed. Magnetic fluid is used as a sensitive medium in fiber optical Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity for the optical characteristic of magnetic-controlled refractive index. A Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is connected after the F-P interferometer which is used to reflect the optical power at the Bragg wavelength of the interference transmission spectrum. The corresponding reflective power of the FBG will change with different external current intensity, due to the shift on the interference spectrum of the F-P interferometer. The sensing probe has the advantages of convenient measurement for its demodulation, low cost and high current measurement accuracy on account of its sensing structure. Experimental results show that an optimal sensitivity of 0.8522 nw/A and measurement resolution of 0.001 A is obtained with a FBG at 1550 nm with 99% reflectivity.
Expansion of Smartwatch Touch Interface from Touchscreen to Around Device Interface Using Infrared Line Image Sensors
Authors: Lim Soo-Chul , Shin Jungsoon , Kim Seung-Chan , Park Joonah
Published: July 2015

Touchscreen interaction has become a fundamental means of controlling mobile phones and smartwatches. However, the small form factor of a smartwatch limits the available interactive surface area. To overcome this limitation, we propose the expansion of the touch region of the screen to the back of the user’s hand. We developed a touch module for sensing the touched finger position on the back of the hand using infrared (IR) line image sensors, based on the calibrated IR intensity and the maximum intensity region of an IR array. For complete touch-sensing solution, a gyroscope installed in the smartwatch is used to read the wrist gestures. The gyroscope incorporates a dynamic time warping gesture recognition algorithm for eliminating unintended touch inputs during the free motion of the wrist while wearing the smartwatch. The prototype of the developed sensing module was implemented in a commercial smartwatch, and it was confirmed that the sensed positional information of the finger when it was used to touch the back of the hand could be used to control the smartwatch graphical user interface. Our system not only affords a novel experience for smartwatch users, but also provides a basis for developing other useful interfaces.
From Water-Constrained to Water-Driven Sustainable Development—A Case of Water Policy Impact Evaluation
Authors: Huang Guangwei
Published: July 2015

A water allocation policy that aimed to balance water demand with water availability to ensure sustainability was implemented in an arid region of China over ten years ago. This policy’s success was assessed across three dimensions: society, the environment, and the economy. While the assessment was not intended to be comprehensive, it highlighted the best outcomes of the policy intervention while revealing some hidden issues. It was found that although the policy was successful in placing a ceiling on water use in the middle reaches of the Heihe River, the Water User Association, one of the main actors in water policy implementation, was under-recognized, even though it functioned well. Moreover, the economic structural adjustment at the macro level had not led to any significant reduction in water use, the reasons for which were explored.
L'épée inscrite de Boston (K. 1048, 1040-41 de notre ère)
Authors: Gerschheimer Gerdi , Vincent Brice
Published: July 2015

A gilded bronze sword, kept in the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston (Massachusetts) since the beginning of the 1970s, bears a short inscription of two lines in Old Khmer. A new reading of the inscription allows one to correct previous publications. A wrong reading, among other factors, has led to date the sword 862 saka/ 940 AD (under Jayavarman IV), and thus to provide "hard evidence for [the] use [of mercury-gilding for Khmer artifacts] during the tenth century". In fact, the inscription clearly bears the date 962 saka/1040-41 AD (under Suryavarman I).
Le pendentif inscrit du musée national du Cambodge : une «bague de Rāma » datant du règne de Jayavarman VII (K. 1277) ?
Authors: Soutif Dominique
Published: July 2015

The silver pendant, bearing the inscription K. 1277, recently offered to the National Museum of Phnom Penh by a private collector, is rather an unusual piece of jewelry in Ancient Cambodia. Nevertheless, a careful study of the bas-reliefs of Angkor allows us to identify similar pendants, definitely at Angkor Vat, and possibly also in a Rāmāyaṇa scene represented on the Baphuon, where the pendant seems to take on a certain relevance. Dated to 1218/19 AD, the text mentions Kamrateṅ Añ Srī Dharaṇīndrarājalaksmī, who could be identified as the sister of Jayavarman VII ; if this is the case, it could be the most recent inscription from the reign of this monarch. Unfortunately, it also represents further proof of the importance of the preservation of Khmer cultural heritage. The loss of the archaeological contexts of such objects is particularly regrettable.
A Study of Sharing Time With First Grade Students: Discourse Narratives in the Classroom
Authors: Michaels Sarah , Cook-Gumperz Jenny
Published: July 2015

Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (1979), pp. 647-660
Focus of Contrast Aspects in Makua: Syntactic and Semantic Evidence
Authors: Stucky Susan U.
Published: July 2015

Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (1979), pp. 362-372
Semantic Mechanisms of Humor
Authors: Raskin Victor
Published: July 2015

Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (1979), pp. 325-335
The Meeting of East and West: Confrontation and Convergence in Contemporary Linguistics
Authors: Nichols Johanna
Published: July 2015

Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (1979), pp. 260-276
Topic, French Style: Remarks about a Basic Sentence Type of Modern Non-Standard French
Authors: Lambrecht Knud
Published: July 2015

Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (1980), pp. 337-360
THE ROLE OF TRUST IN RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT
Authors: Meng Xianhai
Published: July 2015

The importance of inter-organizational trust to project success has been increasingly highlighted in the construction industry. This study aims to explore the role of trust between project parties. It adopts a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Based on the analysis of the responses of a questionnaire survey, trust is demonstrated to have a significant contribution to the development of cooperative or collaborative relationships; fostering trust proves to have a major influence on the improvement of project performance; and some relationship and performance indicators are found to have closer associations with trust than others so that trust is more important to the development of relationship and the improvement of performance in these aspects. The analysis of questionnaire responses also provides significant evidence for the reduction in monitoring and control following the increase of mutual trust. The questionnaire survey is followed by a series of expert interviews, both of which contribute to the establishment of a model that links trust with relationship and performance and distinguishes the new approach that is based on trust from the traditional mechanism that relies on monitoring and control.
ANALYZING PROCUREMENT ROUTE SELECTION FOR ELECTRIC POWER PLANTS PROJECTS USING SMART
Authors: Marzouk Mohamed , Elmesteckawi Lobna
Published: July 2015

The decision of selecting the appropriate procurement/delivery system for large investment construction projects is a critical and challenging task for clients, and therefore a significant factor for the project’s success. Complex projects as electric power plants can involve managing multiple contracts or subcontracts simultaneously or in sequence. The aim of this paper is to develop, and analyze a decision support tool to select the most efficient procurement/delivery system for multiple contracts Combined Cycle Power Plants (CCPP) constructed in Egypt and funded by the publicsector. This process involved the identification of various procurement routes, followed by the utilization of quantitative values developed in accordance with the requirements of the multi-criteria decision analysis technique known as simple multi-attribute rating technique (SMART). Results revealed that the procurement/delivery system with the highest score, for all contractual packages, is the integrated project delivery method (IPD) under which other procurement/delivery methods could be utilized such as performance-based contracting (PBC), and construction management (CM). Further in this research, a sensitivity analysis approach was adopted to validate the IPD selection, and to determine the most critical criterion and the most critical measure of performance for each contractual package.
INVESTIGATION INTO TECHNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF BITUMEN BATCHING IN AN ASPHALT MIXING PLANT
Authors: Bražiūnas Justas
Published: July 2015

An appropriate bitumen content and its properties in hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixture impact on the long-term mechanical strength of the laid asphalt pavement and the required road operation properties. During the production of a HMA mixture in an asphalt mixing plant (AMP), relationships between the structure and interaction of the mixture are established based on technological processes that specify bitumen batching and component mixing. These processes ensure the long-term strength, texture, evenness, the degree of damage and rheological properties of road pavement. The presented mathematical model enables us to determine the distribution of oxygen pressure by time in differently sized drops of bitumen during their fall into a mixer. The model considers oxygen diffusion, which depends on temperature, and heat conductivity, which depends on temperature, density and specific heat. An active experimental investigation under real production conditions demonstrated that the method of bitumen discharge from a batcher, temperature and time spent mixing materials with hot mineral aggregates impact on properties of bitumen binder within the produced HMA mixture. Parameters of technological processes for mixing of bitumen with mineral aggregates that occur in a bitumen batching system (BBS) are stochastic and impact on the composition of bitumen binder as well as physical and mechanical properties of the produced HMA mixture, namely, air void content, stability, flow and Marshall quotient.
Reduced Graphene Oxide-Mesoporous Carbon Nitride as Photocatalyst for Removal of N-Nitrosopyrrolidine
Authors: Tiong Peggy , Lintang Hendrik O. , Endud Salasiah , Yuliati Leny
Published: July 2015

