This paper presents the rigorous study of mobile robot navigation techniques used so far.The step by step investigations of classical and reactive approaches are made here to understand the development of path plannin...This paper presents the rigorous study of mobile robot navigation techniques used so far.The step by step investigations of classical and reactive approaches are made here to understand the development of path planning strategies in various environmental conditions and to identify research gap.The classical approaches such as cell decomposition(CD),roadmap approach(RA),artificial potential field(APF);reactive approaches such as genetic algorithm(GA),fuzzy logic(FL),neural network(NN),firefly algorithm(FA),particle swarm optimization(PSO),ant colony optimization(ACO),bacterial foraging optimization(BFO),artificial bee colony(ABC),cuckoo search(CS),shuffled frog leaping algorithm(SFLA)and other miscellaneous algorithms(OMA)are considered for study.The navigation over static and dynamic condition is analyzed(for single and multiple robot systems)and it has been observed that the reactive approaches are more robust and perform well in all terrain when compared to classical approaches.It is also observed that the reactive approaches are used to improve the performance of the classical approaches as a hybrid algorithm.Hence,reactive approaches are more popular and widely used for path planning of mobile robot.The paper concludes with tabular data and charts comparing the frequency of individual navigational strategies which can be used for specific application in robotics.展开更多
Rice （Oryza sativa L.） is an important food crop and requires larger amount of water throughout its life cycle as compared to other crops. Hence, water related stress cause severe threat to rice production. Drought ...Rice （Oryza sativa L.） is an important food crop and requires larger amount of water throughout its life cycle as compared to other crops. Hence, water related stress cause severe threat to rice production. Drought is a major challenge limiting rice production. It affects rice at morphological （reduced germination, plant height, plant biomass, number of tillers, various root and leaf traits）, physiological （reduced photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, relative water content, chlorophyll content, photosystem II activity, membrane stability, carbon isotope discrimination and abscisic acid content）, biochemical （accumulation of osmoprotectant like proline, sugars, polyamines and antioxidants） and molecular （altered expression of genes which encode transcription factors and defence related proteins） levels and thereby affects its yield. To facilitate the selection or development of drought tolerant rice varieties, a thorough understanding of the various mechanisms that govern the yield of rice under water stress condition is a prerequisite. Thus, this review is focused mainly on recent information about the effects of drought on rice, rice responses as well as adaptation mechanisms to drought stress.展开更多
Potassium is one of the major macro-nutrients essential for a number of cellular processes in plants. Low potassium level in the soil represents a limiting factor for crop production. Recent studies have identified po...Potassium is one of the major macro-nutrients essential for a number of cellular processes in plants. Low potassium level in the soil represents a limiting factor for crop production. Recent studies have identified potassium transporters that are involved in potassium acquisition, and some of them are critical for potassium nutrition under low potassium conditions. However, little is understood on the molecular components involved in low potassium signaling and responses. We report here the identification ofa calcineurin B-like protein-interacting protein kinase （CIPK9） as a critical regulator of low potassium response in ,Arabidopsis. The CIPK9 gene was responsive to abiotic stress conditions, and its transcript was inducible in both roots and shoots by potassium deprivation. Disruption of CIPK9 function rendered the mutant plants hypersensitive to low potassium media. Further analysis indicated that K^＋ uptake and content were not affected in the mutant plants, implying CIPK9 in the regulation of potassium utilization or sensing processes.展开更多
The characterization of microstructure evolution in friction stir welded aluminum alloy was carried out by optical microscopy （OM） and transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and electron backscatter diffraction （...The characterization of microstructure evolution in friction stir welded aluminum alloy was carried out by optical microscopy （OM） and transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and electron backscatter diffraction （EBSD）. The weld nugget consisted of very fine equiaxed grains and experienced dissolution of nearly half of metastable precipitates into the matrix during welding. Thermomechanically affected zone （TMAZ） also experienced dissolution of precipitates but to a lesser extent whereas coarsening of precipitates was observed in heat affected zone （HAZ）. Grain boundary misorientation measurements using EBSD indicated continuous dynamic recrystallization as the underlying mechanism for the fine equiaxed nugget grains. The yield and tensile strength of the weld decreased with comparison to base material. But due to the decrease of grain size and the dissolution of second phase precipitates, an increased Charpy energy value was observed in the weld n u gget.展开更多
