A controller for controlling a group of lighting devices and a method thereof

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2017-01-01

A controller (100) for controlling a group (110) of lighting devices (112, 114) is disclosed. The group (110) comprises a first lighting device (112) and a second lighting device (114). The controller (100) comprises a communication unit (102) for communicating with the first and second lighting

Melatonin and bright-light treatment for rest-activity disruption in institutionalized patients with Alzheimer's disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dowling, G.A.; Burr, R.L.; van Someren, E.J.W.; Hubbard, E.M.; Luxenberg, J.S.; Mastick, J.; Cooper, B.A.

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To test whether the addition of melatonin to bright-light therapy enhances the efficacy in treating rest-activity (circadian) disruption in institutionalized patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). DESIGN: Randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Two nursing homes in San Francisco,

Intelligent Lighting Control System

OpenAIRE

García, Elena; Rodríguez González, Sara; de Paz Santana, Juan F.; Bajo Pérez, Javier

2014-01-01

This paper presents an adaptive architecture that allows centralized control of public lighting and intelligent management, in order to economise on lighting and maintain maximum comfort status of the illuminated areas. To carry out this management, architecture merges various techniques of artificial intelligence (AI) and statistics such as artificial neural networks (ANN), multi-agent systems (MAS), EM algorithm, methods based on ANOVA and a Service Oriented Aproach (SOA). It performs optim...

Light-Controlled Swarming and Assembly of Colloidal Particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianhua Zhang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Swarms and assemblies are ubiquitous in nature and they can perform complex collective behaviors and cooperative functions that they cannot accomplish individually. In response to light, some colloidal particles (CPs, including light active and passive CPs, can mimic their counterparts in nature and organize into complex structures that exhibit collective functions with remote controllability and high temporospatial precision. In this review, we firstly analyze the structural characteristics of swarms and assemblies of CPs and point out that light-controlled swarming and assembly of CPs are generally achieved by constructing light-responsive interactions between CPs. Then, we summarize in detail the recent advances in light-controlled swarming and assembly of CPs based on the interactions arisen from optical forces, photochemical reactions, photothermal effects, and photoisomerizations, as well as their potential applications. In the end, we also envision some challenges and future prospects of light-controlled swarming and assembly of CPs. With the increasing innovations in mechanisms and control strategies with easy operation, low cost, and arbitrary applicability, light-controlled swarming and assembly of CPs may be employed to manufacture programmable materials and reconfigurable robots for cooperative grasping, collective cargo transportation, and micro- and nanoengineering.

The potential of light therapy in Parkinson's disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johnstone DM

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Daniel M Johnstone,1 Kristina Coleman,2 Cécile Moro,3 Napoleon Torres,3 Janis T Eells,4 Gary E Baker,5,† Keyoumars Ashkan,6 Jonathan Stone,1 Alim-Louis Benabid,3 John Mitrofanis21Department of Physiology and Bosch Institute, 2Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3Clinatec LETI-DTBS, CEA Grenoble, France; 4Department of Biomedical Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; 5Department of Optometry and Visual Science, City University, 6Department of Neurosurgery, King’s College Hospital, London, UK †Gary E Baker passed away on 15 November 2011. Abstract: Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder with cardinal signs of resting tremor, akinesia, and rigidity. These manifest after a progressive death of many dopaminergic neurons of the midbrain. Unfortunately, the progression of this neuronal death has proved difficult to slow and impossible to reverse despite an intense search for the specific causes and for treatments that address the causes. There is a corresponding need to develop approaches that regulate the self-repair mechanisms of neurons, independent of the specific causes of the damage that leads to their death. Red to infrared light therapy (λ=600–1,070 nm is emerging as an effective, repair-oriented therapy that is capable of stabilizing dying neurons. Initially a space-age anecdote, light therapy has become a treatment for tissue stressed by the known causes of age-related diseases: hypoxia, toxic environments, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Here we focus on several issues relating to the use of light therapy for Parkinson's disease: 1 What is the evidence that it is neuroprotective? We consider the basic science and clinical evidence; 2 What are the mechanisms of neuroprotection? We suggest a primary mechanism acting directly on the neuron’s mitochondria (direct effect as well as a secondary, supportive mechanism acting indirectly through systemic systems (indirect

Tools for controlling protein interactions with light

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Chandra L.; Vrana, Justin D.; Kennedy, Matthew J.

2014-01-01

Genetically-encoded actuators that allow control of protein-protein interactions with light, termed ‘optical dimerizers’, are emerging as new tools for experimental biology. In recent years, numerous new and versatile dimerizer systems have been developed. Here we discuss the design of optical dimerizer experiments, including choice of a dimerizer system, photoexcitation sources, and coordinate use of imaging reporters. We provide detailed protocols for experiments using two dimerization systems we previously developed, CRY2/CIB and UVR8/UVR8, for use controlling transcription, protein localization, and protein secretion with light. Additionally, we provide instructions and software for constructing a pulse-controlled LED light device for use in experiments requiring extended light treatments. PMID:25181301

Light-controlled motility in prokaryotes and the problem of directional light perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilde, Annegret; Mullineaux, Conrad W

2017-11-01

The natural light environment is important to many prokaryotes. Most obviously, phototrophic prokaryotes need to acclimate their photosynthetic apparatus to the prevailing light conditions, and such acclimation is frequently complemented by motility to enable cells to relocate in search of more favorable illumination conditions. Non-phototrophic prokaryotes may also seek to avoid light at damaging intensities and wavelengths, and many prokaryotes with diverse lifestyles could potentially exploit light signals as a rich source of information about their surroundings and a cue for acclimation and behavior. Here we discuss our current understanding of the ways in which bacteria can perceive the intensity, wavelength and direction of illumination, and the signal transduction networks that link light perception to the control of motile behavior. We discuss the problems of light perception at the prokaryotic scale, and the challenge of directional light perception in small bacterial cells. We explain the peculiarities and the common features of light-controlled motility systems in prokaryotes as diverse as cyanobacteria, purple photosynthetic bacteria, chemoheterotrophic bacteria and haloarchaea. © FEMS 2017.

