Search Results (5)

The elimination of absorbance of excess dye by selective oxidation was first proposed for analytical methods using the formation of ion-association complexes (IAs). On this basis, a new sensitive and selective spectrophotometric method for the determination of phosphate in the form of the IA of 11-molybdovanadophosphate with diindodicarbocyanine (DIDC) was developed. Symmetric diindodicarbocyanine and diindotricarbocyanine dyes can be completely oxidized by sufficiently strong oxidizing agents such as permanganate, dichromate, cerium (IV), and vanadate. Of the three dyes investigated (DIDC, N,N’-dipropyldiindodicarbocyanine, and diindotricarbocyanine), the best results were obtained with DIDC. A mixture of molybdate, vanadate, and nitric acid was preferably used as an oxidizing agent. Selective decolorization of only free dye ions, as well as changes in the IA spectrum compared to the dye spectrum, were explained by the isolation of the dye due to the formation of poorly soluble IA nanoparticles and changes in the redox potential of the dye due to its aggregation. The following optimal conditions for phosphate determination were found: 0.3 M nitric acid, 0.43 mM sodium molybdate, 0.041 mM sodium vanadate, 0.015 mM DIDC, and 18 min for the reaction time. The molar absorptivity of the IA was 1.86 × 10⁵ mol⁻¹·L·cm⁻¹ at 600 nm, and the detection limit for phosphate was 0.013 µM. The developed method was applied to the determination of phosphate in natural water samples. Full article

This paper introduces a systematic approach to the design of Direct Current-to-Digital Converter (DIDC) specifically engineered to overcome the limitations of traditional current measurement methodologies in System-on-Chip (SoC) designs. The proposed DIDC addresses critical challenges such as high power consumption, large area requirements, and the need for intermediate analog signals. By incorporating a current mirror in a cascode topology and managing the current across multiple binary-sized branches with the Successive Approximation Register (SAR) logic, the design achieves precise current measurement. A simple comparator, coupled with an isolation circuit, ensures accurate and reliable sensing. Fabricated using the TSMC 180 nm process, the DIDC achieves 8-bit precision without the need for nonlinearity calibration, showcasing remarkable energy efficiency with an energy per conversion of 1.52 pJ, power consumption of 117 µW, and a compact area of 0.016 mm². This innovative approach not only reduces power consumption and area, but also provides a scalable and efficient solution for next-generation semiconductor technologies. The ability to conduct online measurements during both standard operations and in-field conditions significantly enhances the performance and reliability of SoCs, making this DIDC a promising advancement in the field. Full article

Objective: The objective was to identify the relationship between the dietary factors related to increases in the number of dental caries among an adult population group. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving adult patients and their accompanying person, aged 18 years and above (n = 1730) visiting the dental outpatient department (OPD) of a public sector tertiary healthcare institute in Karachi, Pakistan. A 39-item Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was administered to the patients, followed by a dental caries assessment using Radke’s WHO criteria. Caries assessment data were transformed into the DMFT Index (D = decayed, M = missing, F = filled teeth). Factor analysis (FA) was performed using Stata v. 11.0, followed by assessing the internal consistency of the FFQ. Multilogistic analysis was performed to explore the association between dental caries (cut-off = 5) and other independent variables, considering a p-value < 0.05 as significant. Results: The mean age of participants in the group was 32.65 ± 10.49 years. The number of female participants (934; 54%) was higher than male participants (796; 46%). Of the total, 951 (52%) participants were married. The internal consistency value for the FFQ, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.80. In addition to age and gender, out of four dietary patterns, only “cereals” were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) associated with increased DMFT. Conclusion: This study established that the high intake of cereals is a contributory factor to the high prevalence of dental caries among adults. Full article

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to assess the application of a multitude of effective diagnostic specimens for conducting mass testing, for accurate diagnosis and to formulate strategies for its prevention and control. As one of the most versatile and amenable specimen options, saliva offers great advantages for widespread screening strategies due to its non-invasive properties, cost-effectiveness, excellent stability and minimal risk of cross-infection. This review attempts to outline the scientific rationale for detection of SARS-COV-2 in saliva specimens. By combining the data obtained from ten chosen published clinical studies, we calculated the pooled sensitivity and specificity using an online calculator. Through evidence, we established that SARS-COV-2 is detectable in saliva with a high degree of diagnostic sensitivity (87%) and specificity (98%). We also presented a review of emerging technologies approved by the FDA for detection of SARS-COV-2 in oral fluids (saliva and sputum) using polymerase chain reaction methods. Given the challenges involved in obtaining invasive specimens from the naso- and oropharynx, saliva can serve as an easy to collect diagnostic specimen for screening in the work environment, schools and for home testing. Furthermore, saliva offers the opportunity to screen early cases that can be missed by invasive sampling. Full article

The military of the Republic of South Korea applies infrastructure as a service (IaaS) cloud-computing technology and applications distributed nationwide are transferred to two defense-integrated data centers (DIDCs). However, to improve the quality of the military information service provided by the DIDCs, it is crucial to expand the cloud-computing service from IaaS to the software as a service (SaaS) level. Owing to the in-house planning, development and operation of military applications by the Ministry of National Defense and each military force, these organizations operate several applications that are similar and redundant. Accordingly, SaaS can reduce the costs of IT services and management overhead by eliminating similar and redundant applications and integrating them into common services. In this study, a military service framework (MSF) was designed based on the criteria of business functions and service targets. The MSF was applied to applications currently in operation to create a current military SaaS portfolio, whereas the future military SaaS portfolio was restructured by identifying common services within and between organizations and throughout the military. Consequently, 369 future military SaaS portfolios were created, representing a 36% decrease realized by integrating similar and redundant systems out of 580 applications. Full article