Gastrointestinal stromal tumours(GISTs) are mesen-chymal neoplasms originating in the gastrointestinal tract, usually in the stomach or the small intestine, and rarely elsewhere in the abdomen. The malignant potential...Gastrointestinal stromal tumours(GISTs) are mesen-chymal neoplasms originating in the gastrointestinal tract, usually in the stomach or the small intestine, and rarely elsewhere in the abdomen. The malignant potential of GISTs is variable ranging from small lesions with a benign behaviour to fatal sarcomas. The majo-rity of the tumours stain positively for the CD-117(KIT) and discovered on GIST-1(DOG-1 or anoctamin 1) expression, and they are characterized by the presence of a driver kinase-activating mutation in either KIT or platelet-derived growth factor receptor α. Although surgery is the primary modality of treatment, almost half of the patients have disease recurrence following surgery, which highlights the need for an effective adjuvant therapy. Traditionally, GISTs are considered chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistant. With the advent of targeted therapy(tyrosine kinase inhibitors), there has been a paradigm shift in the management of GISTs in the last decade. We present a comprehensive review of targeted therapy in the management of GISTs.展开更多
Autonomous mobile robot navigation is one of the most emerging areas of research by using swarm intelligence. Path planning and obstacle avoidance are most researched current topics like navigational challenges for mo...Autonomous mobile robot navigation is one of the most emerging areas of research by using swarm intelligence. Path planning and obstacle avoidance are most researched current topics like navigational challenges for mobile robot. The paper presents application and implementation of Firefly Algorithm(FA)for Mobile Robot Navigation(MRN) in uncertain environment. The uncertainty is defined over the changing environmental condition from static to dynamic. The attraction of one firefly towards the other firefly due to variation of their brightness is the key concept of the proposed study. The proposed controller efficiently explores the environment and improves the global search in less number of iterations and hence it can be easily implemented for real time obstacle avoidance especially for dynamic environment. It solves the challenges of navigation, minimizes the computational calculations, and avoids random moving of fireflies. The performance of proposed controller is better in terms of path optimality when compared to other intelligent navigational approaches.展开更多
A visible light-induced, Cu-doped BiVO_4 photocatalyst was synthesized by a microwave hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic efficiency was investigated in the degradation of model water pollutants like Methylene Blu...A visible light-induced, Cu-doped BiVO_4 photocatalyst was synthesized by a microwave hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic efficiency was investigated in the degradation of model water pollutants like Methylene Blue(dye) and ibuprofen(pharmaceuticals), as well as the inactivation of Escherichia coli(bacteria). The Cu-doped BiVO4 samples showed better efficiency than undoped BiVO_4, and the 1 wt.% Cu-doped BiVO_4 sample showed the best efficiency. The degradation of Methylene Blue reached 95%, while the degradation of ibuprofen reached 75%, and the inactivation of E. coli reached 85% in irradiation with visible light. The appearance of additional absorption band shoulders and widening of the optical absorption in the visible range makes the prepared powder an efficient visible light-driven photocatalyst. Moreover, the formation of an in-gap energy state just above the valance band as determined by density functional theory(DFT) first principle calculation, facilitates the wider optical absorption range of the doped system. Similarly, this in-gap energy state also acts as an electron trap, which is favorable for the efficient separation and photoexcited charge carriers' transfer process. The formation of oxygen vacancies due to doping also improved the separation of the charge carrier, which promoted the trapping of electrons and inhibited electron hole recombination, thus increasing the photocatalytic activity. No decrease in the efficiency of the 1 wt.% Cu-doped BiVO_4 photocatalyst in the degradation of ibuprofen over three consecutive cycles revealed the stability of the photocatalyst towards photocorrosion. These findings highlight the multifunctional applications of Cu-doped BiVO_4 in wastewater containing multiple pollutants.展开更多