The fast electron-hole recombination in mesoporous carbon nitride (MCN) photocatalyst has spurred a great interest to improve its efficiency with addition of various modifiers. In the present study, the MCN was modified by reduced graphene oxide (rGO) that was synthesized via a novel photocatalytic reduction method with different ratios of GO to MCN to produce rGO-MCN composites. The synthesized rGO-MCN samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), diffuse reflectance UV-visible (DR UV-Vis), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies. It was confirmed that rGO was successfully combined with the MCN without affecting the structure of the MCN. With the higher amount of GO ratio, the composites showed more observable rGO peaks in the IR spectra and higher background absorption in the visible region of DR UV-Vis spectra. The photocatalytic removal of N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) was carried out at room temperature under visible light irradiation to investigate the photocatalytic efficiency of the composites. The ratio of GO was found to affect the photocatalytic activity of the rGO-MCN composites. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared composites increased with GO loading from 1 to 5 wt.%, owing to the slightly enhanced absorption in visible light as shown in DR UV-Vis spectra and the undisrupted graphitic structure of MCN upon characterizations by XRD and IR spectra. It was found that 5 wt.% was the optimum amount of GO ratio and there was no further improvement in photocatalytic activity when the GO ratio increased.
Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties of Zn Doped Barium M-Hexaferrite
Authors: Nuraini Umi , Amalia Lita , Rosyidah Kurniawati C. , Zainuri Mochammad
Published: July 2015

Synthesis of Zn doped Barium M-Hexaferrite (BaFe12-xZnxO19) has been performed by co-precipitation method. The purified iron sand from Tulungagung is used as a precursor of Fe3O4. Synthesis of Zn doped Barium M-Hexaferrite (BaFe12-xZnxO19) with variations of x = 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 wt % has been calcined at temperatures of 1000°C for 5 hours. Ion Zn2+ (with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.7 wt %) does not change the crystal structure of Barium M-Hexaferrite (BaM), but give a slight displacement of the peak position of the diffraction pattern. SEM figures showed that Zn doped Barium M-Hexaferrite (BaFe12-xZnxO19) have a hexagonal structure, similar to BaM structure. Doping of Zn has changed the magnetic properties of Barium M-Hexaferrit (BaM), from hard magnetic become soft magnetic. Barium M-Hexaferrit (BaM) has a value of Coercivity Field (Hc) and Remanence Magnetization (Mr) is 0.03734 T and 8.334 emu/g. At variation x = 0.3, the Remanence Magnetization (Mr) reaches the highest value. At this point, a value of Coercivity Field (Hc) and Remanence Magnetization (Mr) is 0.0506 T and 14.782 emu/gram respectively.
Synthesis of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Using the Co-Precipitation Method and its Development into Nanofluids as a Catalyst in Aquathermolysis Reactions
Authors: Iskandar Ferry , Asbahri Alfajri , Dwinanto Erlandy , Abdullah Mikrajuddin , Khairurrijal Khairurrijal
Published: July 2015

Catalytic aquathermolysis is proposed as one of the potential methods which functions to reduce the viscosity of heavy oil for ease of extraction. In this research, we have developed a solution dispersed catalyst of Fe3O4 nanoparticles through a co-precipitation method. FeCl3·6H2O and FeCl2·4H2O were used to serve as an Fe source, with NaOH as a co-precipitator. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to verify materials. In order to be able to be used in the reservoir, the prepared powder was further dispersed into a base fluid with the addition of a dispersant by an ultrasonication for 2 hours. The stable nanofluid was achieved using the ratio of ethylene glycol/water mixture of 20%:80%. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) characterization results showed that the average size of the particle was about 309 nm, which is small enough to ensure its ability to pass through rock pores. Catalytic aquathermolysis of heavy oil in laboratory scale was employed under the addition of stable nanofluid at 200°C for 6 hours. The viscosity of heavy oil after the reaction could be reduced up to 71.3%.
Photocatalytic Activity Inhibition by ZnO-SiO2 Nanocomposites Synthesized by Sonochemical Method
Authors: Widiyastuti Widiyastuti , Maula Iva , Machmudah Siti , Nurtono Tantular , Winardi Sugeng , Okuyama Kikuo
Published: July 2015

Here, ZnO particles and ZnO-SiO2 nanocomposites synthesized by sonochemical method under continuous ultrasound irradiation were reported. For an hour ultrasound irradiated by ultrasonic horn at atmospheric condition, nanorods and spherical structures with crystalline sizes 33 and 17 nm were obtained for ZnO and ZnO-SiO2, respectively, revealed that silica inhibited the particles and crystal growth. FTIR analysis also indicated that silica covered the ZnO particles. In addition, photocatalytic activity was also inhibited by silica in which ZnO without and with silica had degradation rate 69% and 48%, respectively, to degrade methylene blue solution under direct sunlight irradiation for an hour. The addition of SiO2 to ZnO gives an advantage in some application to avoid excessive degradation by controlling their photocatalytic activity.
Computational Density Functional Theory Study of Hydrazine Adsorption on Ni(110) Surface
Authors: Aji Kumowarih Trisno , Purwoko Prasetiyo Hadi , Refino Andam Deatama , Agusta Mohammad Kemal , Dipojono Hermawan Kresno
Published: July 2015

