CDIO project on MaViCo heat compress for tackwondo players

Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial arts sport which is currently practiced by many countries around the world. As claimed by the International Olympics Committee (2015), this sport made its debut in 1988 as a demonstration of Olympic sport in Korea and became an official medal sport in Sydney, Australia in the year 2000. The art of taekwondo develops posture, graceful movement, excellent coordination, and attention to detail. As a martial arts sport, taekwondo is characterized by its emphasis on dynamic techniques for taking mobile stances, speed, flexibility, and endurance in order to perform the whole process perfectly. Thus, athletes are required to have control over their shoulders, back, hips, knees, ankles, and feet when practicing this sport

Large-scale collection and annotation of gene models for date palm (Phoenix dactylifera, L.)

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), famed for its sugar-rich fruits (dates) and cultivated by humans since 4,000 B.C., is an economically important crop in the Middle East, Northern Africa, and increasingly other places where climates are suitable. Despite a long history of human cultivation, the understanding of P. dactylifera genetics and molecular biology are rather limited, hindered by lack of basic data in high quality from genomics and transcriptomics. Here we report a large-scale effort in generating gene models (assembled expressed sequence tags or ESTs and mapped to a genome assembly) for P. dactylifera, using the long-read pyrosequencing platform (Roche/454 GS FLX Titanium) in high coverage. We built fourteen cDNA libraries from different P. dactylifera tissues (cultivar Khalas) and acquired 15,778,993 raw sequencing reads—about one million sequencing reads per library—and the pooled sequences were assembled into 67,651 non-redundant contigs and 301,978 singletons. We annotated 52,725 contigs based on the plant databases and 45 contigs based on functional domains referencing to the Pfam database. From the annotated contigs, we assigned GO (Gene Ontology) terms to 36,086 contigs and KEGG pathways to 7,032 contigs. Our comparative analysis showed that 70.6 % (47,930), 69.4 % (47,089), 68.4 % (46,441), and 69.3 % (47,048) of the P. dactylifera gene models are shared with rice, sorghum, Arabidopsis, and grapevine, respectively. We also assigned our gene models into house-keeping and tissue-specific genes based on their tissue specificity. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11103-012-9924-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Synthesis and Characterization of Two Pyrene Labeled Gemini Surfactants and their Interactions with Oppositely Charged Molecules