The main pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia is the structural alteration in the neurovascular unit, coinciding with neurovascular matrix degradation. Resveratrol has been reported to be one of the most potent chemop...The main pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia is the structural alteration in the neurovascular unit, coinciding with neurovascular matrix degradation. Resveratrol has been reported to be one of the most potent chemopreventive agents that can inhibit cellular processes associated with ischemic stroke. Matrix metalloproteinases （MMPs） has been considered as a potential drug target for the treatment of cerebral ischemia. To explore this, we tried to investigate the inter-action of resveratrol with MMPs through molecular docking studies. At 30 minutes before and 2 hours after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion induced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, 40 mg/kg resveratrol was intraperitoneally administered. After resveratrol administration, neu-rological function and brain edema were significantly alleviated, cerebral infarct volume was signiifcantly reduced, and nitrite and malondialdehyde levels in the cortical and striatal regions were signiifcantly decreased. The molecular docking study of resveratrol and MMPs revealed that resveratrol occupied the active site of MMP-2 and MMP-9. The binding energy of the complexes was –37.848672 kJ/mol and –36.6345 kJ/mol for MMP-2 and MMP-9, respectively. In case of MMP-2, Leu 164, Ala 165 and Thr 227 were engaged in H-Bonding with resveratrol and in case of MMP-9, H-bonding was found with Glu 402, Ala 417 and Arg 424 residues. These ifndings collectively reveal that resveratrol exhibits neuroprotective effects on cerebral ischemia through inhibiting MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity.展开更多
This article introduces a singleton type-1 fuzzy logic system(T1-SFLS) controller and Fuzzy-WDO hybrid for the autonomous mobile robot navigation and collision avoidance in an unknown static and dynamic environment. T...This article introduces a singleton type-1 fuzzy logic system(T1-SFLS) controller and Fuzzy-WDO hybrid for the autonomous mobile robot navigation and collision avoidance in an unknown static and dynamic environment. The WDO(Wind Driven Optimization) algorithm is used to optimize and tune the input/output membership function parameters of the fuzzy controller. The WDO algorithm is working based on the atmospheric motion of infinitesimal small air parcels navigates over an N-dimensional search domain. The performance of this proposed technique has compared through many computer simulations and real-time experiments by using Khepera-Ⅲ mobile robot. As compared to the T1-SFLS controller the Fuzzy-WDO algorithm is found good agreement for mobile robot navigation.展开更多
The rapid expansion of urban areas due to rise in population and economic growth is increasing additional demand on natural resources thereby causing land-use changes especially in megacities. Therefore, serious probl...The rapid expansion of urban areas due to rise in population and economic growth is increasing additional demand on natural resources thereby causing land-use changes especially in megacities. Therefore, serious problems associated with rapid development such as additional infrastructure, informal settlements, environmental pollution, destruction of ecological structure and scarcity of natural resources has been studied carefully using remote sensing and GIS technologies for a rapidly grown megacity namely, Delhi. The present work evaluates the land use/land cover (LULC) changes and urban expansion in Mega city Delhi and highlights the major impact of rapid urbanization and population growth on the land cover changes which needs immediate attention. The results indicate that the city is expanding towards its peripheral region with the conversion of rural regions in to urban expansions. Built-up area of Delhi witnessed an overall increment from 540.7 km2 to 791.96 km2 or 16.86% of the total city area (1,490 km2 ) during the study period 1997 to 2008 which mainly came from agriculture land, waste land, scrub-land, sandy areas and water bodies. The increment in forest cover of 0.5 % is very small when considering the increment in built up category to 17%. Total area of waterbodies has reduced by 52.9% in a ten year period (58.26 km2 in 1997 to 27.43 km2 in 2008) with shallow waterbodies now having a dismal presence. LULC changes are studied with the urban growth parameters such as population, vehicles, gross state domestic product etc. The results lay emphasis on the concepts of urban planning to be applied such that more consideration is towards the preservation and management of natural land use classes which will increase the quality of life in an urban environment.展开更多