Current control of light by nonreciprocal magnetoplasmonics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gong, Yongkang, E-mail: yongkang.gong@southwales.ac.uk; Li, Kang; Carver, Sara; Martinez, Juan Jose; Huang, Jungang; Copner, Nigel [Wireless and Optoelectronics Research and Innovation Centre (WORIC), Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Cardiff CF37 1DL (United Kingdom); Thueux, Yoann; Avlonitis, Nick [Airbus Group Innovations, Quadrant House, Celtic Springs, Coedkernew, NP10 8FZ Newport (United Kingdom)

2015-05-11

The ability to actively control light has long been a major scientific and technological goal. We proposed a scheme that allows for active control of light by utilizing the nonreciprocal magnetoplasmonic effect. As a proof of concept, we applied current signal through an ultrathin metallic film in a magneto-plasmonic multilayer and found that dynamic photonic nonreciprocity appears in magnetic-optical material layer due to the magnetic field being induced from current signal and modulates surface plasmon polaritons trapped in the metal surface and the light reflected. The proposed concept provides a possible way for the active control of light and could find potential applications such as ultrafast optoelectronic signal processing for plasmonic nanocircuit technology and ultrafast/large-aperture free-space electro-optic modulation platform for wireless laser communication technology.

Lighting control and dimensioning in integrated daylight systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halonen, L.; Eloholma, M.; Lehtovaara, J.

1996-12-31

The objective of this research was to find out the subjective and individual requirements for lighting control in connection with daylight utilization in indoor lighting. There is a great potential to use daylight in indoor lighting. This sets demands for the integrated daylight control systems, so that the indoor lighting can be optimized and demands of the users can be fulfilled. Control strategies should also take into account individual light needs, luminance balance and visual comfort. New lighting control systems and strategies such as vertical/horizontal illuminance ratio were studied. The incoming daylight may radically change the luminance distribution of the visual field and the effects of daylight on luminances of vertical surfaces may become especially noticeable. When daylight is utilized in indoor lighting, special care has to be taken to maintain the quality of the lighting of the visual environment. The windows become a potential source of discomfort glare in offices in uncontrolled daylight conditions. With the present methods it is not possible to evaluate discomfort glare caused by high surface luminances or windows. The results of this research do not support the opinion that low vision people in offices need more light than the normally sighted or that the illumination levels should be raised for low vision people. The rise of lighting levels from the present practice (task illuminance level 500 lux) in office work does not improve the visual performance of low vision people. In planning the visual environment for the low vision people care has to be taken on the direction of light. (7 refs.)

Timing growth and development of Campanula by daily light integral and supplemental light level in a cost-efficient light control system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjær, Katrine Heinsvig; Ottosen, Carl-Otto; Jørgensen, Bo Nørregaard

2012-01-01

light control system (DynaLight desktop) automatically defines the most cost-efficient use of supplemental light based on predefined setpoints for daily photosynthesis integral (DPI), forecasted solar irradiance and the market price on electricity. It saves energy in high-cost periods of electricity......Two campanula species Campanula portenschlagiana (‘Blue Get Mee’) and Campanula cochlearifolia (‘Blue Wonder’) were grown in a cost-efficient light control system and the effect of supplemental light level and daily light integral (DLI) on growth and development was quantified. The alternative...... the number of flowers and buds and CLI in ‘Blue Get Mee’. The results demonstrate that DLI was the main limiting factor for prediction of growth and development when two campanula species were grown in a cost-efficient light control system where the number of daily light hours was often below the critical...

Bumblebees perform well-controlled landings in dim light

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Therese Reber

2016-09-01

Full Text Available To make a smooth touchdown when landing, an insect must be able to reliably control its approach speed as well as its body and leg position – behaviors that are thought to be regulated primarily by visual information. Bumblebees forage and land under a broad range of light intensities and while their behavior during the final moments of landing has been described in detail in bright light, little is known about how this is affected by decreasing light intensity. Here, we investigate this by characterizing the performance of bumblebees, B. terrestris, landing on a flat platform at two different orientations (horizontal and vertical and at four different light intensities (ranging from 600 lx down to 19 lx. As light intensity decreased, the bees modified their body position and the distance at which they extended their legs, suggesting that the control of landing in these insects is visually mediated. Nevertheless, the effect of light intensity was small and the landings were still well controlled, even in the dimmest light. We suggest that the changes in landing behavior that occurred in dim light might represent adaptations that allow the bees to perform smooth landings across the broad range of light intensities at which they are active.

Bumblebees Perform Well-Controlled Landings in Dim Light.

Science.gov (United States)

Reber, Therese; Dacke, Marie; Warrant, Eric; Baird, Emily

2016-01-01

To make a smooth touchdown when landing, an insect must be able to reliably control its approach speed as well as its body and leg position-behaviors that are thought to be regulated primarily by visual information. Bumblebees forage and land under a broad range of light intensities and while their behavior during the final moments of landing has been described in detail in bright light, little is known about how this is affected by decreasing light intensity. Here, we investigate this by characterizing the performance of bumblebees, B. terrestris, landing on a flat platform at two different orientations (horizontal and vertical) and at four different light intensities (ranging from 600 lx down to 19 lx). As light intensity decreased, the bees modified their body position and the distance at which they extended their legs, suggesting that the control of landing in these insects is visually mediated. Nevertheless, the effect of light intensity was small and the landings were still well controlled, even in the dimmest light. We suggest that the changes in landing behavior that occurred in dim light might represent adaptations that allow the bees to perform smooth landings across the broad range of light intensities at which they are active.

Examination of Color-Lighting Control System Using Colored Paper User Interface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aida Hiroto

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In recent year, Full-Color LED Lighting that can be changed to various color such as red, green, blue has been appeared with development of LED Lighting. By Color-Lighting control, users affected such as concentrating and relaxing. Therefore, Color-lighting control will spread to various place such as home, offices, stations. However color-lighting control affected some disturbance such as daylight, display when Full-Color LED controlled indoors. Also, information devices control get difficult with information technology develop. I propose Color-Lighting Control System using Colored Paper User Interface(CLC/CPUI. The purpose of CLC/CPUI is that anyone can intuitively control Full-Color LED Lighting. CLC/CPUI uses colored paper as user interface by sensing the paper. CLC/CPUI realizes lighting color that user demanded to do feedback control. I conduct accuracy verification experiment of CLC/CPUI.

