Asia-Pacific Journal of Science and Technology

Tai chi: definition, history, style, principles, and health benefits

Yantao Niu — 2024-04-22

Tai chi, an ancient form of exercise, is receiving increasing attention in today’s health-conscious societies. However, despite the many styles of tai chi, a lack of literature on various schools of tai chi has restricted researchers from conducting more extensive, in-depth research on the fitness benefits of the different schools. In our study, we searched relevant literature published up to April 2023 using the keywords “tai chi” or “taijiquan” in five electronic databases: China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. This narrative review provides an overview of tai chi’s definition, historical development, lineage system, training principles, training plans, and impacts on health. The results show that tai chi is guided by yin and yang theory and is a sport that promotes physical and mental health through slow, relaxed external exercise performance, combined with focused breathing and internal physical and mental exercise. Developed for 300 years, tai chi has emerged in six major schools: Chen (陈), Yang (杨), Wu (武), Wu (吴), Sun (孙), and He (和)-style tai chi. Tai chi styles have 72 to 108 movements and take 6 to 22 min to practise a complete routine of movements, each with its own characteristic exercise programme. Recent evidence from sports science and medicine has shown that tai chi is beneficial for improving human health and enhancing human function and can serve as a beneficial supplement to disease prevention and management programmes.

Recent developments in the applications of two-wheeled robots: a review

Abhijit Gadekar — 2024-04-22

Robotic systems are being developed to carry out complex activities that demand accuracy and are usually difficult for humans to operate and monitor. Two-wheeled robots use the inverted pendulum principle and are prime example of such systems with a wide range of applications in various industries, including surveillance, home security, medical, and health-care. The present paper highlights applications of these robots and the relevance of the control logic employed in developing these robots, which plays a critical role in ensuring stability and efficient operation. As technology advances, the cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and usability of these robots improve simultaneously, resulting in increased demand and market growth. The paper further highlights the prospects for two-wheeled robots, such as potential to incorporate machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms to enhance their decision-making capabilities and expand their applications. Two-wheeled robots are a promising technology with significant potential for improving human life quality, and their development and applications will continue to grow in the coming years.

Blockchain empowering genomic data management: a short review

Ramya Patturajan — 2024-04-22

Recent advancements in genomic research such as genomic sequencing and editing have given incredible benefits for physicians to deliver accurate and precise treatments. But still, there are a few major challenges such as computational and security issues which could suffocate the performance of a system that deals with genomic data storage, sharing, and analysis. Hence, this paper has been presented with the intention of revealing the potential of emerging technologies to solve the aforementioned bottlenecks with appropriate case studies. To understand the significance of cloud computing in the field of genetic engineering, the exploration has been made to discover the various cloud-based solutions that are developed by various academicians and researchers at various time periods for accomplishing effective genomic data storage, sharing, and analysis. From the detailed study, it has been observed that the cloud computing has a scalable resources and infrastructure to resolve computational complexity of genomic data. But it could be identified that there are no prominent features and methods to prevent security breaches. It necessitates the need for blockchain technology which is being considered an optimal solution for handling genomic data securely. Despite its numerous advantages, blockchain technology still presents some notable technological challenges. These include issues related to scalability, high energy consumption, storage overhead, and potential organizational threats. So, in this article, various blockchain frameworks that have been developed so far for genomic data management are explored and facilitate researchers to understand the potential benefits and implementation challenges of blockchain in genomic data management.