AIM To compare the results of arthroscopic capsular release with intra-articular steroid injections in patients of frozen shoulder.METHODS Fifty-six patients with frozen shoulder were randomised to one of two treatmen...AIM To compare the results of arthroscopic capsular release with intra-articular steroid injections in patients of frozen shoulder.METHODS Fifty-six patients with frozen shoulder were randomised to one of two treatment groups: Group 1, complete 360 degree arthroscopic capsular release and group 2, intra-articular corticosteroid injection(40 mg methyl prednisolone acetate). Both groups were put on active and passive range of motion exercises following the intervention. The outcome parameters were visual analogue scale(VAS) score for pain, range of motion and Constant score which were measured at baseline, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 wk after intervention.RESULTS All the parameters improved in both the groups. The mean VAS score improved significantly more in the group 1 as compared to group 2 at 8 wk. This greater improvement was maintained at 20 wk with P value of 0.007 at 8 wk, 0.006 at 12 wk, 0.006 at 16 wk and 0.019 at 20 wk. The Constant score showed a more significant improvement in group 1 compared to group 2 at 4 wk, which was again maintained at 20 wk with P value of 0.01 at 4, 8, 12 and 16 wk. The gain in abduction movement was statistically significantly more in arthroscopy group with P value of 0.001 at 4, 8, 12, 16 wk and 0.005 at 20 wk. The gain in external rotation was statistically significantly more in arthroscopy group with P value of 0.007 at 4 wk, 0.001 at 8, 12, and 16 wk and 0.003 at 20 wk. There was no statistically significant difference in extension and internal rotation between the two groups at any time. CONCLUSION Arthroscopic capsular release provides subjective and objective improvement earlier than intra-articular steroid injection.展开更多
A novel numerical procedure, which realizes the stochastic analysis with dimensional reduction integration （DRI）, C-type Gram-Charlier （CGC） series, and finite element （FE） model, is proposed to assess the proba...A novel numerical procedure, which realizes the stochastic analysis with dimensional reduction integration （DRI）, C-type Gram-Charlier （CGC） series, and finite element （FE） model, is proposed to assess the probability distribution of structural per- formance. From the relationship between the weighting function of orthogonal polynomial and probability density function （PDF） of random variable, the numerical integration formulas are derived for moment computation. Then, distribution of structural uncertainty response can be approximated by the CGC series with the calculated moments. Three engineering appli- cations for the distribution of, the maximum displacement of a ten-bar planer truss, natural frequency of an auto frame, and Von-Mises stress of a bending pipe, are employed to illustrate the computational efficiency and accuracy of the proposed methodology. As compared with plain Monte Carlo simulation （MCS）, the method can obtain the accurate distribution of structural performance. Especially at the tail region of cumulative distribution function （CDF）, results have shown the satisfy- ing estimators for small probabilities, say, Pc [104, 10-3]. That implies the method could be trusted for structural failure prob- ability prediction. As the computational efficiency is concerned, the procedure could save more than two orders of computational resources as compared with the direct numerical integration （NI） and MCS. Furthermore, realization of the procedure does not require computing the performance gradient or Hessian matrix with respect to random variables, or reshaping the finite element matrix as other stochastic finite element （SFE） codes. Therefore, it should be an efficient and reliable routine for uncertainty structural analysis.展开更多
Liver transplantation has been associated with massive blood loss and considerable transfusion requirements. Bleeding in orthotopic liver transplantation is multifactorial. Technical difficulties inherent to this comp...Liver transplantation has been associated with massive blood loss and considerable transfusion requirements. Bleeding in orthotopic liver transplantation is multifactorial. Technical difficulties inherent to this complex surgical procedure and pre operative derangements of the primary and secondary coagulation system are thought to be the principal causes of perioperative hemorrhage. Intraoperative practices such as massive fluid resuscitation and resulting hypothermia and hypocalcemia secondary to citrate toxicity further aggravate the preexisting coagulopathy and worsen the perioperative bleeding. Excessive blood loss and transfusion during orthotopic liver transplant are correlated with diminished graft survival and increased septic episodes and prolonged ICU stay. With improvements in surgical skills, anesthetic technique, graft preservation, use of intraoperative cell savers and overall perioperative management, orthotopic liver transplant is now associated with decreased intra operative blood losses. The purpose of this review is to discuss the risk factors predictive of increased intra operative bleeding in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplant.展开更多
AA5083 friction stir welds were produced using systematic experimental design, the process forces and heat input with varying parameters were studied. Helpful empirical models were developed in designing friction stir...AA5083 friction stir welds were produced using systematic experimental design, the process forces and heat input with varying parameters were studied. Helpful empirical models were developed in designing friction stir welding （FSW） tools and FSW welders. These models may be further helpful for making process parameter choice for this sort of alloy, defining welding program and control of process parameters by using computer numerical control friction stir welding welders. The results show that tool rotational speed, welding speed and tool shoulder diameter are most significant parameters affecting axial force and heat input, while longitudinal force is significantly affected by welding speed and probe diameter.展开更多