Hydrazine adsorption on Ni(110) surface is studied using density functional theory. Adsorption of hydrazine in its critical conformations (anti, cis, and gauche) on both 0.25 ML and 0.11 ML coverages are investigated. The results reveal that on both coverage, gauche conformations are adsorbed as the most stable conformation. The stable conformation tends to shift to cis as the coverage is reduced. Density of states analysis suggests that dz2-band of Ni and pz orbital of hydrazine are responsible for bonding formation between two constituents.
Synthesis of Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO)/Ni Composite by a Combination of Marcano’s and Microwave Assisted Reduction Methods
Authors: Iskandar Ferry , bin Rus Yahdi
Published: July 2015

A reduced graphene oxide/nickel (rGO/Ni) composite has been succesfully synthesized using a combination of Marcano’s method for synthesizing graphene oxide (GO), subsequently followed by a facile microwave assisted reduction method. X-ray diffraction results show the presence of graphene and nickel on the prepared samples. In addition, the Fourier Tansform Infrared Spectroscopy measurement showed that the absorption peaks of O-H, C=O, C-OH, and C-O only appear in the GO sample. A Scanning Electron Microscope photograph shows that the morphology of the rGO samples contain nano-layered forms. A Raman spectroscopy characterization of the prepared rGO samples show a peak of G band’s wave number at 1586.5 cm-1. From the calculation of the G band’s wave number, the average number of graphene layers is 1.15.
Supercapacitor Activated Carbon Electrode from Composite of Green Monoliths of KOH-Treated Pre-Carbonized Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches and HNO3-Treated Graphite
Authors: Nor N.S.M. , Deraman Mohamad , Basri N.H. , Dollah B.N.M. , Omar Ramli , Soltaninejad Sepideh , Daik Rusli , Norizam M.D.
Published: July 2015

Supercapacitor electrodes in the form of activated carbon monoliths (ACMs) were prepared by carbonization and activation of three different composite of green monoliths (GMs) consisting of (a) self-adhesive carbon grains (SACG) derived from pre-carbonized oil palm empty fruit bunches, KOH and graphite additive, (b) KOH-treated SACG and HNO3-treated graphite additive, and (c) SACG and HNO3-treated graphite additive. The ACM1, ACM2 and ACM3 electrodes produced from their respective GMs were characterized using nitrogen adsorption-desorption technique and the supercapacitor cell fabricated using these electrodes were characterized by galvanostatic charge discharge method. The results showed that the change in the condition of material component in the GMs by acid/alkaline treatment moderately changed the pore characteristics of the electrodes, for example only around 10 % change occurred in the specific surface area of the samples. However, such change gave a larger change in the electrochemical performance of the cells, where the ACM3 exhibit the specific capacitance (119 F g-1) and specific energy (3.5 W h kg-1), which were (66 – 71) % and (28 – 75) % higher than the other cells, and the specific power (63.3 W kg-1), which was 33 % lower than the other cells. These results demonstrate a non-linear dependency of electrochemical performances of the cells on the porosity characteristics of the electrodes resulted from the modification of component materials in the GMs.
Effects of Activation Time on the Performance of Supercapacitor Binderless Activated Carbon Electrodes Derived from Fibers of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches
Authors: Ishak M.M. , Deraman Mohamad , Dolah B.N.M. , Othman Mohd Amir Radhi , Omar Ramli , Basri N.H. , Nor N.S.M. , Taer Erman , Awitdrus Awitdrus , Farma Rakhmawati , Aziz A.A.
Published: July 2015

