Nanomaterials and biosensors for health applications

Health diagnosis is crucial, especially when it comes to the early detection of cancer. Initiating treatment promptly following an early-stage diagnosis can help patients live longer. The problem with current diagnostics is that the analytical techniques commonly used are not sensitive enough to detect the disease in its earliest stages.. When cancer is at its beginning, only very small amounts of cancer related biomarkers are present in the biofluids, and current state-of-the-art analytical techniques are incapable of detecting them.. However, biosensor technologies can overcome this disadvantage, especially when nanomaterials are integrated to improve its analytical performance. In this dissertation, four biosensors were developed for quantitative detection of cancer- related biomarkers. Different biorecognition elements and signal transducer systems were used by integrating nanomaterials whose unique properties synergistically improved the an- alytical features for detecting small amounts of circulating biomarkers. The selected targets were two proteins (lysozyme and nucleolin) whose expression is fre- quently altered in cancer, allantoin as a metabolite of oxidative stress, since oxidative stress, inflammation and cancer are linked, and non-coding microRNAs as regulators of gene expres- sion and epigenetics, namely microRNA-21-5p, a typical onco-microRNA. Since the targets have different molecular complexity, molecular imprinting and antibody-antigen affinity binding were chosen for biorecognition, except for microRNA, which was based on hybridi- zation with an oligonucleotide probe. Biorecognition was combined with optical (reflectance and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy), electrochemical or both signal transduction methods. All biosensors incorporated nanomaterials into their design, namely silica nanoparticles, silver rnanostars and Prussian blue nanocubes. This strategy takes advantage of their unique properties, which enabled ultrasensitive responses, low cost and simplicity. At the same time, the use of biodegradable substrates was implemented in biosensor development considering the need to increase the sustainability of disposable devices. The main goal is that these new technologies can be used as point-of-care diagnostic devices in the future.O diagnóstico clínico é fundamental, principalmente para deteção precoce de cancro, de modo que o tratamento possa ser iniciado imediatamente, tornando-o mais eficaz e aumen- tando as possibilidades de cura e de sobrevida dos pacientes. As técnicas analíticas utilizadas nos diagnósticos atuais não são suficientemente sensíveis para detetar cancro nas suas fases iniciais, mas apenas quando este já se disseminou, sendo, portanto, difícil erradicar esta do- ença. Existem moléculas que circulam nos fluidos biológicos humanos, cujos níveis alterados podem ser medidos como indicadores de doença, funcionando assim como biomarcadores. No entanto, quando a doença está numa fase inicial, estes biomarcadores estão presentes nos biofluidos em quantidades reduzidas, pelo que as técnicas analíticas atuais não permitem a sua deteção. Os biossensores apresentam-se como uma tecnologia que pode superar esta des- vantagem, especialmente quando se integram nanomateriais para melhorar o desempenho analítico. Nesta dissertação, foram desenvolvidos quatro biossensores para a deteção de biomar- cadores relacionados com cancro. Utilizaram-se diferentes elementos de biorreconhecimento e sistemas transdutores, integrando nanomateriais cujas propriedades melhoraram sinergica- mente as caraterísticas analíticas para detetar pequenas quantidades de biomarcadores circu- lantes. Os alvos selecionados foram duas proteínas (lisozima e nucleolina) cuja expressão é frequentemente alterada em cancro, a alantoína como metabolito de stress oxidativo, uma vez que stress oxidativo, inflamação e cancro estão interligados, e o microRNA não codificante como regulador da expressão genética e epigenética, nomeadamente o microRNA-21-5p, um onco-microRNA comum. Como os alvos possuem uma complexidade molecular diferente, uti- lizou-se a impressão molecular e a ligação de afinidade anticorpo-antigénio para biorreconhe- cimento, exceto para o microRNA, que foi baseado na hibridização com uma sonda oligonu- cleotídica. O biorreconhecimento foi integrado com métodos de transdução de sinais óticos (refletância e Espectroscopia Raman amplificada por superfície, do inglês, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy), eletroquímicos ou ambos. Foram incorporados nanomateriais em todos os biossensores, nomeadamente nanopar- tículas de silica, nanoestrelas de prata e nanocubos de azul da Prússia, tendo como objetivo aproveitar as suas caraterísticas únicas, que permitem respostas ultrassensíveis, baixo custo e simplicidade. Ao mesmo tempo, considerando a necessidade de aumentar a sustentabilidade dos dispositivos descartáveis, foi implementada a utilização de substratos biodegradáveis no desenvolvimento dos biossensores. O objetivo global é que estas novas tecnologias possam ser usadas no futuro como dispositivos de diagnóstico no local de atendimento médico