An analysis of underground power cables is performed using Fourier analysis with the objective of detecting fault and average life of the cables.Three types of cables are used in this experiment:a normal cable,a short...An analysis of underground power cables is performed using Fourier analysis with the objective of detecting fault and average life of the cables.Three types of cables are used in this experiment:a normal cable,a shorted cable, and a cable with holes.The impedance in each case is computed and Fourier transformation is applied so that the resulting impedance magnitude and impedance phase can be examined in the frequency domain.Various windowing techniques are applied to the experimental data to eliminate any interference.Fourier analysis is then applied to the impedance data calculated from both the sending end voltage and differential voltage.This analysis reveals differences in the frequency response of the three different types of a cable and can eventually be used as a measure for fault detection. Preliminary results reveal the differences in the frequency response.Accordingly,Fourier type methods can be effectively used as low cost and viable solutions to identify and detect faults in underground cables.展开更多
文摘This paper presents the rigorous study of mobile robot navigation techniques used so far.The step by step investigations of classical and reactive approaches are made here to understand the development of path planning strategies in various environmental conditions and to identify research gap.The classical approaches such as cell decomposition(CD),roadmap approach(RA),artificial potential field(APF);reactive approaches such as genetic algorithm(GA),fuzzy logic(FL),neural network(NN),firefly algorithm(FA),particle swarm optimization(PSO),ant colony optimization(ACO),bacterial foraging optimization(BFO),artificial bee colony(ABC),cuckoo search(CS),shuffled frog leaping algorithm(SFLA)and other miscellaneous algorithms(OMA)are considered for study.The navigation over static and dynamic condition is analyzed(for single and multiple robot systems)and it has been observed that the reactive approaches are more robust and perform well in all terrain when compared to classical approaches.It is also observed that the reactive approaches are used to improve the performance of the classical approaches as a hybrid algorithm.Hence,reactive approaches are more popular and widely used for path planning of mobile robot.The paper concludes with tabular data and charts comparing the frequency of individual navigational strategies which can be used for specific application in robotics.
基金supported by the Department of Science & Technology, New Delhi, India
文摘Rice （Oryza sativa L.） is an important food crop and requires larger amount of water throughout its life cycle as compared to other crops. Hence, water related stress cause severe threat to rice production. Drought is a major challenge limiting rice production. It affects rice at morphological （reduced germination, plant height, plant biomass, number of tillers, various root and leaf traits）, physiological （reduced photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, relative water content, chlorophyll content, photosystem II activity, membrane stability, carbon isotope discrimination and abscisic acid content）, biochemical （accumulation of osmoprotectant like proline, sugars, polyamines and antioxidants） and molecular （altered expression of genes which encode transcription factors and defence related proteins） levels and thereby affects its yield. To facilitate the selection or development of drought tolerant rice varieties, a thorough understanding of the various mechanisms that govern the yield of rice under water stress condition is a prerequisite. Thus, this review is focused mainly on recent information about the effects of drought on rice, rice responses as well as adaptation mechanisms to drought stress.
基金a grant from the National Science Foundation （USA） （to SL）.
文摘Potassium is one of the major macro-nutrients essential for a number of cellular processes in plants. Low potassium level in the soil represents a limiting factor for crop production. Recent studies have identified potassium transporters that are involved in potassium acquisition, and some of them are critical for potassium nutrition under low potassium conditions. However, little is understood on the molecular components involved in low potassium signaling and responses. We report here the identification ofa calcineurin B-like protein-interacting protein kinase （CIPK9） as a critical regulator of low potassium response in ,Arabidopsis. The CIPK9 gene was responsive to abiotic stress conditions, and its transcript was inducible in both roots and shoots by potassium deprivation. Disruption of CIPK9 function rendered the mutant plants hypersensitive to low potassium media. Further analysis indicated that K^＋ uptake and content were not affected in the mutant plants, implying CIPK9 in the regulation of potassium utilization or sensing processes.
