• Title/Summary/Keyword: Faculty development

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Gold Nanoparticles Enhance the Anticancer Activity of Gallic Acid against Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Lines

  • Rattanata, Narintorn;Daduang, Sakda;Wongwattanakul, Molin;Leelayuwat, Chanvit;Limpaiboon, Temduang;Lekphrom, Ratsami;Sandee, Alisa;Boonsiri, Patcharee;Chio-Srichan, Sirinart;Daduang, Jureerut
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.16 no.16
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    • pp.7143-7147
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    • 2015
  • Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were conjugated with gallic acid (GA) at various concentrations between 30 and $150{\mu}M$ and characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV-VIS). The anticancer activities of the gallic acid-stabilized gold nanoparticles against well-differentiated (M213) and moderately differentiated (M214) adenocarcinomas were then determined using a neutral red assay. The GA mechanism of action was evaluated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy. Distinctive features of the FTIR spectra between the control and GA-treated cells were confirmed by principal component analysis (PCA). The surface plasmon resonance spectra of the GNPs had a maximum absorption at 520 nm, whereas GNPs-GA shifted the maximum absorption values. In an in vitro study, the complexed GNPs-GA had an increased ability to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells that was statistically significant (P<0.0001) in both M213 and M214 cells compared to GA alone, indicating that the anticancer activity of GA can be improved by conjugation with GNPs. Moreover, PCA revealed that exposure of the tested cells to GA resulted in significant changes in their cell membrane lipids and fatty acids, which may enhance the efficacy of this anticancer activity regarding apoptosis pathways.

Users Involvement in New Product Development Process: A Designers' Perspectives

  • Taha, Zahari;Alli, Hassan;Rashid, Salwa Hanim Abdul
    • Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
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    • v.10 no.3
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    • pp.191-196
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    • 2011
  • The purpose of this paper is to study user's involvement in new product development (NPD). It seeks to identify the factors involving user and design practices in the design process of new product development. A survey was conducted on 20 respondents consisting of designers involved in product development from various industries. The study focused on the early activities of the product design process which is called product specification. The analysis performed considers the importance of involving users in design decision. The outcome of this research is the significance of involving users and its effect on product development activities. The research also provides a model for an integrated user, designer and product knowledge activity in the product development process.

Genome-wide identification of long noncoding RNA genes and their potential association with mammary gland development in water buffalo

  • Jin, Yuhan;Ouyang, Yina;Fan, Xinyang;Huang, Jing;Guo, Wenbo;Miao, Yongwang
    • Animal Bioscience
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    • v.35 no.11
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    • pp.1656-1665
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    • 2022
  • Objective: Water buffalo, an important domestic animal in tropical and subtropical regions, play an important role in agricultural economy. It is an important source for milk, meat, horns, skin, and draft power, especially its rich milk that is the great source of cream, butter, yogurt, and many cheeses. In recent years, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to play pivotal roles in many biological processes. Previous studies for the mammary gland development of water buffalo mainly focus on protein coding genes. However, lncRNAs of water buffalo remain poorly understood, and the regulation relationship between mammary gland development/milk production traits and lncRNA expression is also unclear. Methods: Here, we sequenced 22 samples of the milk somatic cells from three lactation stages and integrated the current annotation and identified 7,962 lncRNA genes. Results: By comparing the lncRNA genes of the water buffalo in the early, peak, and late different lactation stages, we found that lncRNA gene lnc-bbug14207 displayed significantly different expression between early and late lactation stages. And lnc-bbug14207 may regulate neighboring milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 (MFG-E8) and hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 3 (HAPLN3) protein coding genes, which are vital for mammary gland development. Conclusion: This study provides the first genome-wide identification of water buffalo lncRNAs and unveils the potential lncRNAs that impact mammary gland development.

