Biomedical and microbiological applications of bio-based porous materials: a review

Extensive employment of biomaterials in the areas of biomedical and microbiological applications is considered to be of prime importance. As expected, oil based polymer materials were gradually replaced by natural or synthetic biopolymers due to their well-known intrinsic characteristics such as biodegradability, non-toxicity and biocompatibility. Literature on this subject was found to be expanding, especially in the areas of biomedical and microbiological applications. Introduction of porosity into a biomaterial broadens the scope of applications. In addition, increased porosity can have a beneficial effect for the applications which exploit their exceptional ability of loading, retaining and releasing of fluids. Different applications require a unique set of pore characteristics in the biopolymer matrix. Various pore morphologies have different characteristics and contribute different performances to the biopolymer matrix. Fabrication methods for bio-based porous materials more related to the choice of material. By choosing the appropriate combination of fabrication technique and biomaterial employment, one can obtain tunable pore characteristic to fulfill the requirements of desired application. In our previous review, we described the literature related to biopolymers and fabrication techniques of porous materials. This paper we will focus on the biomedical and microbiological applications of bio-based porous materials

The case for inclusive area profiling applied in geographic information systems

This paper introduces the history and role of consultation processes of contemporary planning and, after presenting the popularity and criticisms of different practices including communities in urban decision making, it explores how rational planning tools like the geographic information system (GIS) could be exploited to reshape consultation and formally include subjective data in traditional area profiling. Focusing on the popular consultation tool of community mapping, primary and secondary research methods (a literature review, seven interviews to planners and two observational studies) identified seven different problems with contemporary community mapping: spatial and temporal scale, generalisation, integration, representativeness, accessibility, relatedness and visualisation. The conceptualisation, physical modelling and testing of a new community mapping procedure ‘Submap’ is then used to address these problems and discuss (a) the strengths and limitations of formalising community mapping activities for area profiling in GIS and (b) the role of pragmatic research in promoting inclusive practices in contemporary planning

Geo-environmental mapping using physiographic analysis: constraints on the evaluation of land instability and groundwater pollution hazards in the Metropolitan District of Campinas, Brazil

Geo-environmental terrain assessments and territorial zoning are useful tools for the formulation and implementation of environmental management instruments (including policy-making, planning, and enforcement of statutory regulations). They usually involve a set of procedures and techniques for delimitation, characterisation and classification of terrain units. However, terrain assessments and zoning exercises are often costly and time-consuming, particularly when encompassing large areas, which in many cases prevent local agencies in developing countries from properly benefiting from such assessments. In the present paper, a low-cost technique based on the analysis of texture of satellite imagery was used for delimitation of terrain units. The delimited units were further analysed in two test areas situated in Southeast Brazil to provide estimates of land instability and the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution hazards. The implementation incorporated procedures for inferring the influences and potential implications of tectonic fractures and other discontinuities on ground behaviour and local groundwater flow. Terrain attributes such as degree of fracturing, bedrock lithology and weathered materials were explored as indicators of ground properties. The paper also discusses constraints on- and limitations of- the approaches taken

Parent pedagogical positioning to create conditions for preschooler STEM learning using a Conceptual PlayWorld approach

STEM education has become a national priority, critical to the future of the workforce and the building of competitive economies across the globe. The literature suggests that early engagement with basic STEM concepts supports mastery of STEM subjects in later school years and in the professions. This has generated a need to better understand the ways children learn STEM concepts in family settings where it is understood that much of children's conceptual development takes place. This paper seeks to examine how parents can pedagogically position themselves to create motivating conditions for STEM learning. Various cultural-historical researchers have theorised that imagination is useful in the development of children's thinking. This paper reports on how an evidence informed model for STEM learning, which uses collective imagination to support conceptual development, when introduced as an intervention into family practice, provided opportunities for a parent to begin positioning themselves with pedagogical impact. Participating families engaged in six Conceptual PlayWorld sessions via zoom with children aged 4 years and 6 months. Through analysis of playful family interactions, the findings show four pedagogical positions or ‘interactional themes’ initiated by the parent (‘above’/’primordial we’, ‘equal’, ‘independent’ and ‘below’) each of which created different possibilities for collective imagination and conceptual thinking.</p

Conceptual PlayWorld intervention in a toddler playgroup:creating new conditions for parent-toddler collective imaginary play

Research affirms that when parents play with their toddlers in imaginary scenarios, the play of these infants becomes more sophisticated. From a Vygotskian perspective, the development of imaginary play supports formation of conceptual thinking. However, the majority of Australian parents report low confidence in their ability to support play, and advocate the desire to receive education about how to achieve this. Community playgroup settings offer an opportunity for parent education to be delivered with over a third of Australian children enrolling in this institution before school entry age. Drawing upon a system of cultural historical concepts, this paper reports on how Fleer's Conceptual Playworlds (CPW), an evidence informed model for imaginary play involving adults and children to support conceptual development, was introduced as an intervention into playgroup practice. Over a 6 month period, researchers demonstrated how to implement the approach and recorded the family interactions of two toddlers aged 14 and 15 months. The data shows families engaged with new pedagogic practices supporting children's imaginary play in the collective. We report that as a result of this intervention, parents developed a motive orientation towards imaginary play which created conditions for toddlers to participate in collective imaginary play.</p

Supporting Blind and Visually Impaired Persons in Managing Their Medication.

