scholarly journals Evaluation of an Easy-to-Install, Low-Cost Dendrometer Band for Citizen-Science Tree Research

2019 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 317-322
Author(s):  
Michael G Just ◽  
Steven D Frank
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Stem Growth ◽  
Growth Monitoring ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Highly Correlated

AbstractTree-stem growth is an important metric for evaluating many ecological and silvicultural research questions. However, answering these questions may require monitoring growth on many individual trees that span changing environments and geographies, which can incur significant costs. Recently, citizen science has been successfully employed as a cost-effective approach to collect data for large-scale projects that also increases scientific awareness. Still, citizen-science-led tree-growth monitoring requires the use of tools that are affordable, understandable, and accurate. Here, we compare an inexpensive, easy-to-install dendrometer band to two other bands that are more expensive with more complex installations. We installed a series of three dendrometers on 31 red maples (Acer rubrum) in two urban areas in the eastern United States. We found that the stem-growth measurements reported by these dendrometers were highly correlated and, thus, validate the utility of the inexpensive band.

Development of All-Plastic Microvalve Array for Multiplexed Immunoassay

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shancy Augustine ◽  
Pan Gu ◽  
Xiangjun Zheng ◽  
Toshikazu Nishida ◽  
Z. Hugh Fan
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Simultaneous Detection ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Negative Control ◽  
Sensitive Material ◽  
Detection Scheme ◽  
Power Battery ◽  
Multiple Analytes ◽  
Multiplexed Immunoassay

There is a need for low-cost immunoassays that measure the presence and concentration of multiple harmful agents in one device. Currently, comparable immunoassays employ a one-analyte-per-test format that is time consuming and not cost effective for the requirement of detecting multiple analytes in a single sample. For instance, if a spectrum of harmful agents, including E. coli O157, cholera toxin, and Salmonella typhimurium, should be simultaneously monitored in foods and drinking water, then a one-analyte-per-test would be inefficient. This work demonstrates a platform capable of simultaneous detection of multiple analytes in a single, low-cost, microvalve array-enabled multiplexed immunoassay. This multiplexed immunoassay platform is demonstrated in a prototype COC (cyclic olefin copolymer) device with a 2×3 array in which 6 analytes can be detected simultaneously. In order to contain and regulate the flow of reagents in the multichannel device, an array of microfluidic valves actuated by a thermally expandable material and microfabricated resistors have been developed to direct the flow to the necessary assay sites. The microvalve-based immunoassay is shown to be reliable, easy to operate, and compatible with large-scale integration. The all-plastic microvalves use paraffin wax as the thermally sensitive material which drastically reduces power consumption by latching upon closing so that pulsed power is required only to close and latch the microvalve until it is necessary to re-open the valve. The multiplexed detection scheme has been demonstrated by using three proteins, C reactive protein (CRP) and transferrin, both of which are biomarkers associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) as well as bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the negative control. Since there are no external bulky pneumatic accessories required to operate/latch the microvalves in the device, this compact, thermally actuated and latching microvalve-enabled multiplexed immunoassay has the potential to realize a portable, low power, battery operated microfluidic device for biological assays.

Performance of rapid diagnostic tests for HCV infection in serum or plasma

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphane Chevaliez ◽  
Françoise Roudot-Thoraval ◽  
Christophe Hézode ◽  
Jean-Michel Pawlotsky ◽  
Richard Njouom
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Antibody Test ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Clinical Sensitivity ◽  
Cost Treatment

Aim: HCV diagnosis will become the bottleneck in eliminating hepatitis C. Simple, accurate and cost-effective testing strategies are urgently needed to improve hepatitis C screening and diagnosis. Materials & methods: Performance of seven rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) have been assessed in a large series (n = 498) of serum or plasma specimens collected in France and in Cameroon. Results: Specificity varied from 96.1 to 100%. The clinical sensitivity, compared with immunoassays as the reference, was high for all seven RDT (97.2–100%). The Multisure HCV antibody assay and OraQuick HCV rapid antibody test reached sensitivity ≥99%. Conclusion: A number of RDT may be suitable for WHO prequalification and may be implemented in the framework of large-scale low-cost treatment programs to achieve the WHO viral hepatitis objectives by 2030.