Green monoliths (GMs) with different composition, labelled as GM1, GM2 and GM3, were prepared from self-adhesive carbon grains (SACG) produced from fibers of oil palm empty fruit bunches, SACG treated with 0.4 M H2SO4 and mixtures of SACG and carbon nanotubes (5 wt.%) treated with 0.4 M H2SO4, respectively. Each GMs was carbonized and then activated with holding time of 1 h and 2 h, respectively, to produce their respective activated carbon monoliths (ACMs). These ACMs were used as electrodes to fabricate supercapacitor cells using H2SO4 electrolytes, Teflon separator and stainless steel 316L current collector. The porosity of the ACMs, examined by nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm method were found affected after prolonging the activation time. From the electrochemical characterization of the ACMs electrodes using galvanic charge-discharge methods, it was found that supercapacitor cells fabricated using the ACMs produced by longer activation time (2 h) showed better performance, which had higher specific capacitance (113 F/g), specific power (159 W/kg) and specific energy (3.35 W h/kg), compared to the cells using ACMs produced by shorter activation time (1 h).
Development of Sound Absorbent Material Based on Waste and Bamboo Fiber
Authors: Pantjawati Arjuni B. , Juanda Enjang A. , Mulyanti Budi , Mujtahid Azis , Wiryadi Aldi
Published: July 2015

Sound absorbent material is used to improve acoustic quality of room as it can damp noise level and reduce echo. As the manufacturing costs are quite expensive, nowadays, utilization of sound absorbent material is still limited to commercial needs, such as karaoke room, movie theater and music studio. Utilizing waste into sound absorbent materials can provide multiple benefits as it can reduce production cost and landfill waste as well. This research was conducted experimentally with parameter measured was sound absorption coefficient. An organic waste such as vegetable waste and an inorganic waste such as plastic, paper, and fabrics waste were processed through crushing and drying process. The processed material was mixed with bamboo fiber and an organic Nano silica (rice husk). The Compound was used as filler and was mixed with polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) as a matrix. From this research, it was concluded that composite material from waste with bamboo fiber could qualify ISO 11654, 1997 standard as a sound absorbent material E class category with weighted sound absorption coefficient value, αw= 0,25(M). This material has a good sound absorption quality in frequency range 500-1250 Hz with highest absorption α = 0.82 at 800 Hz.
Effect of Alloying Elements on Microstructure of Biomedical Co-Cr-Mo F75 Alloy
Authors: Alfirano Alfirano
Published: July 2015

Precipitates in biomedical Co-Cr-Mo cast alloys are closely related to their wear and mechanical properties. It is important to elucidate the effects of addition of alloying elements listed in ASTM F75 on precipitation and dissolution in order to control microstructural changes in fabricating biomedical Co-Cr-Mo alloy implants. In this study, Si and Mn were selected as the alloying elements. The chemical compositions of two cast alloys were Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.25C with containing 1mass% Si dan Mn. The alloys were solution treated at temperatures at 1448 to 1548 K for holding time of 1.8-43.2 ks, followed by water quenching. The precipitates in the as-cast alloy with Si addition were M23C6 carbide, h-phase (M6C-M12C type carbide) and p-phase (M2T3X type carbide with a b-Mn structure), while M23C6 carbide and h-phase were detected in the as-cast alloy with Mn addition. The alloy with Si addition required longer solution treatment time for complete precipitate dissolution as compared with the alloy with Mn addition. The phase and morphology of precipitates observed during solution treatment depended on the heat treatment temperature and holding time and alloy composition.
The Influence of Non-Ionic Surfactant on the Physical Characteristics of Curcumin-Loaded Nanofiber Manufactured by Electrospinning Method
Authors: Rahma Annisa , Munir Muhammad Miftahul , Khairurrijal Khairurrijal , Rachmawati Heni
Published: July 2015

Electrospinning is one of techniques used for nanofiber fabrication as drug delivery systems. Curcumin possesses challenging properties as it has low solubility and poor absorption. Incorporation of curcumin into nanofiber is expected to enhance solubility and absorption. In this study, curcumin loaded nanofiber for oral delivery has been developed. Nanofibers were synthesized from curcumin and Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) with mass ratio of 1:10 using electrospinning method. Various PVP concentration from 5 to 10 % (w/v) were used. To further assess the variation in the physical characteristics of fiber, the influence of Polysorbate 20, a nonionic surfactant, was studied. Electrospinning of curcumin-PVP nanofiber with the addition of Polysorbate 20 yielded fiber with overall diameter of 350-400 nm. In the absence of Polysorbate 20, the diameter was higher i.e 540-660 nm. The highest diameter was observed in highest PVP concentration at 10% (w/v). Drug release study showed that more than 50% of curcumin has been released within 45 minutes in all formulas. Initial rapid release occurred in the formula containing Polysorbate 20. As a summary, the presence of Polysorbate 20 reduced the diameter of curcumin-loaded PVP nanofiber and enhanced the release of curcumin from the fiber.
Utilization of the Ibai River Sediment as a Raw Material for Producing Ceramic Glazes
Authors: Siau Wei Ng , Muhamad Nor Mohd Al Amin
Published: July 2015