Quality management system for improvement of quality and efficiency of food production: case of dairy products enterprise

International audienceOn the basis of the conducted researches the strategic directions of development of the enterprise are scientifically based. The conceptual principles of creation and functioning of processes at Fudmaster Company JSC are formulated and the structural model of network of processes is created. The functional model and the mechanism of creation of process including its identification, formation, management and improvement are developed. The possibility of use of scientific methodology of FMEA analysis in technology of preparation of production "Kefir from Fudmaster" is shown. On the basis of the offered scientific and methodical approach the process of the production of fermented milk product "Kefir from Fudmaster" is structured. The standard of the organization for formation of processes of dairy production is developed and evidence-based

Exploring PechaKucha in EFL Learners’ Public Speaking Performances

[EN] The purpose of the study is to examine PechaKucha helps EFL Learners’ to enhance their Public Speaking Performances and to explore useful information regarding the PechaKucha implementation as a learning tool. This study was conducted with sixty students at the University level. They were assigned into two groups randomly as experimental and control. The experimental teaching put into practice PechaKucha in accordance with public speaking activities. Meanwhile, the control group was given conventional speaking lessons only. To assess the performance the initial and post-testing by means of analytic scoring rubrics were used. In addition, a survey questionnaire was administrated to experimental group to examine their attitudes towards using Pecha Kucha in improving public speaking skills. The results showed that themost number of students in the experimental group scored higher points than the control group. It can be concluded that the average performance of experimental group on the speaking public presentation skills posttesting increased in 10% comparing with that of the control group. Questionnaire’s results reported that EFL learners in the experimental group mostly conveyed positive attitudes. This study recommended that EFL students need to be familiarized and trained with the use of PechaKucha technology into their EFL teaching.Zharkynbekova, S.; Zhussupova, R.; Suleimenova, S. (2017). Exploring PechaKucha in EFL Learners’ Public Speaking Performances. En Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 189-198. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD17.2017.510318919

A Self-sampling Collection Program As An Approach That Can Provide More Women Cervical Cancer Screening To Detect HPV In Kazakhstan

A potential for self-sampling Human Papillomavirus testing to include more of the female population in low- and middle- income countries in the cervical screening program (the example of Kazakhstan)

Predicting forced displacement using a generalised and automated agent-based simulation

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonWithin the last decades, international migration demonstrated an escalating growth with more than 68 million people forcibly displaced worldwide. Forced displacement has a huge impact on society today as 40 million people internally displaced within their home country and 25.4 millionrefugeesfledtoneighbouringcountries. Forcibly displaced people face several concerns, namely, the choice to stay or flee, the choice to flee internally or across borders, and the choice of destination. These decisions are often based on economic, social and/or political push and pull factors in origin and destination countries. Existing international migration theories frequently cover specific aspects of migration processes, such as why human migration occurs and what effects it has on economies. However, the combination of all the factors and reasons for human movement requires expertise from various disciplines at once. Moreover, existing migration theories are not extensive enough for practical applications, statistical methods are outdated, and usually, do not account for forced population movements. To fulfil gaps within forced displacement predictions, we use computational models as they can contribute to a better understanding of forced displacement patterns and have potential due to their reduced ethical burden. We propose a generalised simulation development approach (SDA) to predict forced population movements in conflict regions. Our SDA consists of a systematic set of phases to build agent-based simulations, which includes a generic model to define a real system problem, and simulation development and validation for situation-specific scenarios. We also synthesise data from UNHCR, ACLED and Bing Maps to build and validate agent-based simulations of three major African conflicts, namely Burundi, Central African Republic and Mali, and predict the distribution of incoming forced migrants across destination camps. Our simulations consistently predict more than 75% of the population arrivals in camps correctly after the first 12 days. Our agent-based simulation tool can help save migrants’ lives by allowing governments and NGOs to conduct a better-informed allocation of humanitarian resources. Few researchers have investigated the effects of policy decisions, such as camp capacity changes, camp and border closures and forced redirection, on forced population movements. To make such a study accurate and feasible in terms of human effort, we automate our generalised SDA by introducing and applying the FabFlee automation toolkit. We use our automated SDA to analyse the South Sudan crisis by incorporating two capacity changes to Adjumani camp, a border closure between South Sudan and Uganda, and forced redirection between Ethiopian camps. We find that a reduction in camp capacity induces up to 16% fewer forced population arrivals while an increase in camp capacity results in a limited increase in forced population arrivals (< 4%) at the destination camps. In addition, border closure results in 40% fewer force population arrivals and an increasingly long travel journey to other camps. There is also a lingering effect in prolonged force population journey times once a border is again reopened and a clear boost in forced population arrivals when forced population are redirected to a reduced number of camps with larger capacities. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to conduct such an investigation for forced displacement conflict situations