Reduced axonal transport in Parkinson's disease cybrid neurites is restored by light therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

De Taboada Luis

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It has been hypothesized that reduced axonal transport contributes to the degeneration of neuronal processes in Parkinson's disease (PD. Mitochondria supply the adenosine triphosphate (ATP needed to support axonal transport and contribute to many other cellular functions essential for the survival of neuronal cells. Furthermore, mitochondria in PD tissues are metabolically and functionally compromised. To address this hypothesis, we measured the velocity of mitochondrial movement in human transmitochondrial cybrid "cytoplasmic hybrid" neuronal cells bearing mitochondrial DNA from patients with sporadic PD and disease-free age-matched volunteer controls (CNT. The absorption of low level, near-infrared laser light by components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (mtETC enhances mitochondrial metabolism, stimulates oxidative phosphorylation and improves redox capacity. PD and CNT cybrid neuronal cells were exposed to near-infrared laser light to determine if the velocity of mitochondrial movement can be restored by low level light therapy (LLLT. Axonal transport of labeled mitochondria was documented by time lapse microscopy in dopaminergic PD and CNT cybrid neuronal cells before and after illumination with an 810 nm diode laser (50 mW/cm2 for 40 seconds. Oxygen utilization and assembly of mtETC complexes were also determined. Results The velocity of mitochondrial movement in PD cybrid neuronal cells (0.175 +/- 0.005 SEM was significantly reduced (p Conclusion The results from this study support our proposal that axonal transport is reduced in sporadic PD and that a single, brief treatment with near-infrared light can restore axonal transport to control levels. These results are the first demonstration that LLLT can increase axonal transport in model human dopaminergic neuronal cells and they suggest that LLLT could be developed as a novel treatment to improve neuronal function in patients with PD.

Applications of quantum electro-optic control and squeezed light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lam, P.K.

2000-01-01

Full text: The control theory of electronic feedback or feedforward is a topic well understood by many scientists and engineers. With many of the modern equipment relying on automation and robotics, an understanding of this classical control theory is a common requisite for many technologists. In the field of optics, electronic control theory is also commonly used in many situations. From the temperature controlling of laser systems, the auto-alignment of optical elements, to the locking of optical resonators, all make use of electronic control theory in their operations. In this talk, we present the use the control theory in the context of quantum optics. In much the same as its classical counterpart, the 'quantum electro-optic' control loop consists simply of an optical beam splitter, a detector and an electro-optic modulator. This simple system, however, can offer many interesting applications when used in combination with nonclassical states of light. One well-known example of non-classical light is that of the squeezed state of light. A light beam is referred to as being amplitude 'squeezed' when its amplitude has less noise when compared to that of a coherent light state. In fact, the field fluctuation of such light states in some sense lower that the field fluctuation of the photonic vacuum state. Yet another interesting non-classical light state is the so-called 'Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen' entangled pair. This consists of two beams of light, each of which has properties that are highly dependent on each other. Using both the quantum electro-optic control loops and these light states, we demonstrate schemes which allow us to perform noiseless optical amplification, quantum non-demolition measurement and quantum teleportation. These schemes may be important building blocks to the realisation of future quantum communications and quantum information networks

Feasibility of touch-less control of operating room lights.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, Florian; Schlaefer, Alexander

2013-03-01

Today's highly technical operating rooms lead to fairly complex surgical workflows where the surgeon has to interact with a number of devices, including the operating room light. Hence, ideally, the surgeon could direct the light without major disruption of his work. We studied whether a gesture tracking-based control of an automated operating room light is feasible. So far, there has been little research on control approaches for operating lights. We have implemented an exemplary setup to mimic an automated light controlled by a gesture tracking system. The setup includes a articulated arm to position the light source and an off-the-shelf RGBD camera to detect the user interaction. We assessed the tracking performance using a robot-mounted hand phantom and ran a number of tests with 18 volunteers to evaluate the potential of touch-less light control. All test persons were comfortable with using the gesture-based system and quickly learned how to move a light spot on flat surface. The hand tracking error is direction-dependent and in the range of several centimeters, with a standard deviation of less than 1 mm and up to 3.5 mm orthogonal and parallel to the finger orientation, respectively. However, the subjects had no problems following even more complex paths with a width of less than 10 cm. The average speed was 0.15 m/s, and even initially slow subjects improved over time. Gestures to initiate control can be performed in approximately 2 s. Two-thirds of the subjects considered gesture control to be simple, and a majority considered it to be rather efficient. Implementation of an automated operating room light and touch-less control using an RGBD camera for gesture tracking is feasible. The remaining tracking error does not affect smooth control, and the use of the system is intuitive even for inexperienced users.

Individual dynamic lighting control in a daylit space

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Logadóttir, Asta; Christoffersen, Jens

2008-01-01

in combination with daylight. Subjects performed office work for one day in a simulated office environment. Every 30 minutes the subjects were invited to use the dimmer controls to change the lighting conditions to their preferred level. Measurements were made of illuminance, luminance, CCT and energy use......The objectives of the study are to observe individual preferences for dynamic lighting, individual control and possibly achieve energy savings in a daylit space. The dynamics in this study are modifications of light level and correlated colour temperature (CCT) from the electric lighting system...

Design and development of an improved traffic light control system using hybrid lighting system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Osigbemeh

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The deployment of light emitting diodes (LEDs based traffic system control created the problem of dim displays when ambient light is similar to traffic lights. It causes some drivers' disability of seeing and obeying traffic signs. This makes drivers violate traffic rules. In this paper, an attempt to use hybrid lighting technology to mitigate this problem was developed. Incandescent lightings with deployed halogen bulbs provided an instantaneous source of highly efficacious illumination which is brighter than the drivers' ambient lights (both daylight, electrical lights and their reflections, which can help drivers get access to enough warning and help them initiate traffic safety warning as necessary. The halogen lightings also offered the required high current draw needed in electrical circuitry to help brighten the LED displays. The problem of heat generated was eliminated by aerating the T-junction traffic light control unit designed for this technology. The result of hybrid lighting system design was found to be high luminosity and capability of gaining driver attention in real-time. It also allowed enhanced sign's image detection and processing for smart based technologies by providing the “light punch” needed for a wide range of visual concerns.