Glazes is a layer of vitreous substance, which is combined to ceramic object through a firing process. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of Ibai River sediment as raw material for producing ceramic glazes. Minerals and heavy metal in sediment have been characterized using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). Glazes formulation has been studied by adding CaCO3 and stoneware into the sediment at different compositions. Glazes sample was tested for chemical resistance and thermal shock resistance. The AAS results show that sediment contains high Fe content of 65.5000 ppm while amount of Cr, Co and Pb are less than 0.4850 ppm. XRF analysis shows that the presence of important minerals in sediment, which is commonly found in commercial glazes formulation and contributes to formation of good glazes. Matte glazes can be obtained by using only sediment while shiny glaze can be obtained by adding CaCO3 to the sediment as fluxs. High concentration of iron in sediments contributed to brown or reddish brown in color of glazes products. The results show that the glazes produced has chemical resistance towards acids and high thermal shock resistance. As a conclusion, the Ibai River sediment is highly suitable to supply abundant and cheap raw materials for producing decorative ceramic glaze for small-scale ceramic industry in Terengganu, which generate new economic source for local community.
Mechanism of Macroporous Zirconia Particles Formation Prepared by Hydrothermal Synthesis
Authors: Machmudah Siti , Prastuti Okky Putri , Widiyastuti Widiyastuti , Winardi Sugeng , Wahyudiono Wahyudiono , Kanda Hideki , Goto Motonobu
Published: July 2015

The purpose of this work was to investigate the mechanism of macroporous zirconia particles formation by hydrothermal synthesis. Hydrothermal synthesis of zirconia was prepared from precursor solution of Zr(NO3)2 with a concentration of 0.3 M at temperatures of 300 and 200°C carried out in a batch and a continuous reactor, respectively. Hydrothermally synthesized colloid subsequently was mixed with polystyrene template to form macroporous zirconia particles, and then was synthesized hydrothermally for 1 hour at temperature of 150°C and 200°C. Once the synthesis was complete, the particles were then dried at temperature of 60°C for 6 hours. In order to eliminate polystyrene template from the particles, the dried particles were calcined at temperature of 600°C and 900°C for 6 hours. The morphology of particles formed were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Particle Size Analyzer (PSA). The analytical result showed that macroporous particles were formed at all experimental condition, and the mechanism of macroporous particles formation could be observed clearly. Based on the XRD analysis, the crystal zirconia consisted of monoclinic and tetragonal phase.
Synthesis of Magnesia Powder from East Java Dolomite through Leaching, Precipitation and Calcination
Authors: Mubarok M. Zaki , Adi Kurniawan Christian
Published: July 2015

At the present paper, a process of magnesia (MgO) synthesis from East Java dolomite through hydrochloride acid leaching, precipitation and calcination as well as characteristic of the product is discussed. Results of the experimental works show that the dissolution rate of magnesium and calcium from dolomite in hydrochloride acid solution was very rapid. Complete magnesium extraction was obtained by the leaching test with acid concentration of 1.5 molar, particle size distribution of -325#, solid-liquid ratio 1:20 (g/mL), stirring speed 200 rpm at room temperature after only 10 seconds. Precipitation of Mg(OH)2 by the addition of 20% (v/v) CaO slurry into pregnant leach solution resulted in 97.5% Mg precipitation after 1 minute. Solution pH must be maintained at a level of 10-10.5 by adjusting CaO addition in order to minimize calcium co-precipitation and to obtain high purity of Mg(OH)2 precipitate. Calcinations of Mg(OH)2 were performed at temperature range of 550-800°C in which 99% of crystal water removal took place after 5 minute at temperature of 800°C. Lower temperature requires longer time of crystalline water removal from Mg(OH)2. XRF analysis showed MgO purity of 88% with the main impurities of calcium and chloride. XRD analysis detected the presences of calcium as calcite (CaCO3) and portlandite (Ca(OH)2) as impurities in the MgO product. SEM analysis of the MgO powder revealed a nano size of MgO with particle diameter of about 50 nm.
Synthesis of Various ZnO Nanotree Morphologies through PEG-Assisted Co-Precipitation Method
Authors: Mahendra Robert , Arianti Mariesta , Sawitri Dyah , Risanti Doty Dewi
Published: July 2015

