Danielsengoode3392

Automated collection of on-vehicle sensor data allows the development of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques for vehicular systems' diagnostic and prognostic processes to better assess the state-of-health, predict faults and evaluate residual life of ground vehicle systems. selleck chemicals One of the vital subsystems, in terms of safety and mission criticality, is the power train, (comprising the engine, transmission, and final drives), which provides the driving torque required for vehicle acceleration. In this paper, a novel health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) architecture is presented, together with dedicated diagnosis/prognosis algorithms that utilize data gathered from a sensor network embedded in an armoured personnel carrier (APC) vehicle. To model the drivetrain, a virtual dynamometer is introduced, which estimates the engine torque output for successive comparison with the measured torque values taken from the engine control unit. This virtual dynamometer is also used in conjunction with other sensed variables to determine the maximum torque output of the engine, which is considered to be the primary indicator of engine health. Regression analysis is performed to capture the effect of certain variables such as engine hours, oil temperature, and coolant temperature on the degradation of maximum engine torque. Degradations in the final drives system were identified using a comparison of the temperature trends between the left-hand and right-hand final drives. This research lays foundations for the development of real-time diagnosis and prognosis functions for an integrated vehicle health management (IVHM) system suitable for safety critical manned and unmanned vehicle applications.Detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs) microdomains, or "raft lipids", are key components of the plasma membrane (PM), being involved in membrane trafficking, signal transduction, cell wall metabolism or endocytosis. Proteins imbibed in these domains play important roles in these cellular functions, but there are few studies concerning DRMs under abiotic stress. In this work, we determine DRMs from the PM of broccoli roots, the lipid and protein content, the vesicles structure, their water osmotic permeability and a proteomic characterization focused mainly in aquaporin isoforms under salinity (80 mM NaCl). Based on biochemical lipid composition, higher fatty acid saturation and enriched sterol content under stress resulted in membranes, which decreased osmotic water permeability with regard to other PM vesicles, but this permeability was maintained under control and saline conditions; this maintenance may be related to a lower amount of total PIP1 and PIP2. Selective aquaporin isoforms related to the stress response such as PIP1;2 and PIP2;7 were found in DRMs and this protein partitioning may act as a mechanism to regulate aquaporins involved in the response to salt stress. Other proteins related to protein synthesis, metabolism and energy were identified in DRMs independently of the treatment, indicating their preference to organize in DMRs.The use of virtual reality trainers for teaching minimally invasive surgical techniques has been established for a long time in conventional laparoscopy as well as robotic surgery. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of reproducible disruptive factors on the surgeon's work. In a cross-sectional investigation, surgeons were tested with regard to the impact of different disruptive factors when doing exercises on a robotic-surgery simulator (Mimic Flex VRTM). Additionally, we collected data about the participants' professional experience, gender, age, expertise in playing an instrument, and expertise in playing video games. The data were collected during DRUS 2019 (Symposium of the German Society for Robot-assisted Urology). Forty-two surgeons attending DRUS 2019 were asked to participate in a virtual robotic stress training unit. The surgeons worked in various specialties (visceral surgery, gynecology, and urology) and had different levels of expertise. The time taken to complete the exercise (TTCE), the final score (FSC), and blood loss (BL) were measured. In the basic exercise with an interactive disruption, TTCE was significantly longer (p less then 0.01) and FSC significantly lower (p less then 0.05). No significant difference in TTCE, FSC, or BL was noted in the advanced exercise with acoustic disruption. Performance during disruption was not dependent on the level of surgical experience, gender, age, expertise in playing an instrument, or playing video games. A positive correlation was registered between self-estimation and surgical experience. Interactive disruptions have a greater impact on the performance of a surgeon than acoustic ones. link2 Disruption affects the performance of experienced as well as inexperienced surgeons. Disruption in daily surgery should be evaluated and minimized in the interest of the patient's safety.Due to the popularity of indoor positioning technology, indoor navigation applications have been deployed in large buildings, such as hospitals, airports, and train stations, to guide visitors to their destinations. A commonly-used user interface, shown on smartphones, is a 2D floor map with a route to the destination. The navigation instructions, such as turn left, turn right, and go straight, pop up on the screen when users come to an intersection. However, owing to the restrictions of a 2D navigation map, users may face mental pressure and get confused while they are making a connection between the real environment and the 2D navigation map before moving forward. For this reason, we developed ARBIN, an augmented reality-based navigation system, which posts navigation instructions on