文摘The characterization of microstructure evolution in friction stir welded aluminum alloy was carried out by optical microscopy （OM） and transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and electron backscatter diffraction （EBSD）. The weld nugget consisted of very fine equiaxed grains and experienced dissolution of nearly half of metastable precipitates into the matrix during welding. Thermomechanically affected zone （TMAZ） also experienced dissolution of precipitates but to a lesser extent whereas coarsening of precipitates was observed in heat affected zone （HAZ）. Grain boundary misorientation measurements using EBSD indicated continuous dynamic recrystallization as the underlying mechanism for the fine equiaxed nugget grains. The yield and tensile strength of the weld decreased with comparison to base material. But due to the decrease of grain size and the dissolution of second phase precipitates, an increased Charpy energy value was observed in the weld n u gget.
文摘Gastrointestinal stromal tumours(GISTs) are mesen-chymal neoplasms originating in the gastrointestinal tract, usually in the stomach or the small intestine, and rarely elsewhere in the abdomen. The malignant potential of GISTs is variable ranging from small lesions with a benign behaviour to fatal sarcomas. The majo-rity of the tumours stain positively for the CD-117(KIT) and discovered on GIST-1(DOG-1 or anoctamin 1) expression, and they are characterized by the presence of a driver kinase-activating mutation in either KIT or platelet-derived growth factor receptor α. Although surgery is the primary modality of treatment, almost half of the patients have disease recurrence following surgery, which highlights the need for an effective adjuvant therapy. Traditionally, GISTs are considered chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistant. With the advent of targeted therapy(tyrosine kinase inhibitors), there has been a paradigm shift in the management of GISTs in the last decade. We present a comprehensive review of targeted therapy in the management of GISTs.
文摘Autonomous mobile robot navigation is one of the most emerging areas of research by using swarm intelligence. Path planning and obstacle avoidance are most researched current topics like navigational challenges for mobile robot. The paper presents application and implementation of Firefly Algorithm(FA)for Mobile Robot Navigation(MRN) in uncertain environment. The uncertainty is defined over the changing environmental condition from static to dynamic. The attraction of one firefly towards the other firefly due to variation of their brightness is the key concept of the proposed study. The proposed controller efficiently explores the environment and improves the global search in less number of iterations and hence it can be easily implemented for real time obstacle avoidance especially for dynamic environment. It solves the challenges of navigation, minimizes the computational calculations, and avoids random moving of fireflies. The performance of proposed controller is better in terms of path optimality when compared to other intelligent navigational approaches.
基金supported by the Global Research Laboratory Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)funded by the Ministry of Education,Science and Technology (MEST) of Korea (No.2010-00339)
文摘A visible light-induced, Cu-doped BiVO_4 photocatalyst was synthesized by a microwave hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic efficiency was investigated in the degradation of model water pollutants like Methylene Blue(dye) and ibuprofen(pharmaceuticals), as well as the inactivation of Escherichia coli(bacteria). The Cu-doped BiVO4 samples showed better efficiency than undoped BiVO_4, and the 1 wt.% Cu-doped BiVO_4 sample showed the best efficiency. The degradation of Methylene Blue reached 95%, while the degradation of ibuprofen reached 75%, and the inactivation of E. coli reached 85% in irradiation with visible light. The appearance of additional absorption band shoulders and widening of the optical absorption in the visible range makes the prepared powder an efficient visible light-driven photocatalyst. Moreover, the formation of an in-gap energy state just above the valance band as determined by density functional theory(DFT) first principle calculation, facilitates the wider optical absorption range of the doped system. Similarly, this in-gap energy state also acts as an electron trap, which is favorable for the efficient separation and photoexcited charge carriers' transfer process. The formation of oxygen vacancies due to doping also improved the separation of the charge carrier, which promoted the trapping of electrons and inhibited electron hole recombination, thus increasing the photocatalytic activity. No decrease in the efficiency of the 1 wt.% Cu-doped BiVO_4 photocatalyst in the degradation of ibuprofen over three consecutive cycles revealed the stability of the photocatalyst towards photocorrosion. These findings highlight the multifunctional applications of Cu-doped BiVO_4 in wastewater containing multiple pollutants.