Examination of Color-Lighting Control System Using Colored Paper User Interface

OpenAIRE

Aida Hiroto; Matsui Kento; Keisuke Soma; Murakami Hiroki; Miki Mistunori

2016-01-01

In recent year, Full-Color LED Lighting that can be changed to various color such as red, green, blue has been appeared with development of LED Lighting. By Color-Lighting control, users affected such as concentrating and relaxing. Therefore, Color-lighting control will spread to various place such as home, offices, stations. However color-lighting control affected some disturbance such as daylight, display when Full-Color LED controlled indoors. Also, information devices control get difficul...

Effect of disposable infection control barriers on light output from dental curing lights.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Barbara A; Felix, Corey A; Price, Richard B T

2004-02-01

To prevent contamination of the light guide on a dental curing light, barriers such as disposable plastic wrap or covers may be used. This study compared the effect of 3 disposable barriers on the spectral output and power density from a curing light. The hypothesis was that none of the barriers would have a significant clinical effect on the spectral output or the power density from the curing light. Three disposable barriers were tested against a control (no barrier). The spectra and power from the curing light were measured with a spectrometer attached to an integrating sphere. The measurements were repeated on 10 separate occasions in a random sequence for each barrier. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Fisher's protected least significant difference test showed that the power density was significantly less than control (by 2.4% to 6.1%) when 2 commercially available disposable barriers were used (p 0.05). The effect of each of the barriers on the power output was small and probably clinically insignificant. ANOVA comparisons of mean peak wavelength values indicated that none of the barriers produced a significant shift in the spectral output relative to the control ( p > 0.05). Two of the 3 disposable barriers produced a significant reduction in power density from the curing light. This drop in power was small and would probably not adversely affect the curing of composite resin. None of the barriers acted as light filters.

Controlling spontaneous emission of light by photonic crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lodahl, Peter

2005-01-01

Photonic bandgap crystals were proposed almost two decades ago as a unique tool for controlling propagation and emission of light. Since then the research field of photonic crystals has exploded and many beautiful demonstrations of the use of photonic crystals and fibers for molding light...... propagation have appeared that hold great promises for integrated optics. These major achievements solidly demonstrate the ability to control propagation of light. In contrast, an experimental demonstration of the use of photonic crystals for timing the emission of light has so far lacked. In a recent...... publication in Nature, we have demonstrated experimentally that both the direction and time of spontaneous emission can be controlled, thereby confirming the original proposal by Eli Yablonovich that founded the field of photonic crystals. We believe that this work opens new opportunities for solid...

[Predictive ocular motor control in Parkinson's disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Ying, Li; Liu, Zhen-Guo; Chen, Wei; Gan, Jing; Wang, Wen-An

2008-02-19

To investigate the changes of predictive ocular motor function in the patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), and to discuss its clinical value. Videonystagmography (VNG) was used to examine 24 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, 15 males and 9 females, aged 61 +/- 6 (50-69), and 24 sex and age-matched healthy control subjects on random ocular saccade (with the target moving at random intervals to random positions) and predictive ocular saccade (with the 1.25-second light target moving 10 degrees right or left from the center). In the random ocular saccade program, the latency of saccade of the PD patients was 284 ms +/- 58 ms, significantly longer than that of the healthy controls (236 ms +/- 37 ms, P = 0.003). In the predictive ocular saccade pattern, the latency of saccades the PD patients was 150 ms +/- 138 ms, significantly longer than that of the healthy controls (59 ms +/- 102 ms, P = 0.002). The appearance rate of predictive saccades (with the latency of saccade <80 ms) in the PD group was 21%, significantly lower than that in the control group (31%, P = 0.003). There is dysfunction of predictive ocular motor control in the PD patients, and the cognitive function may be impaired at the early stage of PD.

DYNAMIC LIGHTING CONTROL INSIDE OF BUILDINGS OVER THE PROFIBUSDP NETWORK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cemal YILMAZ

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, dynamic lighting control inside of buildings has been implemented over the Profibus-DP network. Automatically adjustable luminaries were used to adjust lighting level to desired values. The data received from sensors measuring illuminance levels inside building are transferred to central control unit over the Profibus-DP network. These data are evaluated in the control unit and then control signals related to evaluation results are sent to the luminaries over the Profibus-DP network. As a reason of this design, optimum energy usage has been supplied by controlling the lighting remotely. Moreover, a healthy lighting environment has been obtained by means of adjusting the illuminance level related to lighting variations occurred in the various hours of a day.

Light and heavy touch reduces postural sway and modifies axial tone in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Franzén, Erika; Paquette, Caroline; Gurfinkel, Victor; Horak, Fay

2012-10-01

Light touch with a stable object reduces postural sway by increasing axial postural tone in healthy subjects. However, it is unknown whether subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD), who have more postural sway and higher axial postural tone than healthy subjects, can benefit from haptic touch. To investigate the effect of light and heavy touch on postural stability and hip tone in subjects with PD. Fourteen subjects with mid-stage PD and 14 healthy control subjects were evaluated during quiet standing with eyes closed with their arms (a) crossed, (b) lightly touching a fixed rigid bar in front of them, and (c) firmly gripping the bar. Postural sway was measured with a forceplate, and axial hip tone was quantified using a unique device that measures the resistance of the hips to yaw rotation while maintaining active stance. Subjects with PD significantly decreased their postural sway with light or heavy touch (P touch, hip tone was larger in PD subjects. With touch, however, tone values were similar in both groups. This change in hip tone with touch was highly correlated with the initial amount of tone (PD, r = -.72 to -.95; controls, r = -.74 to -.85). The authors showed, for the first time, that subjects with PD benefit from touch similarly to control subjects and that despite higher axial postural tone, PD subjects are able to modulate their tone with touch. Future studies should investigate the complex relationship between touch and postural tone.

Smart street lighting : The advantages of LED street lighting and a smart control system in Uppsala municipality

OpenAIRE

Sjöberg, Inga; Gidén Hember, Amanda; Wallerström, Carolina

2017-01-01

The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to examine how LED street lights and a smart street light control system can reduce the energy consumption, costs and in extension the CO2 equivalents in a geographically delimited area. In 2015 the municipality of Sala installed LED armatures connected to a smart control system in the whole municipality. The smart control system enables for instance adjustment of the light intensity at specific times during the day and a supervision of the street light ...

Cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light concentration in motor neuron disease and frontotemporal dementia predicts survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Skillbäck, Tobias; Mattsson, Niklas; Blennow, Kaj; Zetterberg, Henrik

2017-08-01

To aid diagnostics, patient stratification and studies seeking to find treatments for the related diseases motor neuron disease (MND) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), there is a need to establish a way to assess disease severity and the amount of ongoing neurodegeneration. Previous studies have suggested that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurofilament light (NFL) may serve this purpose. We cross-referenced the Swedish mortality registry with the laboratory database at Sahlgrenska University Hospital to produce a dataset of CSF NFL concentrations and mortality information for 715 MND patients, 87 FTD patients, and 107 healthy controls. Biomarker concentrations were analysed in relation to recorded cause of death and time of death. MND patients had significantly higher CSF NFL concentrations than FTD patients. Both groups had significantly higher concentrations than the healthy controls (mean 709% increase in MND and 307% increase in FTD). Higher concentrations of CSF NFL were associated with shorter survival in both MND and FTD. The results of this study strengthen the notion of CSF NFL as a useful tool for determining disease intensity in MND and FTD patients. Further studies in patient cohorts with clinically subtyped and genetically classified diagnoses are needed.

Plant lighting system with five wavelength-band light-emitting diodes providing photon flux density and mixing ratio control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yano Akira

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Plant growth and development depend on the availability of light. Lighting systems therefore play crucial roles in plant studies. Recent advancements of light-emitting diode (LED technologies provide abundant opportunities to study various plant light responses. The LED merits include solidity, longevity, small element volume, radiant flux controllability, and monochromaticity. To apply these merits in plant light response studies, a lighting system must provide precisely controlled light spectra that are useful for inducing various plant responses. Results We have developed a plant lighting system that irradiated a 0.18 m2 area with a highly uniform distribution of photon flux density (PFD. The average photosynthetic PFD (PPFD in the irradiated area was 438 micro-mol m–2 s–1 (coefficient of variation 9.6%, which is appropriate for growing leafy vegetables. The irradiated light includes violet, blue, orange-red, red, and far-red wavelength bands created by LEDs of five types. The PFD and mixing ratio of the five wavelength-band lights are controllable using a computer and drive circuits. The phototropic response of oat coleoptiles was investigated to evaluate plant sensitivity to the light control quality of the lighting system. Oat coleoptiles irradiated for 23 h with a uniformly distributed spectral PFD (SPFD of 1 micro-mol m–2 s–1 nm–1 at every peak wavelength (405, 460, 630, 660, and 735 nm grew almost straight upwards. When they were irradiated with an SPFD gradient of blue light (460 nm peak wavelength, the coleoptiles showed a phototropic curvature in the direction of the greater SPFD of blue light. The greater SPFD gradient induced the greater curvature of coleoptiles. The relation between the phototropic curvature (deg and the blue-light SPFD gradient (micro-mol m–2 s–1 nm–1 m–1 was 2 deg per 1 micro-mol m–2 s–1 nm–1 m–1. Conclusions The plant lighting system, with a computer with a

Networked Lighting Power and Control Platform for Solid State Lighting in Commercial Office Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Covaro, Mark [Redwood Systems, Inc., Fremont, CA (United States)

2012-08-15

Redwood Systems' objective is to further accelerate the acceptance of solid state lighting (SSL) with fine grain and easy-to-use control. In addition, increased and improved sensor capability allows the building owner or user to gather data on the environment within the building. All of this at a cost equal to or less than that of code-compliant fluorescent lighting. The grant we requested and received has been used to further enhance the system with power conversion efficiency improvements and additional features. Some of these features, such as building management system (BMS) control, allow additional energy savings in non-lighting building systems.

Quantum control of light using electromagnetically induced transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andre, A; Eisaman, M D; Walsworth, R L; Zibrov, A S; Lukin, M D

2005-01-01

We present an overview of recent theoretical and experimental work on the control of the propagation and quantum properties of light using electromagnetically induced transparency in atomic ensembles. Specifically, we discuss techniques for the generation and storage of few-photon quantum-mechanical states of light as well as novel approaches to manipulate weak pulses of light via enhanced nonlinear optical processes

Light chain deposition disease in multiple myeloma: MR imaging features correlated with histopathological findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baur, A.; Staebler, A.; Reiser, M.; Lamerz, R.; Bartl, R.

1998-01-01

The clinical, histopathological, and imaging findings on MRI of a 56-year-old woman with light chain deposition disease occurring in multiple myeloma are presented. Light chain deposition disease is a variant of multiple myeloma with distinct clinical and histological characteristics. MRI of this patient also revealed an infiltration pattern in the bone marrow distinct from that of typical multiple myeloma. Multiple small foci of low signal intensity were present on T1- and T2-weighted spin echo and STIR images, corresponding to conglomerates of light chains in bone marrow biopsy. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted spin echo images show diffuse enhancement of 51% over all vertebral bodies, with a minor enhancement of the focal conglomerates of light chains. Light chain deposition disease in multiple myeloma should be added to the list of those few entities with normal radiographs and discrete low-signal marrow lesions on T1- and T2-weighted spin echo pulse sequences. (orig.)