the screen of real-world environments for ease of use. Thus, there is no need for users to make a connection between the navigation instructions and the real-world environment. In order to evaluate the applicability of ARBIN, a series of experiments were conducted in the outpatient area of the National Taiwan University Hospital YunLin Branch, which is nearly 1800 m2, with 35 destinations and points of interests, such as a cardiovascular clinic, x-ray examination room, pharmacy, and so on. Four different types of smartphone were adopted for evaluation. Our results show that ARBIN can achieve 3 to 5 m accuracy, and provide users with correct instructions on their way to the destinations. ARBIN proved to be a practical solution for indoor navigation, especially for large buildings.Plant secondary metabolites possess chemopreventive and antineoplastic properties, but the lack of information about their exact mechanism of action in mammalian cells hinders the translation of these compounds in suitable therapies. In light of this, firstly, Origanum vulgare L. link3 hydroalcoholic extract was chemically characterized by spectrophotometric and chromatographic analyses; then, the molecular bases underlying its antitumor activity on B16-F10 and A375 melanoma cells were investigated. Oregano extract induced oxidative stress and inhibited melanogenesis and tumor cell proliferation, triggering programmed cell death pathways (both apoptosis and necroptosis) through mitochondria and DNA damage. By contrast, oregano extract was safe on healthy tissues, revealing no cytotoxicity and mutagenicity on C2C12 myoblasts, considered as non-tumor proliferating cell model system, and on Salmonella strains, by the Ames test. All these data provide scientific evidence about the potential application of this food plant as an anticancer agent in in vivo studies and clinical trials.The identification of the human cannabinoid receptors and their roles in health and disease, has been one of the most significant biochemical and pharmacological advancements to have occurred in the past few decades. In spite of the major strides made in furthering endocannabinoid research, therapeutic exploitation of the endocannabinoid system has often been a challenging task. An impaired endocannabinoid tone often manifests as changes in expression and/or functions of type 1 and/or type 2 cannabinoid receptors. It becomes important to understand how alterations in cannabinoid receptor cellular signaling can lead to disruptions in major physiological and biological functions, as they are often associated with the pathogenesis of several neurological, cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory diseases. This review focusses mostly on the pathophysiological roles of type 1 and type 2 cannabinoid receptors, and it attempts to integrate both cellular and physiological functions of the cannabinoid receptors. Apart from an updated review of pre-clinical and clinical studies, the adequacy/inadequacy of cannabinoid-based therapeutics in various pathological conditions is also highlighted. Finally, alternative strategies to modulate endocannabinoid tone, and future directions are also emphasized.Activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta syndrome 1 (APDS-1) is a recently described inborn error of immunity caused by monoallelic gain-of-function mutations in the PIK3CD gene. We reviewed for the first time medical records and laboratory data of eight Italian APDS-1 patients. Recurrent sinopulmonary infections were the most common clinical feature at onset of disease. Seven patients presented lymphoproliferative disease, at onset or during follow-up, one of which resembled hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Genetic analysis of the PIK3CD gene revealed three novel mutations functional testing confirmed their activating nature. In the remaining patients, the previously reported variants p.E1021K (n = 4) and p.E525A (n = 1) were identified. Six patients were started on immunoglobulin replacement treatment (IgRT). One patient successfully underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), with good chimerism and no GVHD at 21 months post-HSCT. APDS-1 is a combined immune deficiency with a wide variety of clinical manifestations and a complex immunological presentation. Besides IgRT, specific therapies targeting the PI3Kδ pathway will most likely become a valid aid for the amelioration of patients' clinical management and their quality of life.Radiotherapy using accelerated charged particles is rapidly growing worldwide. About 85% of the cancer patients receiving particle therapy are irradiated with protons, which have physical advantages compared to X-rays but a similar biological response. In addition to the ballistic advantages, heavy ions present specific radiobiological features that can make them attractive for treating radioresistant, hypoxic tumors. An ideal heavy ion should have lower toxicity in the entrance channel (normal tissue) and be exquisitely effective in the target region (tumor). Carbon ions have been chosen because they represent the best combination in this direction. Normal tissue toxicities and second cancer risk are similar to those observed in conventional radiotherapy. In the target region, they have increased relative biological effectiveness and a reduced oxygen enhancement ratio compared to X-rays. Some radiobiological properties of densely ionizing carbon ions are so distinct from X-rays and protons that they can be considered as a different "drug" in oncology, and may elicit favorable responses such as an increased immune response and reduced angiogenesis and metastatic potential. The radiobiological properties of carbon ions should guide patient selection and treatment protocols to achieve optimal clinical results.