A cost-effective approach for producing carbon composite by altering the fiber architecture and hybridization

Sweety A. Agrawal — 2024-04-22

Carbon composites have been used in high-performance applications like automotive, marine, civil engineering, and many more. But due to their high cost, researchers have focused their efforts on the development of sustainable carbon composites. In various applications, the material is loaded in a specific direction, and higher strength is needed in that direction. So, in the other direction, the material which provides the needed performance for the product with less cost can be substituted. This cost-effectiveness of composite is attained by the hybridization approach. For this study, carbon composite is considered, wherein the loading direction carbon yarn has been taken whereas it has been substituted with high density polyethylene (HDPE) flat yarn for cost reduction in other direction. Hand lay-up technique is used to prepare carbon-HDPE epoxy hybrid composites. Mechanical properties: tensile, flexural & impact, and physical properties like density and fiber volume fraction were studied. Assessment of performance and comparison of mechanical properties of composites with varying fiber architecture viz. plain, twill, and sateen, is done by taking stacking sequence as constant. A comparison has been established between these composites and metals like steel and aluminium by their specific strength. It is observed that it exhibits satisfactory specific strength in the direction of load. It displays high tensile stress, flexural strength, and impact strength. Comparison with carbon composites showed analogous values in the loading direction. Thus, cost-effective and functionally beneficial hybrid composite materials can be developed by incorporating the suitable hybridization, layering sequence, and architecture of the fabric.

Effect of human massage and machine stirring processes on dehydration correlating physical texture of white radish

Pisitpong Intarapong — 2024-04-22

The present work examines the effect of salting on the drying characteristics and quality of white radish for preservation; the findings can be useful in replacing human labor for a community enterprise of Banka district, Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. The preservation of fresh white radish using salting and sun drying can extend storage duration and add value to the product. The traditional process consists of hand massage for 1 h/day, sun drying for 6 h/day, and keeping it in plastic sack for overnight (17 h/day) to remove moisture until the weight of the product is less than 40% of the initial weight. The machine stirrer decreased moisture content in radishes faster than that of traditional human force because water inside radish moves out quickly with the osmotic pressure gradient to establish equilibrium with salt solution. With the increased rotating speed of the machine increases, the hardness of radishes gradually decreases. The optimum conditions for stirring machine were observed at 50 rpm for 1 h/day to keep their hardness over 80 newtons. The properties of salted radish from stirring machine are as follows: 11.8 wt% of salinity, 0.80-0.85 of water activity, 63 to 65 of brightness value, and 80-85 newtons of texture hardness; these properties are similar to processing radish with hand massage method. Based on the findings, this research recommends investing in a solar dryer along with machine stirrer to reduce more moisture content, prevent dust contamination, decrease the number of stirring sessions; thus, reducing drying time.

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles against Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica-water borne pathogens

Pushpa Bhakuni Negi — 2024-04-22

Waterborne pathogens viz. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) and their associated diseases are key public health threat worldwide, causing significant morbidity and mortality thereby responsible for high public health expenditure and consequent economic burden. Therefore, the research aimed to explore the facile synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using (CH₃COO)₂Zn.2H₂O as precursor and further evaluation of their antimicrobial activity. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), particle size analyser (PSA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) have been used to characterize the synthesized NPs. The binding of Zn by Zn-O stretching was validated by FTIR spectrum whereas the identity of the crystalline ZnO wurtzite-type material was established by XRD. SEM imaging revealed the sphere/petal shaped agglomerated particles. Furthermore, average particle size of NPs was 702.9 nm, measured by PSA. Wall zeta potential value of synthesized particles was -16.44 reflecting the agglomerating nature of the material. TGA analysis showed that the material was highly thermostable and 88% remained stable at 760°C. The qualitative well diffusion test conducted for evaluating the antimicrobial activity of synthesized material resulted in noticeable inhibitory activity against E. coli (20±0.2) and S. enterica (18±0.1). The sensitivity exhibited by both the test microbes was high @15µg of ZnO NPs whereas at lower concentrations no sensitivity was reported. Thus, the synthesized ZnO NPs played a significant role in antimicrobial activity and could be an alternative antibacterial agent in the treatment of waterborne infections.