ZnO, with direct wide band gap of 3.37 eV and high excitonic binding energy of 60 meV has been attracting much attention due to its wide range of applications, for transparent electronics, solar cells, and other optoelectronics device. We present a simple, single step process to produce ZnO nanotrees using co-precipitation method. As a precursor, zinc nitrate dehydrate was stabilized by hexamethylene tetraamine (HMTA) and 3-9 mM polyethylene glycol (PEG) was added at 180°C for 3-6 hours followed by residual polymer removal. Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed the typical rod-like branched nanostructures were achieved. For longer annealing time the PEG-assisted growth process indeed exhibited a distinctive c-direction inhibition responsible for the lateral growth and subsequent branching of ZnO, in which the branch growth in sample with PEG amount of 0.05 g is the slowest. Some amounts of PEG up to 0.03 g are sensitive to affect several parameters, such as, lattice stress, unit cell volume, density of film and dislocation density.
Optical Properties of Erbium Doped Borotellurite Glass System
Authors: Halimah Mohamed Kamari , Azlan M.N. , Shafinas S.Z.
Published: July 2015

Erbium doped zinc borotellurite glasses were prepared by using melt-quenching method. The structural properties of the glass samples were determined by using x-ray diffraction (XRD) method and was confirmed its amorphous nature. The density and molar volume is shown to be increased with increasing content of erbium. The refractive index is found to be increased with increasing content of erbium.
Synthesis of Antibacterial Nanofibrous Membrane Based on Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/Chitosan by Electrospinning Technique for Water Purification Application
Authors: Prama Ekaputra Muhamad , Munir Muhammad Miftahul , Rajak Abdul , Rahma Annisa , Nuryantini Ade Yeti , Khairurrijal Khairurrijal
Published: July 2015

An antibacterial nanofibrous membrane has been successfully synthesized using electrospinning method. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was used as the primary material due to its beneficial properties: great spinnability and insolubility in water, allowing potential application in water purification. Chitosan was composited in the fiber structure and was expected to inhibit bacterial growth on the membrane surface as a consequence of biofouling. Various Chitosan amounts were used with the following mass ratio of PAN/Chitosan: 20/1, 10/1, and 5/1. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was performed to assess morphology and diameter of the nanofibrous membrane. Flux test was carried out on all membrane variation in comparison with membrane filter for High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) as the reference. Filtration efficiency of the membranes was performed towards suspension containing P. aeruginosa and S. epidermidis with respective concentration of 3.02 × 107 and 2.89 × 107 cell/mL. SEM analysis showed uniform strands of PAN fiber composited with Chitosan particles. PAN/Chitosan membrane demonstrated ability to reduce bacterial concentration following the filtration process. Significant decrease of bacterial concentration resulted from filtration using PAN/Chitosan membrane was obtained. In addition, characterization and analysis of filtration efficiency indicated that PAN/Chitosan nanofibrous membrane would be suitable for applications of water purification with antibacterial activity.
Covalent Functionalization of Graphene Flakes with Well-Defined Azido-Terminated Poly(ԑ-caprolactone) and Poly(2-oxazoline)
Authors: Abdullah Nabihah , Hatano Kazuya , Ando Daiki , Hirata Kazuki , Kubo Masataka , Koshio Akira , Kokai Fumio
Published: July 2015

We report on grafting-on method to covalently functionalize exfoliated graphene flakes (GFs) synthesized via ultrasonication of graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP). A well-defined poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) (PIPOZ) with terminal azido group were prepared. The reactions between the azido-terminated PCL or PIPOZ and ultrasonication-assisted exfoliated GFs were carried out through nitrene chemistry to obtain PCL-grafted-GFs (PCL-g-GFs) and PIPOZ-grafted-GFs (PIPOZ-g-GFs). Infrared (IR), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements confirmed the structure of polymer grafted GFs. The results suggested that functionalization might be an effective approach to overcome the restacking issue of graphene. Further, the presence of polymer chains onto GFs provides solubility in a wide variety of organic solvents. This type of material may open up a new opportunity for the synthesis of graphene-based materials and fabrications.
Experimental and Computational Analysis of the Heating Step during Thermoforming of Thermoplastics
Authors: Buffel Bart , Amerijckx Marijke , Hamblok Martijn , van Mieghem Bart , Desplentere Frederik , Van Bael Albert
Published: July 2015