文摘The main pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia is the structural alteration in the neurovascular unit, coinciding with neurovascular matrix degradation. Resveratrol has been reported to be one of the most potent chemopreventive agents that can inhibit cellular processes associated with ischemic stroke. Matrix metalloproteinases （MMPs） has been considered as a potential drug target for the treatment of cerebral ischemia. To explore this, we tried to investigate the inter-action of resveratrol with MMPs through molecular docking studies. At 30 minutes before and 2 hours after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion induced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, 40 mg/kg resveratrol was intraperitoneally administered. After resveratrol administration, neu-rological function and brain edema were significantly alleviated, cerebral infarct volume was signiifcantly reduced, and nitrite and malondialdehyde levels in the cortical and striatal regions were signiifcantly decreased. The molecular docking study of resveratrol and MMPs revealed that resveratrol occupied the active site of MMP-2 and MMP-9. The binding energy of the complexes was –37.848672 kJ/mol and –36.6345 kJ/mol for MMP-2 and MMP-9, respectively. In case of MMP-2, Leu 164, Ala 165 and Thr 227 were engaged in H-Bonding with resveratrol and in case of MMP-9, H-bonding was found with Glu 402, Ala 417 and Arg 424 residues. These ifndings collectively reveal that resveratrol exhibits neuroprotective effects on cerebral ischemia through inhibiting MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity.
文摘This article introduces a singleton type-1 fuzzy logic system(T1-SFLS) controller and Fuzzy-WDO hybrid for the autonomous mobile robot navigation and collision avoidance in an unknown static and dynamic environment. The WDO(Wind Driven Optimization) algorithm is used to optimize and tune the input/output membership function parameters of the fuzzy controller. The WDO algorithm is working based on the atmospheric motion of infinitesimal small air parcels navigates over an N-dimensional search domain. The performance of this proposed technique has compared through many computer simulations and real-time experiments by using Khepera-Ⅲ mobile robot. As compared to the T1-SFLS controller the Fuzzy-WDO algorithm is found good agreement for mobile robot navigation.
文摘The rapid expansion of urban areas due to rise in population and economic growth is increasing additional demand on natural resources thereby causing land-use changes especially in megacities. Therefore, serious problems associated with rapid development such as additional infrastructure, informal settlements, environmental pollution, destruction of ecological structure and scarcity of natural resources has been studied carefully using remote sensing and GIS technologies for a rapidly grown megacity namely, Delhi. The present work evaluates the land use/land cover (LULC) changes and urban expansion in Mega city Delhi and highlights the major impact of rapid urbanization and population growth on the land cover changes which needs immediate attention. The results indicate that the city is expanding towards its peripheral region with the conversion of rural regions in to urban expansions. Built-up area of Delhi witnessed an overall increment from 540.7 km2 to 791.96 km2 or 16.86% of the total city area (1,490 km2 ) during the study period 1997 to 2008 which mainly came from agriculture land, waste land, scrub-land, sandy areas and water bodies. The increment in forest cover of 0.5 % is very small when considering the increment in built up category to 17%. Total area of waterbodies has reduced by 52.9% in a ten year period (58.26 km2 in 1997 to 27.43 km2 in 2008) with shallow waterbodies now having a dismal presence. LULC changes are studied with the urban growth parameters such as population, vehicles, gross state domestic product etc. The results lay emphasis on the concepts of urban planning to be applied such that more consideration is towards the preservation and management of natural land use classes which will increase the quality of life in an urban environment.
文摘AIM To compare the results of arthroscopic capsular release with intra-articular steroid injections in patients of frozen shoulder.METHODS Fifty-six patients with frozen shoulder were randomised to one of two treatment groups: Group 1, complete 360 degree arthroscopic capsular release and group 2, intra-articular corticosteroid injection(40 mg methyl prednisolone acetate). Both groups were put on active and passive range of motion exercises following the intervention. The outcome parameters were visual analogue scale(VAS) score for pain, range of motion and Constant score which were measured at baseline, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 wk after intervention.RESULTS All the parameters improved in both the groups. The mean VAS score improved significantly more in the group 1 as compared to group 2 at 8 wk. This greater improvement was maintained at 20 wk with P value of 0.007 at 8 wk, 0.006 at 12 wk, 0.006 at 16 wk and 0.019 at 20 wk. The Constant score showed a more significant improvement in group 1 compared to group 2 at 4 wk, which was again maintained at 20 wk with P value of 0.01 at 4, 8, 12 and 16 wk. The gain in abduction movement was statistically significantly more in arthroscopy group with P value of 0.001 at 4, 8, 12, 16 wk and 0.005 at 20 wk. The gain in external rotation was statistically significantly more in arthroscopy group with P value of 0.007 at 4 wk, 0.001 at 8, 12, and 16 wk and 0.003 at 20 wk. There was no statistically significant difference in extension and internal rotation between the two groups at any time. CONCLUSION Arthroscopic capsular release provides subjective and objective improvement earlier than intra-articular steroid injection.