The Impact of Microfinance on Households' Socioeconomic Performance: A Proposed Mediation Model

  • ABDULLAH, W Muhammad Zainuddin B Wan;ZAINUDIN, Wan Nur Rahini Aznie Bt;ISMAIL, Sarina Binti;HAAT, Mohd Hassan Che;ZIA-UL-HAQ, Hafiz Muhammad
    • The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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    • v.8 no.3
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    • pp.821-832
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    • 2021
  • Economic deprivation of households remains a significant economic issue in the world. Researchers have shown great concern in identifying crucial factors to enhance poor households' socio-economic performance. Therefore, this paper aims to develop a new conceptual framework to investigate the influence of different microfinance services on households' socioeconomic performance using moderated mediation analysis of various crucial factors. Focus-group interviews with managements of the microfinance institution, i.e. Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), and a systematic literature review were conducted for this purpose, and a new framework for the future study has been developed. The result from focus-group interviews and systematic literature review propose microfinance financial services, training programs, and business coaching as independent factors, whereas household socioeconomic performance as a dependent factor in the proposed model. Specifically, this study provides the direction to scholars to empirically test the direct relationship between financial services and household socioeconomic performance and the indirect relationship between training programs, business coaching, and household socioeconomic performance. Further, microfinance institutions' service efficiency is also included as a moderator that can strengthen microfinance services' effectiveness. The study also provides useful implications for policymakers, financial institutions, households, micro-enterprises, and researchers to better understand microfinance interventions and household economic mechanisms.

TPACK of Faculty in Higher Education: Current Status and Future Directions

  • KIM, Dongsim;KIM, Wonsik
    • Educational Technology International
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.153-173
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    • 2018
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate teaching competence of faculty members based on TPACK which should be examined to ensure high quality in higher education. This study was conducted with a focus on TPACK, which integrate technology knowledge (TK), content knowledge (CK), and pedagogy knowledge (PK). Except insincere responses data from a total of 85 participants were used for data analysis in this study. K-mean cluster analysis method was used to examine how faculty members could be distinguished depending on TPACK type. Study results showed that there were three different types of faculty groups (well-balanced competence type, development required competence type, and lack of technology competence type). First, faculty members defined as well balanced competence type were more than the average level in TPACK. Second, faculty members belonged to development required competence type reported below the average level in TPACK. Thus, faculty members in this type were required to increase teaching competence. Finally, faculty members in lack of technology competence type were needed to enhance competence related to technology because their overall TK level was relatively low. This study examined what distinctive characteristics exited in each type depending on gender, teaching career, nationality, and age. Results from this study offered a basis for better understanding TPACK for enhancing teaching competence at the university level.

The Effects of Dimethyl-Sulfoxide on the In vitro Maturation and Fertilization of Bovine Oocytes and the Subsequent Development

  • Tsuzuki, Y.;Duran, D.H.;Kuroki, Y.;Uehara, F.;Ashizawa, K.;Fujihara, N.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.11 no.3
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    • pp.307-310
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    • 1998
  • The present studies were undertaken to evaluate the effects of a low concentration of dimethyl-sulfoxide (DMSO) on in vitro maturation and development of bovine oocytes fertilized in vitro. Significantly more oocytes reached the metaphase stage of the second meiotic division in TCM-199 supplemented with $50{\mu}M$ DMSO than in the control medium (p < 0.05), and the highest rates of development up to the blastocyst stage were obtained when $50{\mu}M$ DMSO was added to the maturation and culture media (p < 0.05). The avarage of cell numbers of the blastocysts, expanded and hatched blastocysts cultured with $50{\mu}M$ DMSO were 81.7, 125.7 and 129.9 cells, respectively. The proportion of blastocysts with normal chromosome numbers was 90.5%. These results suggest that the addition of $50{\mu}M$ DMSO is beneficial for the maturation of bovine oocytes and production of the blastocysts with high quality.