scholarly journals Effect of Protocatechuic Acid on Euglena gracilis Growth and Accumulation of Metabolites

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9158
Author(s):  
Xiaomiao Tan ◽  
Jiangyu Zhu ◽  
Minato Wakisaka
Keyword(s):  
Euglena Gracilis ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Protocatechuic Acid ◽  
Biomass Yield ◽  
Growth Promotion ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Biological Functions ◽  
First Time

The development of efficient, environmentally friendly, low-cost approaches used to boost the growth of microalgae is urgently required to meet the increasing demands for food supplements, cosmetics, and biofuels. In this study, the growth promotion effects of protocatechuic acid (PCA) in the freshwater microalga Euglena gracilis were confirmed for the first time. PCA is a simple phenolic compound derived from natural plants and has a range of biological functions. The highest biomass yield, 3.1-fold higher than that of the control, used at 1.3 g·L−1, was obtained at 800 mg·L−1 of PCA. The yields of the metabolites chlorophyll a, carotenoids, and paramylon in the presence of PCA at 800 mg·L−1 were 3.1, 3.3, and 1.7 times higher than those of the control group, respectively. The highest paramylon yield was achieved at a lower dosage of PCA (100 mg·L−1), which is considered to be feasible for economic paramylon production. The growth and biosynthesis of metabolites stimulated by phytochemicals such as PCA could be an efficient and cost-effective strategy to enhance the productivity of microalgae in large-scale cultivations.

scholarly journals One year later: Highlighting the challenges and opportunities in disseminating a breathing-retraining digital behaviour change intervention

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 205520762093644
Author(s):  
Ben Ainsworth ◽  
Anne Bruton ◽  
Mike Thomas ◽  
Lucy Yardley
Keyword(s):  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Breathing Retraining ◽  
One Year ◽  
Randomised Controlled

Digital behaviour change interventions can provide effective and cost-effective treatments for a range of health conditions. However, after rigorous evaluation, there still remain challenges to disseminating and implementing evidence-based interventions that can hinder their effectiveness ‘in the real world’. We conducted a large-scale randomised controlled trial of self-guided breathing retraining, which we then disseminated freely as a digital intervention. Here we share our experience of this process after one year, highlighting the opportunities that digital health interventions can offer alongside the challenges that must be addressed in order to harness their effectiveness. Whilst such treatments can support many individuals at extremely low cost, careful dissemination strategies should be proactively planned in order to ensure such opportunities are maximised and interventions remain up to date in a fast-moving digital landscape.

scholarly journals Towards High Performance Chemical Vapour Deposition V2O5 Cathodes for Batteries Employing Aqueous Media

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (23) ◽  
pp. 5558
Author(s):  
Dimitra Vernardou ◽  
Charalampos Drosos ◽  
Andreas Kafizas ◽  
Martyn E. Pemble ◽  
Emmanouel Koudoumas
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Electrode Materials ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Aqueous Media ◽  
Chemical Vapour ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Scale Production ◽  
Environmentally Safe

The need for clean and efficient energy storage has become the center of attention due to the eminent global energy crisis and growing ecological concerns. A key component in this effort is the ultra-high performance battery, which will play a major role in the energy industry. To meet the demands in portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, and large-scale energy storage systems, it is necessary to prepare advanced batteries with high safety, fast charge ratios, and discharge capabilities at a low cost. Cathode materials play a significant role in determining the performance of batteries. Among the possible electrode materials is vanadium pentoxide, which will be discussed in this review, due to its low cost and high theoretical capacity. Additionally, aqueous electrolytes, which are environmentally safe, provide an alternative approach compared to organic media for safe, cost-effective, and scalable energy storage. In this review, we will reveal the industrial potential of competitive methods to grow cathodes with excellent stability and enhanced electrochemical performance in aqueous media and lay the foundation for the large-scale production of electrode materials.