基金supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE) through an Industrial Research Chair program,"Risk-Based Life Cycle Management of Engineering Systems",at the University of Waterloo
文摘A novel numerical procedure, which realizes the stochastic analysis with dimensional reduction integration （DRI）, C-type Gram-Charlier （CGC） series, and finite element （FE） model, is proposed to assess the probability distribution of structural per- formance. From the relationship between the weighting function of orthogonal polynomial and probability density function （PDF） of random variable, the numerical integration formulas are derived for moment computation. Then, distribution of structural uncertainty response can be approximated by the CGC series with the calculated moments. Three engineering appli- cations for the distribution of, the maximum displacement of a ten-bar planer truss, natural frequency of an auto frame, and Von-Mises stress of a bending pipe, are employed to illustrate the computational efficiency and accuracy of the proposed methodology. As compared with plain Monte Carlo simulation （MCS）, the method can obtain the accurate distribution of structural performance. Especially at the tail region of cumulative distribution function （CDF）, results have shown the satisfy- ing estimators for small probabilities, say, Pc [104, 10-3]. That implies the method could be trusted for structural failure prob- ability prediction. As the computational efficiency is concerned, the procedure could save more than two orders of computational resources as compared with the direct numerical integration （NI） and MCS. Furthermore, realization of the procedure does not require computing the performance gradient or Hessian matrix with respect to random variables, or reshaping the finite element matrix as other stochastic finite element （SFE） codes. Therefore, it should be an efficient and reliable routine for uncertainty structural analysis.
文摘Liver transplantation has been associated with massive blood loss and considerable transfusion requirements. Bleeding in orthotopic liver transplantation is multifactorial. Technical difficulties inherent to this complex surgical procedure and pre operative derangements of the primary and secondary coagulation system are thought to be the principal causes of perioperative hemorrhage. Intraoperative practices such as massive fluid resuscitation and resulting hypothermia and hypocalcemia secondary to citrate toxicity further aggravate the preexisting coagulopathy and worsen the perioperative bleeding. Excessive blood loss and transfusion during orthotopic liver transplant are correlated with diminished graft survival and increased septic episodes and prolonged ICU stay. With improvements in surgical skills, anesthetic technique, graft preservation, use of intraoperative cell savers and overall perioperative management, orthotopic liver transplant is now associated with decreased intra operative blood losses. The purpose of this review is to discuss the risk factors predictive of increased intra operative bleeding in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplant.
文摘AA5083 friction stir welds were produced using systematic experimental design, the process forces and heat input with varying parameters were studied. Helpful empirical models were developed in designing friction stir welding （FSW） tools and FSW welders. These models may be further helpful for making process parameter choice for this sort of alloy, defining welding program and control of process parameters by using computer numerical control friction stir welding welders. The results show that tool rotational speed, welding speed and tool shoulder diameter are most significant parameters affecting axial force and heat input, while longitudinal force is significantly affected by welding speed and probe diameter.
文摘An analysis of underground power cables is performed using Fourier analysis with the objective of detecting fault and average life of the cables.Three types of cables are used in this experiment:a normal cable,a shorted cable, and a cable with holes.The impedance in each case is computed and Fourier transformation is applied so that the resulting impedance magnitude and impedance phase can be examined in the frequency domain.Various windowing techniques are applied to the experimental data to eliminate any interference.Fourier analysis is then applied to the impedance data calculated from both the sending end voltage and differential voltage.This analysis reveals differences in the frequency response of the three different types of a cable and can eventually be used as a measure for fault detection. Preliminary results reveal the differences in the frequency response.Accordingly,Fourier type methods can be effectively used as low cost and viable solutions to identify and detect faults in underground cables.
