Synthesis and Characterization of Starch-Nanosized Calcium Phosphate Composites
Nano-sized calcium phosphate was used in the synthesis of starch-based composite plastics to provide a cheap but sturdier biodegradable alternative to petroleum derived plastics used in film packaging. Nano-sized calcium phosphates were produced from the precipitation reaction of calcium nitrate tetrahydrate (Ca(NO3)2 ‧ 4H2O) and phosphoric acid (H3PO4). The nanoparticles were co-extruded and molded with thermoplastic starch (TPS) at ratios of 0%, 1%, and 5% by mass. Tensile strength and elongation percentage of the resultant composite plastics were tested in three replicates. The results show that there is a significant difference between the tensile strengths of the 0% and 5% calcium phosphate composites at a 5% level of significance. The trend between the composite’s tensile strength and percentage calcium phosphate follows a geometric progression, enabling a projection for the 10% nano-calcium phosphate to have a tensile strength of 10 MPa, the average tensile strength for low-density polyethylene (LDPE). This shows that it is feasible to synthesize a 10% nano-calcium phosphate-TPS plastic that can be a viable substitute for LDPE plastics in film packaging, paving the way for the commercialization of starch-based plastics. The use of biodegradable plastics with improved physical characteristics will lessen consumer dependence on petroleum derived plastics and solve the environmental issues brought about by the use of such plastics.
無孤力點無交錯分割的區塊細分及五個新的Riordan組合結構
將一個集合{1,2,...,n}分成數個非空的集合（組，區塊），稱為此集合的一個分割。如果可以找到1 ≦ a 已知無孤立點無交錯分割以Riordan 數{rn}n≥0 =1,0,1,1,3,6,15,36,... 來計數。在這篇文章中我們研究無孤立點無交錯分割的一些性質。
首先我們考慮無孤立點的無交錯分割按區塊的細分。我們得出：集合{1,2,...,n}恰含k個區塊的無孤立點的無交錯分割的個數為：
其次，我們證明bn,k和多邊形的剖分有令人訝異的關連。令dn,k是用不相交對角線將凸n 邊形分成k 塊的方法。我們用代數方法證出 bn,k = dn+2−k ,k，也給了一個新的組合證明。
最後，透過對應的方法，我們找出了七個嶄新的組合結構，這些結構都是以Riordan 數來計數。
Partition the set {1,2,...,n} into several nonempty sets (blocks) and call it a partition. If there exists 1 ≦ a It is known that the nonsingleton noncrossing partitions are counted by Riordan numbers {rn}n≥0 =1,0,1,1,3,6,15,36,... In this paper we study the properties of them.
First we consider the enumeration of nonsingleton noncrossing partitions in respect to the blocks. We prove that the number of nonsingleton noncrossing partitions of {1,2,...,n} with k blocks is
Then we give a connection between nonsingleton noncrossing partitions and polygon dissections. Let dn,k be the ways to dissect an n –gon with noncrossing diagonals. We prove that bn,k = dn+2−k ,k
We also give a combinatorial proof. Furthermore, by way of the technic of bijection, we find 7 new combinatorial structures counted by Riordan numbers.
佛手瓜卷鬚之向觸性及其參與蛋白質之探討
本研究利用佛手瓜的卷鬚探討向觸性的原理。本研究大致分為兩部份，一方面我們在卷鬚中發現了含量極為豐富的構造，此一螺旋狀構造分布於維管束中，且用雙縮?詴劑檢測後發現其含有蛋白質，且不具有運輸水分的功能；並發現此一構造的分布疏密，會影響到螺旋內側外側以及切割後片段泡溫水的彎曲方向。此外，在進行卷鬚蛋白質電泳的過程中，我們發現使用含尿素的緩衝液萃取蛋白質的效果最佳，1克的卷鬚乾重約可萃取到5毫克的蛋白質，且蛋白質總量會隨著卷鬚的成熟而遞減。利用軟體比對及質譜分析八個蛋白質點，得知此八點的蛋白質為：malate dehydrogenase, oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 1, oxyen-evolving enhancer protein 2, calreticulin, peroxidase, stromal 70 kDa heat shock-related protein, and AP2/ERF and B3 domain-containing transcription repressor。由此可知，向觸性為植物經過一連串訊號傳遞後，對外界刺激的順應。
Development of an ECG-System using AndroidTM and Modified Bluebeatc Hardware
Electrocardiograms are important medical devices used to monitor the cardiac activity of patients over a period of time. Designed to provide convenient monitoring of patients, although most useful, ECG’s however are expensive and usually not portable, limiting its availability and therefore usefulness. Taking advantage of current technological developments, the researchers developed an ECG System with Androidâ„¢ smartphone based monitor, and Bluebeat© ECG Front circuit based electrodes. The system is divided into two, software and hardware interface. The developed software interface code used an Android based Java language which displays the converted ADC values in the LCD. Saving and user friendly features were also included in the smartphone. The hardware interface is composed of the ECG front and the Data Acquisition Module. The ECG front contains the filters and amplifiers that will receive the human cardiac signal. The DAT Module will then receive it with its Gizduino (Arduinoâ„¢ clone) microcontroller which converts the analog signals into ADC values, and finally sends it to the smartphone using Bluetooth© wireless communication. The first phase of data gathering used signal generator and indicates the system’s accuracy and speed. The second phase testing of the study meanwhile utilizes the ECG front to get actual cardiac signals from human. This phase has already been done, though it still needs more polishing and further trials. For the final testing, nine patients of varying ages and cardiac health status will be taken with ECG readings, three replicates from the developed ECG system, and one from an actual ECG device. Using cardiologists’ and patients’ feedback, the user friendliness and accuracy of the ECG-system will be confirmed, and further modifications shall be made. Lastly, the overall cost of producing the ECG system shall be compared to the price of an ECG device, to see if the developed system is indeed cheaper. However, it is ensured that the system is far more portable than its bulkier ancestors. Once the project is fully finished, the accuracy, replicability and usefulness of the system shall be confirmed using F-test.
The Interplay of Iron and α-synuclein in mediating Neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s Disease
Neuroinflammation is implicated as a contributive factor to neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Increased iron accumulation and deposition of -synuclein within Lewy Bodies in PD brains have been observed. It has been hypothesized that unbound iron is able to react with H2O2 to generate free radicals. Using the Divalent Metal Transporter-1 (DMT1) as a vehicle to transport iron into the brain, a DMT1 transgenic mouse model (DTg) was generated to recapitulate iron deposition in PD. The DTg was crossbred with the SNCA (synuclein) transgenic mouse to produce a DMT1_SNCA (BTg) mouse model to study the link between iron, -synuclein and neuroinflammation in PD. Our hypothesis predicts that iron exacerbates -synuclein toxicity by inducing larger inflammatory responses and consequently compromising functions of biomolecules. Our study shows that –synuclein triggers a low-grade inflammatory response by microglia and astrocytes while iron exacerbates -synuclein toxicity by eliciting immunological responses mediated by glia cells in the brain observed both in the DTg and BTg mice. Elevated levels of nitrated proteins were observed in the DTg, suggesting the role of iron in inducing nitrosative stress via upregulation of iNOS in glia cells. With the BTg mice, we hope to understand the effect of iron accumulation as an environmental stressor in aggravating -synuclein toxicity which may lead to the selective demise of dopaminergic neurons.