Shelf life extension of pasteurized coconut milk using chitosan as a natural preservative

Woraphon Boonmeesuk — 2027-04-22

This research aimed to seek a natural food preservative by applying chitosan to preserve quality and extend the shelf life of pasteurized coconut milk. Coconut milk containing different concentrations of chitosan (0, 1, 3, and 5%(v/v)) were pasteurized at 72°C for 20 min and stored at 4°C. The changes in fatty acid (FFA), peroxide value (PV), pH, colors, total viable count (TVC), and sensory quality were monitored throughout the storage time. The shelf life was then evaluated using an accelerated shelf life test. The pasteurized coconut milk added with chitosan had lower FFA content, PV, TVC, and degree of phase separation than that without chitosan. These results indicated the ability of chitosan to retard lipolysis and lipid oxidation, inhibit microbial growth, and improve the stability of pasteurized coconut milk. Pasteurized coconut milk with 3% chitosan received the highest sensory scores, and thus its shelf life was further investigated using the temperature quotient (Q₁₀) technique. Pasteurized coconut milk with 3% chitosan had a longer shelf life (7 days) than the control (2 days). Overall, chitosan can be used as a natural preservative to delay changes in the chemical, physical and biological quality of pasteurized coconut milk, while it did not show a negative effect on the coconut milk’s organoleptic quality. The opportunity of using chitosan as a natural food preservative is achievable.

Mass balance study of an integrated phytoremediation system using different types of constructed wetlands for chromium removal

Anca Awal Sembada — 2024-04-22

Phytoremediation is a biological waste treatment technique with highly promising prospects compared to other treatment systems. Constructed wetlands are one of the most widely applied phytoremediation methods. This study aimed to evaluate the phytoremediation process of chromium (Cr) using an integrated phytoremediation system. In this study, three different constructed wetland systems-free-floating, vertical subsurface flow, and horizontal subsurface flow-were used in sequence with three different plant species-Eicchornia crassipes, Typha augustifolia, and Catharanthus roseus. Each system had a residence time of three days. The Cr concentration used as the initial input was 0.5 mg/g. C. roseus had the highest bioconcentration factor (0.44±0.03) and translocation factor (1.27 ± 0.24) when compared to other species (p < 0.05). This integrated system had an overall process efficiency for Cr removal of 73.8 ± 1.07%. Based on this study, the integrated system is confirmed to have the potential for the removal of Cr from contaminated water when using these three plants and the further development of this integrated system on a larger scale is recommended.

A study of land surface temperature in Patna Municipal area during 1990-2022 based on temporal changes in LULC, using satellite data and GIS application

Avinash Yadav — 2024-04-22

Rapid urbanization has a variety of effects on the urban environment. Impervious concrete surfaces are replacing urban green spaces, forming "Urban Heat Island" (UHI) in which urban areas reach higher temperatures compared to their surrounding regions. Such UHIs have implications on the cost of living and working in a comfortable atmosphere. The purpose of this study is to examine the Land Surface Temperature (LST) in Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) area during 1990-2022 based on temporal changes in Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) using Remote Sensing and GIS. Landsat satellite data sets have been used to assess the variations in LST, whereas decadal data sets are used to examine the variations in LULC. The study area's LST increased by 6.88°C on average from 1990-2022 mainly due to the high population density and the higher concrete surface. The regression line generated a decisive result, revealing a strong positive correlation between the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) and LST as well as a large negative correlation between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and LST. PMC has seen a significant shift in the last 32 years, with a 47.92% increase in built-up areas and infrastructure projects, and a decline in green spaces by 32.66%. LST changes within urban areas are crucial in determining LST and LULC variations in PMC while studying urban climate and environment.