Acid Fracturing Feasibility Study for Heterogeneous Carbonate Formation

Acid fracturing is a stimulation technique that is commonly used by the industry to increase productivity or injectivity of wells in carbonate reservoirs. To determine a feasibility of acid fracturing treatment for a heterogeneous formation, the effect of rock properties on the created fracture conductivity needs to be investigated experimentally. In this study, the influence of rock lithology, porosity, and permeability on the resultant fracture conductivity was investigated for the Middle Canyon formation. Six carbonate cores collected from different depths of Middle Canyon interval were selected for this study. The cores had the permeability ranging from 0.07 to 28 md and the porosity ranging from 1.7 to 15.4%. The acid etching experimental conditions, such as injection rate, reaction temperature, and acid type, were selected to simulate field treatment conditions. The fracture surface of each sample was scanned before and after the acid treatment to characterize the change in surface profile and to calculate the etched volume of rock. The results of the study indicated that the final conductivity values under the maximum closure stress of 4000 psi were similar to each other (6.4 - 13.5 md-ft) for all the cores, regardless the variation in cores’ porosity and permeability. It was also observed that the cores with a lower porosity had a lower decline rate of acid fracture conductivity with increasing closure stress. Based on the results of this study, it was concluded that acid fracturing stimulation of the Middle Canyon formation may not be effective to achieve the goals defined by the operator

Post-Transition Period and Quality of Higher Education: Ways to Overcome the Crisis Phenomena

The evidence of appearance of post-transitional crises previously predicted by methods institutional economy is given on the base of data obtained by interview method. It is shown that decreasing of quality of engineering education in Kazakhstan may be considered namely as post-transition phenomenon, which is determined mostly by the inertia of mass consciousness that was formed during the period of transition from the plan economics to the market one rather than financial factors. Some possibilities of overcoming of observed negative trends are discussed

An ultrasensitive paper-based SERS sensor for detection of nucleolin using silver-nanostars, plastic antibodies and natural antibodies

Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the financial support from the European Commission through the project MindGAP (FET-Open/H2020/GA829040) and the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) for funding (grant references PB/BD/142776/2018 and COVID/BD/152662/2022, given to Akmaral Suleimenova) Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The AuthorsA state-of-the-art, ultrasensitive, paper-based SERS sensor has been developed using silver nanostars (AgNSs) in combination with synthetic and natural antibodies. A key component of this innovative sensor is the plastic antibody, which was synthesized using molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technology. This ground-breaking combination of paper substrates/MIPs with AgNSs, which is similar to a sandwich immunoassay, is used for the first time with the aim of SERS detection and specifically targets nucleolin (NCL), a cancer biomarker. The sensor device was carefully fabricated by synthesizing a polyacrylamide-based MIP on cellulose paper (Whatman Grade 1 filter) by photopolymerization. The binding of NCL to the MIP was then confirmed by natural antibody binding using a sandwich assay for quantitative SERS analysis. To facilitate the detection of NCL, antibodies were pre-bound to AgNSs with a Raman tag so that the SERS signal could indicate the presence of NCL. The composition of the sensory layers/materials was meticulously optimized. The intensity of the Raman signal at ∼1078 cm−1 showed a linear trend that correlated with increasing concentrations of NCL, ranging from 0.1 to 1000 nmol L−1, with a limit of detection down to 0.068 nmol L−1 in human serum. The selectivity of the sensor was confirmed by testing its analytical response in the presence of cystatin C and lysozyme. The paper-based SERS detection system for NCL is characterized by its simplicity, sustainability, high sensitivity and stability and thus embodies essential properties for point-of-care applications. This approach is promising for expansion to other biomarkers in various fields, depending on the availability of synthetic and natural antibodies.publishersversionpublishe

Legal providing of activity of the state on defence of maternity

Actuality of this scientific article is determined swiftly by growing the last years public interest to the questions of defence of maternity and childhood, that it is constrained as with a depth so with character of changes taking place in this sphere. The state is undertaken by responsibility for creation of political, socio­economic terms in the name prosperity of basic cell of society – family. It is very important for the state and society, that between the constitutionally proclaimed principles and social politics conducted by him there was not a break. Similarly we will take into account coming changes in the labour legislation of Republic of Kazakhstan, considering the category of maternity and labour relations of this institute exactly. And in a conclusion will we draw conclusion : what changes are brought in the institute of public welfare of maternity