Various reasons lead to non-adherence to drug therapy, such as forgotten reordering of medications or wrong intake behavior. Blind and visually impaired persons face additional challenges, such as recognizing the medication package or reading the package insert which additionally impacts on patient safety. To address these challenges, we developed a concept for supporting medication management. In the center of the concept is the mobile application MyPills. It reminds on drug intake and reordering. These functionalities are made available to blind and visually impaired persons using screen reader functionalities. The current medication is entered into MyPills using the eMediplan, a Swiss national exchange format for eMedication. Beyond, package inserts are made accessible through voice output. MyPills supports in scanning the global trade item number (GTIN) for medication package identification. A usability tests carried out with six participants including two blind persons showed that users get along well with the app and the functionalities are helpful. In future studies with patients, it should be checked whether the MyPills app can improve compliance with drug therapy and impacts on intake behavior

Nanotechnology Perspectives in Agro and Food Industries

Nanotechnology is a rapidly emerging field of research with enormous potential for societal and economic benefits. It exploits physical phenomena and mechanisms that cannot be derived by simply scaling down the associated bulk structures and bulk phenomena. In this article nanotechnology perspectives and applications in agro and food industries has been analyzed. Development and perspectives for intelligent packaging materials and encapsulated components for slow release of active compounds has been especially reviewed

Encapsulation of antioxidant phenolic compounds extracted from spent coffee grounds by freeze-drying and spray-drying using different coating materials

Supplementary data associated with this article can be found, in the online version, at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.05.142.Freeze-drying and spray-drying techniques were evaluated for encapsulation of phenolic compounds (PC) extracted from spent coffee grounds. Additionally, the use of maltodextrin, gum arabic and a mixture of these components (ratio 1:1) as wall material to retain the PC and preserve their antioxidant activity was also assessed. The contents of PC and flavonoids (FLA), as well as the antioxidant activity of the encapsulated samples were determined in order to verify the efficiency of each studied condition. Additional analyses for characterization of the samples were also performed. Both the technique and the coating material greatly influenced the encapsulation of antioxidant PC. The best results were achieved when PC were encapsulated by freeze-drying using maltodextrin as wall material. Under these conditions, the amount of PC and FLA retained in the encapsulated sample corresponded to 62% and 73%, respectively, and 73-86% of the antioxidant activity present in the original extract was preserved.This work was supported by the Science and Technology Foundation of Portugal (FCT - grant SFRH/BD/80948/2011); the Strategic Project (PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013); and the Project ‘‘BioInd - Biotechnology and Bioengineering for improved Industrial and Agro-Food processes” Co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 – O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER (Ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000028).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Maintaining yeast viability in continuous primary beer fermentation

Continuous fermentation is a long known and vastly studied process. The use of immobilized cell technology (ICT) is exploited in a significant number of studies owing to the associated high volumetric productivity, time savings and low capital demand. This work was aimed at solving one of the most relevant obstacles to implementing ICT on a large scale in beer fermentations, namely the control of biomass and the maintenance of cell viability in a gas-lift bioreactor. For this purpose, foam fractionation by skimming was proposed as a tool for control of continuous biomass concentration. The consequences of foaming on lignocellulosic yeast carrier losses were assessed and discussed. A steady consumption of sugars from wort, as well as consistent ethanol production, were achieved. The viability of the suspended cells in the reactor was compared with that of the cell population in the foam using flow cytometry. Results suggest that foam might be used as a promising tool to skim non-viable biomass out of the gas-lift reactor, thus ensuring the maintenance of a cell culture with optimum viability. Copyright © 2014 The Institute of Brewing & DistillingEduardo Pires gratefully acknowledges the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) for PhD fellowship support (SFRH/BD/61777/2009) and Cristina Ribeiro from the Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology/Department of Biology for technical support. This work was also supported by FEDER through POFC - COMPETE and by national funds from FCT through the project PEst-C/BIA/UI4050/2011. The materials supplied by UNICER Bebidas, S.A. (S. Mamede de Infesta, Portugal) are gratefully acknowledged. The financial contributions of the EU FP7 project EcoBioCAP - Ecoefficient Biodegradable Composite Advanced Packaging, grant agreement no. 265669 as well as of the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (project GACR P503/12/1424) are also gratefully acknowledged