Intelligent control of dynamic LED lighting; Intelligent styring af dynamisk LED belysning. Slutrapport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thorseth, A.; Corell, D.; Hansen, Soeren S.; Dam-Hansen, C.; Petersen, Paul Michael

2013-01-15

The project has resulted in a prototype of a new intelligent lighting control system. The control system enables the end user to control his or her own local lighting environment (lighting zone) according to individual preferences and needs. The report provides a description of how the developed intelligent lighting system is composed and functions. The system is designed as a work lamp that enables dynamic change of the light color scheme according to a number of light control algorithms. It is specifically designed in relation to user tests of the intelligent lighting system, which is carried out in the final part of the project. An intelligent and advanced control of LED lighting was developed, which enables optimization of the user's light conditions in a given situation. Based on a number of known parameters, the system can control lighting so that at any time optimal light conditions are created, using a minimum of electric power. (LN)

The vectorial control of magnetization by light.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanda, Natsuki; Higuchi, Takuya; Shimizu, Hirokatsu; Konishi, Kuniaki; Yoshioka, Kosuke; Kuwata-Gonokami, Makoto

2011-06-21

Application of coherent light-matter interactions has recently been extended to the ultrafast control of magnetization. An important but unrealized technique is the manipulation of magnetization vector motion to make it follow an arbitrarily designed multidimensional trajectory. Here we demonstrate a full manipulation of two-dimensional magnetic oscillations in antiferromagnetic NiO with a pair of polarization-twisted femtosecond laser pulses. We employ Raman-type nonlinear optical processes, wherein magnetic oscillations are impulsively induced with a controlled initial phase. Their azimuthal angle follows well-defined selection rules that have been determined by the symmetries of the materials. We emphasize that the temporal variation of the laser-pulse polarization angle enables us to control the phase and amplitude of the two degenerate modes, independently. These results lead to a new concept of the vectorial control of magnetization by light.

Controlling the quantum world with light

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Uys, H

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In this presentation the authors discuss the technological relevance of quantum mechanics, and describe how researchers use light to control the atomic and molecular world at its most fundamental level....

Bright light exposure reduces TH-positive dopamine neurons: implications of light pollution in Parkinson's disease epidemiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Romeo, Stefania; Viaggi, Cristina; Di Camillo, Daniela; Willis, Allison W; Lozzi, Luca; Rocchi, Cristina; Capannolo, Marta; Aloisi, Gabriella; Vaglini, Francesca; Maccarone, Rita; Caleo, Matteo; Missale, Cristina; Racette, Brad A; Corsini, Giovanni U; Maggio, Roberto

2013-01-01

This study explores the effect of continuous exposure to bright light on neuromelanin formation and dopamine neuron survival in the substantia nigra. Twenty-one days after birth, Sprague-Dawley albino rats were divided into groups and raised under different conditions of light exposure. At the end of the irradiation period, rats were sacrificed and assayed for neuromelanin formation and number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in the substantia nigra. The rats exposed to bright light for 20 days or 90 days showed a relatively greater number of neuromelanin-positive neurons. Surprisingly, TH-positive neurons decreased progressively in the substantia nigra reaching a significant 29% reduction after 90 days of continuous bright light exposure. This decrease was paralleled by a diminution of dopamine and its metabolite in the striatum. Remarkably, in preliminary analysis that accounted for population density, the age and race adjusted Parkinson's disease prevalence significantly correlated with average satellite-observed sky light pollution.

Lighting Control System for Premises with Display Screen Equipment

Science.gov (United States)

Kudryashov, A. V.

2017-11-01

The use of Display Screen Equipment (DSE) at enterprises allows one to increase the productivity and safety of production, minimize the number of personnel and leads to the simplification of the work of specialists, but on the other side, changes usual working conditions. If the personnel works with displays, visual fatigue develops more quickly which contributes to the emergence of nervous tension, stress and possible erroneous actions. Low interest of the lighting control system developers towards the rooms with displays is dictated by special requirements for coverage by sanitary and hygienic standards (limiting excess workplace illumination). We decided to create a combined lighting system which works considering daylight illumination and artificial light sources. The brightness adjustment of the LED lamps is carried out according to the DALI protocol, adjustment of the natural illumination by means of smart glasses. The technical requirements for a lighting control system, the structural-functional scheme and the algorithm for controlling the operation of the system have been developed. The elements of control units, sensors and actuators have been selected.

Light and heavy touch reduces postural sway and modifies axial tone in Parkinson’s disease

Science.gov (United States)

Franzén, Erika; Paquette, Caroline; Gurfinkel, Victor; Horak, Fay

2014-01-01

Background Light touch with a stable object reduces postural sway by increasing axial postural tone in healthy subjects. However, it is unknown whether subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD), who have more postural sway and higher axial postural tone than healthy subjects, can benefit from haptic touch. Objective To investigate the effect of light and heavy touch on postural stability and hip tone in subjects with PD. Methods Fourteen subjects with mid-stage PD, and 14 healthy control subjects were evaluated during quiet standing with eyes closed with their arms: 1) crossed, 2) lightly touching a fixed rigid bar in front of them and 3) firmly gripping the bar. Postural sway was measured with a forceplate and axial hip tone was quantified using a unique device that measures the resistance of the hips to yaw rotation while maintaining active stance. Results Subjects with PD significantly decreased their postural sway with light or heavy touch (ptouch, hip tone was larger in PD subjects. With touch, however, tone values were similar in both groups. This change in hip tone with touch was highly correlated with the initial amount of tone (PD: r=− 0.72 to −0.95 and controls: r=−0.74 to−0.85). Conclusions We showed, for the first time, that subjects with PD benefit from touch similarly to control subjects and that despite higher axial postural tone, PD subjects are able to modulate their tone with touch. Future studies should investigate the complex relationship between touch and postural tone. PMID:22415944

Antinuclear antibody levels in Polymorphic Light Eruption and their relation to the severity of disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iffat Hassan

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: PLE is an idiopathic photodermatosis characterised by a polymorphic eruption ranging from papulo-vesicular lesions to large plaques, located predominantly in a photoexposed distribution. It is an acquired disease and is the most common idiopathic photodermatosis. It is characterised by recurrent abnormal delayed reaction to sunlight. PLE is the most common idiopathic photodermatosis, the prevalence of which has been estimated to be around 10-20% in USA, England and Ireland. Previous studies have shown elevated levels of ANA in 2.9-19% of patients with PLE. Aim: The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of ANA positivity in a cohort of patients of ethnic kashmiri origin with Polymorphic light eruption and to examine whether there is any relation of their levels with the severity of disease.Methods: Patients with Polymorphic light eruption clinically who attended the Outpatient Deptt. of Dermatology GMC Srinagar were referred to the Deptt. of Biochemistry GMC Srinagar where patients blood samples were analysed for ANA index by ELISA method (BRIO SEAC ITALY.Results: Our study consisted of 36 patients (with 23 males and 13 females with age group ranging between 15-65 years presenting with typical clinical features of PLE without associated autoimmune connected tissue diseases like discoid lupus erythematosus or systemic lupus erythematosus and 20 healthy age and sex matched controls. Two patients (1 male and 1female showed positive results and 1 patient (female showed equivocal results. Among the control group one patient showed ANA positivity. Thus total frequency of ANA positivity of of 5.55% was observed among the cases and 5% among the controls with frequency of 4.34% in males and 7.69% in females.Conclusion: ANA levels were found in 5.55% of patients with PLE, however there is no relation between the levels of ANA in PLE and with the severity of disease (p value >0.05.