Cyclic variations of gonad development of an air-breathing fish, Channa striata in the lentic and lotic environments

  • Al Mahmud, Nasim;Rahman, Hassan Md. Hafizur;Mostakim, Golam Mohammod;Khan, Mohd. Golam Quader;Shahjahan, Md.;Lucky, Nahid Sultana;Islam, M. Sadiqul
    • Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.5.1-5.7
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    • 2016
  • The study was conducted to know the cyclic changes in gonadal maturation and to investigate the developmental stages of oocytes and testicular germ cells of an air-breathing fish, Channa striata. Fish were sampled monthly from lentic and lotic environments of three geographical locations of Bangladesh from December to November and the histological analysis of their gonad was done to evaluate the objectives. The highest mean GSI was $5.95{\pm}0.20$ for female in July and $0.14{\pm}0.01$ for male also in July showing that the gonadal development reached its peak during this month. The highest mean oocyte diameter was $1257.50{\pm}24.17{\mu}m$ observed in July implying that the oocyte reached maturity in this month. Histological study of ovary revealed the evidence of early yolk granule stage and late yolk granule stage from April to July. In case of male four stages of spermatogenesis were distinguished and spermatozoa were highly abundant in June and July. So the monthly pooled values of GSI and the analysis of gonadal histology indicated that the peak breeding season of C. striata occurred in July in the lentic and lotic environments. Samples collected from lentic and lotic habitats are suggestive of no difference in the development of the gonad. The results of the present study will be useful for selective breeding programme, conservation and sustainable fishery management of C. striata in its natural habitat.

Conditioned medium of E17 rat brain cells induced differentiation of primary colony of mice blastocyst into neuron-like cells

  • Budiariati, Vista;Rinendyaputri, Ratih;Noviantari, Ariyani;Haq, Noer Muhammad Dliyaul;Budiono, Dwi;Pristihadi, Diah Nugrahani;Juliandi, Berry;Fahrudin, Mokhamad;Boediono, Arief
    • Journal of Veterinary Science
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    • v.22 no.6
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    • pp.86.1-86.13
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    • 2021
  • Background: Conditioned medium is the medium obtained from certain cultured cells and contained secretome from the cells. The secretome, which can be in the form of growth factors, cytokines, exosomes, or other proteins secreted by the cells, can induce the differentiation of cells that still have pluripotent or multipotent properties. Objectives: This study examined the effects of conditioned medium derived from E17 rat brain cells on cells with pluripotent properties. Methods: The conditioned medium used in this study originated from E17 rat brain cells. The CM was used to induce the differentiation of primary colonies of mice blastocysts. Primary colonies were stained with alkaline phosphatase to analyze the pluripotency. The morphological changes in the colonies were examined, and the colonies were stained with GFAP and Neu-N markers on days two and seven after adding the conditioned medium. Results: The conditioned medium could differentiate the primary colony, beginning with the formation of embryoid-body-like structure; round GFAP positive cells were identified. Finally, neuron-like cells testing positive for Neu-N were observed on the seventh day after adding the conditioned medium. Conclusions: Conditioned medium from different species, in this case, E17 rat brain cells, induced and promoted the differentiation of the primary colony from mice blastocysts into neuron-like cells. The addition of CM mediated neurite growth in the differentiation process.

Natural Dye Extraction from Merbau (Intsia bijuga) Sawdust: Optimization of Solid-Solvent Ratio and Temperature

  • Aswati MINDARYANI;Ali SULTON;Felix Arie SETIAWAN;Edia RAHAYUNINGSIH
    • Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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    • v.51 no.6
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    • pp.481-492
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    • 2023
  • The ecofriendly lifestyle has attracted considerable support for sustainable development. Natural dyes, as sustainable products, have become a research focus and development area for many scientists. Ecofriendly processing also supports circular sustainable development. This study effectively obtained tannins as a natural dye from merbau (Intsia bijuga) sawdust using water as an ecofriendly solvent. Merbau sawdust is an underutilized industrial waste. Temperature and solid-solvent ratio variations were performed to extract tannins from merbau sawdust. Temperature and solid-solvent ratio positively affected solution yield and tannin concentration. The optimal condition was identified using response surface methodology and experimental observations. A yield of 0.2217 g tannins/g merbau was obtained under the conditions of 333.15 K and 0.125 solid-solvent ratio. Extraction was controlled by convective mass transfer at the interface of solid particles.