Thermotolerant Escherichia coli contamination in vegetables from selected urban farms and wet markets in metro Manila, Philippines at the height of COVID-19 pandemic

Pierangeli Vital — 2024-04-22

The fecal indicator bacterium Escherichia coli is one of the leading causes of foodborne diseases in the Philippines and its presence has been detected in agricultural crops especially vegetables, posing public health risks. Thus, surveillance and monitoring of locally available fresh produce is warranted to help address food safety issues. This study surveyed the presence of thermotolerant E. coli in vegetables in urban farms and wet markets during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic (February 2021 to March 2022). A total of 419 vegetable samples from three urban farms and four major wet markets in Metro Manila were gathered. Using molecular and culture techniques, E. coli was detected in 13.60% of all the samples obtained. There was a significantly higher percentage of E. coli contamination from vegetable samples obtained from urban farms compared to samples obtained from wet markets. However, there was not enough evidence in this study to conclude that season (wet and dry); climatic variables such as average temperature, average rainfall, and average relative humidity; and physicochemical parameters of irrigation water (pH, temperature, salinity, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen) are correlated with E. coli contamination in fresh produce. This indicates that there might be other factors that directly impact the level of contamination in vegetables. Measures to improve surveillance and monitoring of contamination must be implemented to ensure proper risk assessment of E. coli contamination in agricultural settings and to prevent foodborne diseases.

Effect of torrefaction pretreatment for ethanol fermentation from sugarcane bagasse

Prawit Kongjan — 2024-04-22

Torrefaction is an appropriate pre-treatment technique to enhance the pore structure of lignocellulosic material for accelerating enzymatic reaction and subsequent ethanol production. This research aimed to study the effect of torrefaction pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) derived from sugarcane juice squeezing on ethanol fermentation by the thermotolerant yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus in Semi-Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSSF). The study examined the effect of different torrefaction times (10-60 min), temperatures (120-220°C), SCB particle sizes (0.3-2.0 mm and <0.3 mm) and initial solid loading (30 g/L and 100 g/L) to the fermentation and on the efficiency of ethanol production. The results showed that all the studied parameters affect and exhibit interaction with the ethanol yield. The higher torrefaction temperatures and time may lead to a higher ethanol production yield. However, the torrefaction at temperatures higher than 180°C and longer than 30 min, in which the inhibitors could also be produced, is not suggested due to the drop in ethanol yield observed. The highest ethanol global yield of 26.24% was obtained from the condition of 30 g/L solid loading of 0.3-2.0 mm SCB particle size torrefied at 180°C for 10 min corresponded to 23.95% ethanol global yield. The yield increased when compared with the non-torrefied SCB. This research reveals the feasibility of applying torrefaction pre-treatment to the SCB bio-refinery with the Eco-Efficiency concept.

Intermittent hypoxic exposure with or without exercise improved cardiopulmonary functions in people with cardiovascular risk factors

Wisutthida Saengjan — 2024-04-22

This research aimed to explore the effects of intermittent hypoxic exposure (IH) with or without exercise on lung function, lipid profile, and a 6-min walk in people with three cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension stage I, hyperlipidemia, and obesity). Thirty participants were randomly allocated into 3 groups: a control group (CON, n=11) received no training, an intermittent hypoxic exposure during rest group (IHR, n=9), and an intermittent hypoxic training group (IHT, n=10) who combined IH with walking. Both IHR and IHT performed 8 sessions of 3-min of hypoxic breathing (14% O2) alternated with 3-min of normoxic breathing (21% O2) for 48-min per day, twice a week, for 6 consecutive weeks. All participants were measured before and after 6 weeks of theexperimental period. After training, IHR group significantly increased vital capacity (p=0.038) and forced vital capacity (p=0.025) compared to baseline. Similarly, compared to baseline, participants in the IHT group revealed significantly increased vital capacity (p=0.030), forced vital capacity (p=0.031), and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (p=0.042). Compared to CON, only IHT showed a significant increase in forced vital capacity of 8.6 ±4.5% (p=0.034) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 7.0 ± 3.9%, (p=0.033) after 6 weeks. Both the IHR and IHT participants demonstrated a significantly increased 6-min walk distance (p=0.048 and p=0.004, respectively) compared to CON. The study demonstrated that IH programs can improve lung function and cardio-pulmonary fitness which indicates that IH with or without exercise improves some cardiopulmonary functions in at risk patients.