Cationic gemini surfactants (GS) have attracted the attention of the scientific community as potential carriers of genetic cargo for gene transfection applications. These GS/polynucleotides complexes have been extensively studied in the literature, although most of the focus has been geared toward the characterization of the polynucleotide component of these complexes. This thesis utilizes steady-state (SSF) and time-resolved (TRF) fluorescence in conjunction with the model free analysis (MFA) to study and characterize two gemini surfactants, which were covalently labeled with the fluorescent dye pyrene. Pyrene was selected as the fluorophore for its ability to form an excimer upon encounter between an excited and a ground-state pyrene. First, two cationic gemini surfactants denoted as Py-3-12 and PyO-3-12 were prepared and their successful synthesis was confirmed by 1H NMR. The surfactants were constituted of two dimethylammonium bromide headgroups linked by a propyl spacer, where one headgroup bore a dodecyl chain and the other headgroup bore either a 1-pyrenehexyl or a 1-pyrenemethoxyhexyl group for Py-3-12 and PyO-3-12, respectively. The properties of Py-3-12 and PyO-3-12 were investigated by determining their critical micelle concentration (CMC) and average aggregation number (Nagg). The fluorescence from the pyrene excimer was employed for the first time to determine Nagg for the micelles generated by these pyrene-labeled gemini surfactants (PyLGS). Since PyO-3-12 was shown to be more sensitive of the polarity of its local environment, it was deemed a better fluorescent probe than Py-3-12. After the behavior of the PyLGS had been characterized in solution, their interactions with other molecules were studied. The improved properties of PyO-3-12 led to the study of its complexation with the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Three series of PyO-3-12 solutions were prepared, where [PyO-3-12] was kept constant at 1, 4, and 16 M, which is below the CMC of 0.33 mM of PyO-3-12, while the SDS concentration was varied from 0 to 200 mM. The SSF and MFA results showed that complexation of PyO-3-12 with SDS was complete at the equicharge point. As more SDS molecules were added to these systems, these complexes remained stable resulting in small changes in the trends obtained from the analysis of the SSF spectra and the MFA of the TRF decays. The PyO-3-12/SDS complexes were found to break down into smaller complexes as the [SDS] increased from 2 to the 8 mM CMC of SDS as a result of the incorporation of more SDS molecules into the PyO-3-12/SDS complexes. The smaller PyO-3-12/SDS complexes that existed at the CMC of SDS retained their composition for [SDS] between the CMC and 50 mM, as SDS micelles began to form. Increasing [SDS] above 50 mM led to the complete decomposition of the PyO-3-12/SDS complexes and resulted in SDS micelles hosting a single PyO-3-12 surfactant. These findings showed that the use of fluorescence techniques like SSF and the combination of TRF with the MFA provides a powerful tool to probe the interactions between PyLGS and oppositely charged surfactants at PyLGS concentrations, that were as low as 1 M, much lower than their CMC and thus low enough to enable the study of their interactions between unassociated surfactants. Other techniques such as light scattering would require far higher concentrations of surfactants to study these aggregates. The complexation of Py-3-12 and PyO-3-12 with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) was investigated in the fourth research chapter of this thesis. The concentrations of Py-3-12 and PyO-3-12 were kept constant below their respective CMC, while the CT-DNA concentration was varied and the (/+) ratio, representing the ratio of the [CT-DNA] expressed in base pair concentration over [PyLGS], was used to describe changes in the [CT-DNA]. Both surfactants formed stable complexes with CT-DNA over a range of (/+) ratios around unity, as indicated by the constant parameters retrieved from the analysis of the SSF spectra and the MFA of the TRF decays. PyO-3-12 also provided some insight about the polarity of the local environment inside the PyO-3-12/CT-DNA complexes, which was found to be less hydrophobic than the interior of the PyO-3-12 micelles. The stability of the PyO-3-12/CT-DNA complexes prepared with a (/+) ratio of 1.5 was further investigated as SDS, used to represent the negatively charged amphiphilic molecules found in cell membranes, was added to the solution. At low [SDS], addition of SDS molecules led to their association with the PyO-3-12/CT-DNA complexes in a process leading to the dissociation of the PyO-3-12/CT-DNA into ter-complexes made of individual CT-DNA molecules coated with a layer of positively charged PyO-3-12 further wrapped in a layer of SDS. Above an [SDS] of 0.5 mM, the DNA molecules were released from the ter-complexes leading to the formation of PyO-3-12/SDS complexes, which had been studied earlier. The complete release of CT-DNA from the PyO-3-12/CT-DNA complexes further supports the well-accepted notion that gemini surfactants are good candidates as carriers of genetic material. In summary, this thesis has developed the use of PyLGS to characterize the interactions between unassociated gemini surfactants and oppositely charged molecules like SDS and CT-DNA. Taking advantage of the outstanding sensitivity of fluorescence, these studies can be conducted at surfactant concentrations, that are 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower than their CMC, while the photophysical properties of the pyrenyl label affords insights into the structure and conformation adopted by the complexes generated with the PyLGS