The present study addresses the difficulties in heating thermoplastic sheets for ther-moforming applications. In industrial environments, the sheets are heated in a contact free method by means of convective hot air ovens and infrared radiation. In this study the temperature evolution at the outer surface as well as the core of thermoplastic sheets as a function of time is measured by means of thermocouples. These measurements reveal significant through thickness temperature dif-ferences which need to be resolved before high quality products can be made. The temperature dif-ferences can be decreased by decreasing the radiative power. This is however not acceptable in in-dustry since it lowers the number of produced parts per unit of time.In order to gain insight in the time-temperature relationship during the heating phase, a finite differ-ence model is developed. The model clearly shows the constantly changing through thickness tem-perature distribution and can be used as a tool by the thermoforming industry to optimize the pro-duction process.
An Error-Adaptive, Non-Rigid Registration Method for the Analysis of Springback in Sheet Metal Forming
Authors: Schweinoch Matthias , Sacharow Alexei , Biermann Dirk , Buchheim Christoph
Published: July 2015

Springback effects, as occuring in sheet metal forming processes, pose a challenge to manufacturingplanning: the as-built part may deviate from the desired shape rendering it unusable forits intended purpose. A compensation can be achieved by modifying the forming tools to counteractthe shape deviations. A prerequisite to compensation is the knowledge of correspondences (ui; vj),between points ui on the desired and vj on the actual shape. FEM-based simulation software providesmeans to both virtually predict springback and directly obtain correspondences. In case of experimentalprototyping and validation, however, finding correspondences requires solving a registrationproblem: given a test shape Q (scan points of the as-built geometry) and a reference shape R (CADdata of the desired geometry), a transformation S has to be found to fit both objects. Correspondencesbetween S(Q) and R may then be computed based on a metric.If S is restricted to Euclidean transformations, then S(Q) results in a rigid transformation, whereevery point of Q is subject to the same translation and rotation. Local geometric deviations due tospringback are not considered, often resulting in invalid correspondences. In this contribution, a nonrigidregistration method for the efficient analysis of springback is therefore presented. The test shape Q is iteratively partitioned into segments with respect to an error metric. The segments are locally registeredusing rigid registration subject to regulatory conditions. Resulting discontinuities are addressedby minimization of the deformation energy. The error metric uses information about the deviationscomputed based on the correspondences of the previous iteration, e.g. maximum errors or changes ofthe sign. This adaptive per-segment registration allows appropriate correspondences to be determinedeven under local geometric deviations.
Multi-Stage Cold Deep Drawing of Pure Titanium Square Cup
Authors: Harada Yasunori , Ueyama Minoru
Published: July 2015

This paper deals with the formability of pure titanium sheet in square cup deep drawing. Pure titanium has very excellent corrosion resistance. In the metal forming process, pure titanium has very good ductility in cold forming. The normal anisotropy of pure titanium is very high. Therefore, the property is suitable to the sheet metal forming, such as deep drawing process. However, the most important problem is that the occurrence of seizure becomes remarkable in severe forming operations. Many investigations on the effect of processing conditions on the seizure of titanium were carried out. In the present study, the formability of pure titanium sheet in square cup deep drawing was investigated. For the prevention, pure titanium sheets were treated by heat oxide coating. The fresh and clean titanium is not in direct contact with the die during the forming due to the existence of the oxide layer. The material was pure titanium sheets of the JIS grade 2. The initial thickness of the blank was 0.5 mm in thickness. In the deep drawing process, the sheets were employed and a flat sheet blank is formed into a square by a punch. Forming of sheet by multi-stage deep drawing was tried. Various cups were drawn by exchanging the punch and die. The die was taper without a blankholder in the subsequent stages. The effects of the intermediate annealing and tool shape on the occurrence of seizure in square cup deep drawing were also examined. The square cups were successfully drawn by heat oxide coating. The coating of titanium sheet has sufficient ability in preventing the seizure in multi-stage deep drawing operation. The results of the present study revealed that the pure titanium square cups were successfully formed by using heat oxide coating treatment.
Developing a Knowledge Base about the Technological Forces within the Asymmetric Incremental Forming Process
Authors: Tera Melania , Breaz Radu Eugen , Bologa Octavian , Racz Sever Gabriel
Published: July 2015

Asymmetric single point incremental forming (ASPIF) has been recognized as a solution with potential in manufacturing small batches or single sheet metal parts. The approach presented in this paper presents the development of a knowledge base regarding the values of the technological force within the ASPIF process and the influence of some technological parameters such as feed, speed of the punch, thickness of the part and step, upon them. The method is based on the use of the information provided by the CNC machine sensors. Relationships between the torques developed by the drive motors on each axes and the technological forces will be set in order to refine the raw information displayed on the machine to a usable form. Finally, using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system the dependence between the value of the technological force and the other parameters has been extracted.