Before-and-After Empirical Bayes Evaluation of Citywide Installation of Driver Feedback Signs

2020 ◽  
Vol 2674 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-427
Author(s):  
Mingjian Wu ◽  
Karim El-Basyouny ◽  
Tae J. Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Empirical Bayes ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Feedback Sign ◽  
Driver Feedback ◽  
Road Segments

Speeding is a leading factor that contributes to approximately one-third of all fatal collisions. Over the past decades, various passive/active countermeasures have been adopted to improve drivers’ compliance to posted speed limits to improve traffic safety. The driver feedback sign (DFS) is considered a low-cost innovative intervention that is being widely used, in growing numbers, in urban cities to provide positive guidance for motorists. Despite their documented effectiveness in reducing speeds, limited literature exists on their impact on reducing collisions. This study addresses this gap by designing a before-and-after study using the empirical Bayes method for a large sample of urban road segments. Safety performance functions and yearly calibration factors are developed to quantify the sole effectiveness of DFS using large-scale spatial data and a set of reference road segments within the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Likewise, the study followed a detailed economic analysis based on three collision-costing criteria to investigate if DFS was indeed a cost-effective intervention. The results showed significant collision reductions that ranged from 32.5% to 44.9%, with the highest reductions observed for severe speed-related collisions. The results further attested that the benefit–cost ratios, combining severe and property-damage-only collisions, ranged from 8.2 to 20.2 indicating that DFS can be an extremely economical countermeasure. The findings from this study can provide transportation agencies in need of implementing cost-efficient countermeasures with a tool they need to design a long-term strategic deployment plan to ensure the safety of traveling public.

The Production of Reduced Graphene Oxide by a Low-Cost Vacuum System for Supercapacitor Applications

2018 ◽  
Vol 930 ◽  
pp. 609-612
Author(s):  
Quezia Cardoso ◽  
Franks Martins Silva ◽  
Ligia Silverio Vieira ◽  
Julio Cesar Serafim Casini ◽  
Solange Kazume Sakata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Graphene Oxide ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
High Vacuum ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Practical Method ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Vacuum System ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Pump Pressure

Graphene has attracted significant interest because of its excellent electrical properties. However, a practical method for producing graphene on a large scale is yet to be developed. Graphene oxide (GO) can be partially reduced to graphene-like sheets by removing the oxygen-containing groups and recovering the conjugated structure. GO can be produced using inexpensive graphite as the raw material via cost-effective chemical methods. High vacuum and temperature (10−7 mbar and 1100°C, respectively) conditions are well-known to enable the preparation of reduced powder at the laboratory scale. However, a large-scale high vacuum reduction system that can be routinely operated at 10−7 mbar requires considerable initial capital as well as substantial operational and maintenance costs. The current study aims at developing an inexpensive method for the large-scale reduction of graphene oxide. A stainless steel vessel was evacuated to backing-pump pressure (10−2 mbar) and used to process GO at a range of temperatures. The reduction of GO powder at low vacuum pressures was attempted and investigated by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The experimental results of processing GO powder at various temperatures (200–1000°C) at relatively low pressures are reported. The microstructures of the processed materials were investigated using scanning electron microscopy and chemical microanalyses via energy dispersive X-ray analysis.