Genome diversity of Epstein-Barr virus from multiple tumor types and normal infection

pstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects most of the world's population and is causally associated with several human cancers, but little is known about how EBV genetic variation might influence infection or EBV-associated disease. There are currently no published wild-type EBV genome sequences from a healthy individual and very few genomes from EBV-associated diseases. We have sequenced 71 geographically distinct EBV strains from cell lines, multiple types of primary tumor, and blood samples and the first EBV genome from the saliva of a healthy carrier. We show that the established genome map of EBV accurately represents all strains sequenced, but novel deletions are present in a few isolates. We have increased the number of type 2 EBV genomes sequenced from one to 12 and establish that the type 1/type 2 classification is a major feature of EBV genome variation, defined almost exclusively by variation of EBNA2 and EBNA3 genes, but geographic variation is also present. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) density varies substantially across all known open reading frames and is highest in latency-associated genes. Some T-cell epitope sequences in EBNA3 genes show extensive variation across strains, and we identify codons under positive selection, both important considerations for the development of vaccines and T-cell therapy. We also provide new evidence for recombination between strains, which provides a further mechanism for the generation of diversity. Our results provide the first global view of EBV sequence variation and demonstrate an effective method for sequencing large numbers of genomes to further understand the genetics of EBV infection. IMPORTANCE: Most people in the world are infected by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and it causes several human diseases, which occur at very different rates in different parts of the world and are linked to host immune system variation. Natural variation in EBV DNA sequence may be important for normal infection and for causing disease. Here we used rapid, cost-effective sequencing to determine 71 new EBV sequences from different sample types and locations worldwide. We showed geographic variation in EBV genomes and identified the most variable parts of the genome. We identified protein sequences that seem to have been selected by the host immune system and detected variability in known immune epitopes. This gives the first overview of EBV genome variation, important for designing vaccines and immune therapy for EBV, and provides techniques to investigate relationships between viral sequence variation and EBV-associated diseases

A simulation-based software to support the real-time operational parameters selection of tunnel boring machines

With the fact that the main operational parameters of the construction process in mechanized tunneling are currently selected based on monitoring data and engineering experience without exploiting the advantages of computer methods, the focus of this work is to develop a simulation-based real-time assistant system to support the selection of operational parameters. The choice of an appropriate set of these parameters (i.e., the face support pressure, the grouting pressure, and the advance speed) during the operation of tunnel boring machines (TBM) is determined by evaluating different tunneling-induced soil-structure interactions such as the surface settlement, the associated risks on existing structures and the tunnel lining behavior. To evaluate soil-structure behavior, an advanced process-oriented numerical simulation model based on the finite cell method is utilized. To enable the real-time prediction capability of the simulation model for a practical application during the advancement of TBMs, surrogate models based on the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition and Radial Basis Functions (POD-RBF) are adopted. The proposed approach is demonstrated through several synthetic numerical examples inspired by the data of real tunnel projects. The developed methods are integrated into a user-friendly application called SMART to serve as a support platform for tunnel engineers at construction sites. Corresponding to each user adjustment of the input parameters, i.e., each TBM driving scenario, approximately two million outputs of soil-structure interactions are quickly predicted and visualized in seconds, which can provide the site engineers with a rough estimation of the impacts of the chosen scenario on structural responses of the tunnel and above ground structures

A framework of test case prioritisation in regression testing using particle swarm-artificial bee colony algorithm

Software modifications necessitate regression testing to address defects and verify functionality. Regression test case prioritisation (TCP) is used to revalidate modified software, ensuring its quality before release on the digital market. The TCP process involves optimising test cases by rearranging them effectively to achieve a performance goal, such as early fault detection. However, existing TCP frameworks lack reliability and suffer from efficiency and effectiveness issues, highlighting the necessity for a new multi-objective framework. The research’s primary objective is to construct a framework for prioritising test cases in regression testing using swarm intelligence that enhances test efficiency and effectiveness. This research employed a modified version of the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM), streamlined into five stages: problem identification, theoretical study, framework development, evaluation, and reporting. The developed framework, grounded in fault-based testing theory, comprises three key components: inputs, prioritization factors, and a prioritization algorithm. The framework was subsequently verified and validated through expert reviews and experimental testing. Ten knowledge and domain experts provided positive feedback on the framework's verification, affirming the framework's robustness. Validation was conducted through three experiments involving four Java programs. The results demonstrated high effectiveness, with scores ranging from 93.91% to 99.51% on the scaled weighted average percentage of faults detected (APFD) metric. For efficiency, the study found that the execution time metric was at 1.53757 seconds. The primary theoretical contribution is the TCP framework, which is applied in the software testing industry. TCP factors and a weighted fitness function are also used for test case optimisation. The contributions of this study straddle research perspectives of enhancing Regression Testing with Particle Swarm-Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm, and practical perspectives by providing software testing practitioners the TCP framework that can facilitate and accelerate the production of high-quality software products by revealing faults early and reducing time, cost, and human efforts through automation