Intelligent Luminance Control of Lighting Systems Based on Imaging Sensor Feedback

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haoting Liu

2017-02-01

Full Text Available An imaging sensor-based intelligent Light Emitting Diode (LED lighting system for desk use is proposed. In contrast to the traditional intelligent lighting system, such as the photosensitive resistance sensor-based or the infrared sensor-based system, the imaging sensor can realize a finer perception of the environmental light; thus it can guide a more precise lighting control. Before this system works, first lots of typical imaging lighting data of the desk application are accumulated. Second, a series of subjective and objective Lighting Effect Evaluation Metrics (LEEMs are defined and assessed for these datasets above. Then the cluster benchmarks of these objective LEEMs can be obtained. Third, both a single LEEM-based control and a multiple LEEMs-based control are developed to realize a kind of optimal luminance tuning. When this system works, first it captures the lighting image using a wearable camera. Then it computes the objective LEEMs of the captured image and compares them with the cluster benchmarks of the objective LEEMs. Finally, the single LEEM-based or the multiple LEEMs-based control can be implemented to get a kind of optimal lighting effect. Many experiment results have shown the proposed system can tune the LED lamp automatically according to environment luminance changes.

Network Based Building Lighting Design and Fuzzy Logic via Remote Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cemal YILMAZ

2009-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a network based building lighting system is implemented. Profibus-DP network structure is used in the design and Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC is used on control of the building lighting. Informations received from sensors which measures level of the building illumination is used on FLC and they are transferred to the system by Profibus-DP network. Control of lighting luminaries are made via Profibus-DP network. The illuminance inside the bulding is fitted required level. Energy saving and healthy lighting facilities have been obtained by the design.

Acquired cutis laxa associated with light and heavy chain deposition disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reena A Majithia

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Acquired cutis laxa (ACL is a rare connective tissue disorder characterized by pendulous and coarsely wrinkled skin. There have been few cases of its association to monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease (MIDD, which constitutes the light chain (LCDD, heavy chain (HCDD, and light and heavy chain (LHCDD deposition disease. MIDD predominantly involves the kidney. Skin is the next common organ to be affected by HCDD, which presents as ACL. We report the case of a 40-year-old male who presented with ACL associated with LHCDD. The clinical features of ACL in the present case appeared prior to the development of clinical features related to LHCDD.

Occupancy-based illumination control of LED lighting systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Caicedo Fernandez, D.R.; Pandharipande, A.; Leus, G.

2011-01-01

Light emitting diode (LED)-based systems are considered to be the future of lighting. We consider the problem of energy-efficient illumination control of such systems. Energy-efficient system design is based on two aspects: localised information on occupancy and optimisation of dimming levels of the

Traffic light control by multiagent reinforcement learning systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, B.; Whiteson, S.; Kester, L.; Groen, F.C.A.; Babuška, R.; Groen, F.C.A.

2010-01-01

Traffic light control is one of the main means of controlling road traffic. Improving traffic control is important because it can lead to higher traffic throughput and reduced traffic congestion. This chapter describes multiagent reinforcement learning techniques for automatic optimization of

Traffic Light Control by Multiagent Reinforcement Learning Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, B.; Whiteson, S.; Kester, L.J.H.M.; Groen, F.C.A.

2010-01-01

Traffic light control is one of the main means of controlling road traffic. Improving traffic control is important because it can lead to higher traffic throughput and reduced traffic congestion. This chapter describes multiagent reinforcement learning techniques for automatic optimization of

Light controlled 3D micromotors powered by bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Vizsnyiczai, Gaszton; Frangipane, Giacomo; Maggi, Claudio; Saglimbeni, Filippo; Bianchi, Silvio; Di Leonardo, Roberto

2017-01-01

Self-propelled bacteria can be integrated into synthetic micromachines and act as biological propellers. So far, proposed designs suffer from low reproducibility, large noise levels or lack of tunability. Here we demonstrate that fast, reliable and tunable bio-hybrid micromotors can be obtained by the self-assembly of synthetic structures with genetically engineered biological propellers. The synthetic components consist of 3D interconnected structures having a rotating unit that can capture individual bacteria into an array of microchambers so that cells contribute maximally to the applied torque. Bacterial cells are smooth swimmers expressing a light-driven proton pump that allows to optically control their swimming speed. Using a spatial light modulator, we can address individual motors with tunable light intensities allowing the dynamic control of their rotational speeds. Applying a real-time feedback control loop, we can also command a set of micromotors to rotate in unison with a prescribed angular speed. PMID:28656975

Light controlled 3D micromotors powered by bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Vizsnyiczai, Gaszton; Frangipane, Giacomo; Maggi, Claudio; Saglimbeni, Filippo; Bianchi, Silvio; di Leonardo, Roberto

2017-06-01

Self-propelled bacteria can be integrated into synthetic micromachines and act as biological propellers. So far, proposed designs suffer from low reproducibility, large noise levels or lack of tunability. Here we demonstrate that fast, reliable and tunable bio-hybrid micromotors can be obtained by the self-assembly of synthetic structures with genetically engineered biological propellers. The synthetic components consist of 3D interconnected structures having a rotating unit that can capture individual bacteria into an array of microchambers so that cells contribute maximally to the applied torque. Bacterial cells are smooth swimmers expressing a light-driven proton pump that allows to optically control their swimming speed. Using a spatial light modulator, we can address individual motors with tunable light intensities allowing the dynamic control of their rotational speeds. Applying a real-time feedback control loop, we can also command a set of micromotors to rotate in unison with a prescribed angular speed.

Light and skin disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, R.