A comparative study of greywater from domestic and public buildings

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Santos ◽  
C. Matos ◽  
F. Taveira-Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Potable Water ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Public Buildings ◽  
Correct Definition ◽  
Cost Effective Treatment ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Definition Of

Greywater (GW) can be an important resource for urban water consumption, replacing potable water for purposes that do not require drinking water quality. If applied on a large scale, this practice will reduce the potable water demand and the wastewater produced in urban areas, minimizing the negative impacts and costs of water extraction and wastewater treatment. A correct characterization of GW is important to assess its potential for a direct reuse or, if not possible, to make a correct definition of a feasible and cost-effective treatment system. This article aims to contribute to the characterization of GW produced in washbasins and showers in domestic and public buildings. A compilation of several works on GW collection and sampling produced by the authors is presented. Samples were taken from GW produced in showers and washbasins in households, changing rooms and in a restaurant. Results are compared with values presented in similar studies and compared with standards and guidelines published in different countries.

Theory and Manufacturing Processes of Solar Nanoantenna Electromagnetic Collectors

2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. K. Kotter ◽  
S. D. Novack ◽  
W. D. Slafer ◽  
P. J. Pinhero
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Optical Antenna ◽  
Technological Barriers ◽  
Large Scale Manufacture ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Optical Behavior ◽  
Effective Proof ◽  
Selection Of

The research described in this paper explores a new and efficient approach for producing electricity from the abundant energy of the sun, using nanoantenna (nantenna) electromagnetic collectors (NECs). NEC devices target midinfrared wavelengths, where conventional photovoltaic (PV) solar cells are inefficient and where there is an abundance of solar energy. The initial concept of designing NECs was based on scaling of radio frequency antenna theory to the infrared and visible regions. This approach initially proved unsuccessful because the optical behavior of materials in the terahertz (THz) region was overlooked and, in addition, economical nanofabrication methods were not previously available to produce the optical antenna elements. This paper demonstrates progress in addressing significant technological barriers including: (1) development of frequency-dependent modeling of double-feedpoint square spiral nantenna elements, (2) selection of materials with proper THz properties, and (3) development of novel manufacturing methods that could potentially enable economical large-scale manufacturing. We have shown that nantennas can collect infrared energy and induce THz currents and we have also developed cost-effective proof-of-concept fabrication techniques for the large-scale manufacture of simple square-loop nantenna arrays. Future work is planned to embed rectifiers into the double-feedpoint antenna structures. This work represents an important first step toward the ultimate realization of a low-cost device that will collect as well as convert this radiation into electricity. This could lead to a broadband, high conversion efficiency low-cost solution to complement conventional PV devices.

scholarly journals Integrated bioprocess for conversion of gaseous substrates to liquids

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (14) ◽  
pp. 3773-3778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Hu ◽  
Sagar Chakraborty ◽  
Amit Kumar ◽  
Benjamin Woolston ◽  
Hongjuan Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Synthesis Gas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Biodiesel Production ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Acid Product ◽  
The Individual

In the quest for inexpensive feedstocks for the cost-effective production of liquid fuels, we have examined gaseous substrates that could be made available at low cost and sufficiently large scale for industrial fuel production. Here we introduce a new bioconversion scheme that effectively converts syngas, generated from gasification of coal, natural gas, or biomass, into lipids that can be used for biodiesel production. We present an integrated conversion method comprising a two-stage system. In the first stage, an anaerobic bioreactor converts mixtures of gases of CO2 and CO or H2 to acetic acid, using the anaerobic acetogen Moorella thermoacetica. The acetic acid product is fed as a substrate to a second bioreactor, where it is converted aerobically into lipids by an engineered oleaginous yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica. We first describe the process carried out in each reactor and then present an integrated system that produces microbial oil, using synthesis gas as input. The integrated continuous bench-scale reactor system produced 18 g/L of C16-C18 triacylglycerides directly from synthesis gas, with an overall productivity of 0.19 g⋅L−1⋅h−1 and a lipid content of 36%. Although suboptimal relative to the performance of the individual reactor components, the presented integrated system demonstrates the feasibility of substantial net fixation of carbon dioxide and conversion of gaseous feedstocks to lipids for biodiesel production. The system can be further optimized to approach the performance of its individual units so that it can be used for the economical conversion of waste gases from steel mills to valuable liquid fuels for transportation.

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