Prevalence of Child Labor among Elementary School Students from 5 th to 9 th Grade in Al Mukalla

Purpose To determined the prevalence of the child labor among male primary school students in Mukalla district in Yemen Methodology A cross-sectional study was designed to collect data from 5 th grade to 9 th grade primary school students in Mukalla city during the year 2015 2016 Results The study showed a high prevalence of child labor among school children in Mukalla city 54 2 where the common reason of child labor is that children have the interest to help their families 69 9 About 35 of students reported that they exposed to different kinds of abuse in their owner s place Child labor affects negatively on their school s achievements and about 20 7 of them thinking to leave school Educational level of parents did not indicate significant association with child labor p-value 0 11 Conclusion High prevalence of child labor may affect on their school achievements and being a predisposing factor to school drop-ou

Development of risk management framework for the construction industry in yemen

Yemen is one of the developing poorest economies in the world, yet it has seen extraordinary growth in construction over the last few decades. The construction sector is considered an important sector in developing economies and contributes significantly to the improvement of the economic growth of any country, particularly in developing countries like Yemen. Construction projects regularly experience a high level of uncertainty due to its Complexity, which definitely exposes them to risks that result a negative impact on the project's objectives. Given developing countries' resource constraints compared to developed countries, it is critical to accomplish construction projects on schedule, within budget, and with the highest possible quality. Thus, risk management is a critical component of the construction industry's decision-making process, as it determines the success or failure of construction projects. The absence of application and understanding of risk management leads to poor construction project performance particularly in developing countries. Risk management in construction projects in Yemen is under-researched compared to developed and developing countries, and lacking a suitable risk management framework. Hence, the main objective of this research is to develop a risk management framework in order to improve the performance of construction projects in Yemen. In order to achieve the research objectives, a mixed-method approach was used, which included semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with participants in a construction project in Yemen. Through an extensive literature review, 56 risk factors affecting construction projects in developing countries from43 studies were identified and categorized. Semi-structured interviews with construction experts in Yemen were conducted and 48 risk factors related to the Yemeni construction projects have been identified. A questionnaire survey utilizing a nonprobability sampling method using a five-point scale was carried out among the construction sector in Yemen to identify the most significant risk factors based on the likelihood of occurrence and impact on the objectives of projects, and to evaluate the current practice and knowledge of risk management in construction projects in Yemen,. 174 responses were completed and collected from the public and private sectors. 17 critical risks were identified using the mean, the relative important index method, and risk acceptability matrix analysis. War and political instability, inflation, and exchange rate fluctuations are identified as the most significant risks. Most of the risks are allocated to the contractor or shared between owner and contractor. The current knowledge and practice of the construction projects in Yemen have been evaluated. The results also show that risk management is not implemented in most projects, the majority of participants in construction don’t have adequate knowledge of risk management, and risk management does not apply systematically in construction projects. Based on the findings from the literature reviews, and data analysis a risk management framework has been developed to be served as a guideline for managing risks in construction projects in Yemen and developing countries. The framework was developed based on the principles including developing the existing frameworks; utilizing risk management tools that have been implemented successfully in other countries. The framework has provided incorporated techniques for risk management that is based on well-defined principles. The developed framework has validated using a semi-structured interview with 16 Yemeni construction experts. Experts’ feedback demonstrates that the developed framework is comprehensive and compatible with the Yemen environment, and does not involve complicated processes. This study will serve as a guideline for participants in construction projects in Yemen to improve the performance of construction projects