1991-01-01

Because of the depletion of ozone in the stratosphere due to chlorofluorocarbons, the screening effect of this ozone layer on ultraviolet radiation (especially the so-called UV-B component) is reduced. This paper describes the impact of increased UV radiation on the human skin. Because of the 'ozone-hole', a distinct increase in the rate of skin cancer is to be expected which will affect all living beings but most of all man - an indirect consequence of the climate development. What makes the increased intensity of UV-B radiation so harmful is the fact that light-induced skin damage accumulates for the period of the life-time of the individual and cannot be reversed. A further thinning of stratospheric ozone would let through, in addition, the more short-waved ('harder') UV-C radiation. The latter, though clinically not significant currently, would then account for a further increase in the rate of malignant skin disease world-wide. (orig.) [de

Development of Rotational Smart Lighting Control System for Plant Factory

OpenAIRE

Won-Sub Lee; Sung-Gaun Kim

2012-01-01

Rotational Smart Lighting Control System can supply the quantity of lighting which is required to run plants by rotating few LED and Fluorescent instead of that are used in the existing plant factories.The initial installation of the existing plants factory is expensive, so in order to solve the problem with smart lighting control system was developed. The beam required intensity for the growth of crops, Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density(PPFD)is calculated; and the numbe...

Turning on lights to stop neurodegeneration: the potential of near infrared light therapy in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel M Johnstone

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease are the two most common neurodegenerative disorders. They develop after a progressive death of many neurones in the brain. Although therapies are available to treat the signs and symptoms of both diseases, the progression of neuronal death remains relentless, and it has proved difficult to slow or stop. Hence, there is a need to develop neuroprotective or disease-modifying treatments that stabilise this degeneration. Red to infrared light therapy (λ=600-1070nm, and in particular light in the near infrared (NIr range, is emerging as a safe and effective therapy that is capable of arresting neuronal death. Previous studies have used NIr to treat tissue stressed by hypoxia, toxic insult, genetic mutation and mitochondrial dysfunction with much success. Here we propose NIr therapy as a neuroprotective or disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients.

Programmable lighting control: do-it-yourself energy savings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-04-01

At C-E Power Systems, an operating group of Combustion Engineering, Inc., Windsor, CT, the lighting and HVAC in six of 24 buildings are now under microprocessor control, and the necessary equipment to convert two additional buildings before the year end has been ordered. The initial analysis of the economic benefits of a /100,000 investment for the first six buildings showed the system will pay for itself in electricity savings in 30 months or less. In the programmable lighting system, a microprocessor-based central controller is /left double quote/softwired/right double quote/ to a single-chip microcomputer-based local transceiver. The data line provides a high integrity communications channel carrying multiplex commands from the central controllers as well as status and switch override message from the remote transceivers. The controller has the capacity to direct as many as 500 transceivers controlling 8,000 relays.

Direct Energy Centre underground parking integrated light control system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-10-15

LightSavers is a project undertaken by the Toronto Atmospheric Fund to accelerate the use of lighting technologies. As part of the project a pilot test has been carried out in the Direct Energy Center in Toronto. The aim of this report is to present the study and its results. The Direct Energy Center is a large event facility with an large underground parking facility. A lighting energy management system, the energy control system (ECS), capable of adjusting lighting levels based on occupancy was implemented in the centre and data was collected during over one year. Results showed that the ECS permitted a reduction in energy consumption and thus greenhouse gas emissions by 47% and the payback will take less than 6 years. This project demonstrated that the energy control system provides better energy, environmental and economic performance than a traditional automation system.

Non-invasive three-dimension control of light between turbid layers using a surface quasi-point light source for precorrection.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Mu; Liu, Honglin; Pang, Guanghui; Han, Shensheng

2017-08-29

Manipulating light non-invasively through inhomogeneous media is an attractive goal in many disciplines. Wavefront shaping and optical phase conjugation can focus light to a point. Transmission matrix method can control light on multiple output modes simultaneously. Here we report a non-invasive approach which enables three-dimension (3D) light control between two turbid layers. A digital optical phase conjugation mirror measured and conjugated the diffused wavefront, which originated from a quasi-point source on the front turbid layer and passed through the back turbid layer. And then, because of memory effect, the phase-conjugated wavefront could be used as a carrier wave to transport a pre-calculated wavefront through the back turbid layer. The pre-calculated wavefront could project a desired 3D light field inside the sample, which, in our experiments, consisted of two 220-grid ground glass plates spaced by a 20 mm distance. The controllable range of light, according to the memory effect, was calculated to be 80 mrad in solid angle and 16 mm on z-axis. Due to the 3D light control ability, our approach may find applications in photodynamic therapy and optogenetics. Besides, our approach can also be combined with ghost imaging or compressed sensing to achieve 3D imaging between turbid layers.

An Investigation Into Why Lighting Controls Fail in Buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernard Doyle

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The project began as a post-occupancy evaluation of lighting controls installed in a range of buildings, including a public office building, a shopping centre and a primary school. Actual controlled lighting consumption was to be compared against past billing or simulated energy consumption. However, when the research began it was found that the controls had been removed from two out of the three buildings. Further research proved that it was not unusual for lighting controls to be disconnected following installation. This raised a much bigger research question- why were the controls disconnected and what were the factors governing success or failure of these systems? To answer this new question a new methodology to that first envisaged had to be established. Investigating the reasons for disconnection could only be achieved by discussion with those involved. To find out what people know, or think, it is necessary to ask them. Interviewing was used to address the new research question. It was found that little research exists on long-term performance analysis of lighting controls. A framework was created to determine if there is correlation between past findings and the reasons for failure in the case studies. It should be noted that there were minimal findings into the failure of lighting controls systems in buildings in Ireland, which prompted possible additional reasons for the failure of these systems, e.g. differing usage patterns, availability of useful daylight. The research that followed posed many challenges requiring the use of qualitative data in an engineering environment. In order to answer the research question, a clearly-defined and wellstructured methodology was required. It was concluded from the research that the conceptual framework used was appropriate and that the methods were fit for purpose.Some of the findings included: • Maintenance costs are comparitively high • Misinterpretation of commissioning processes �

Economic analysis of the daylight-linked lighting control system in office buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, In-Ho; Nam, Eun-Ji [Department of Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering, Dongguk University, 26-3, Pil-dong, Chung-gu, Seoul 100-715 (Korea)

2010-08-15

The objective of this study is to perform an economic analysis of the daylight-linked automatic on/off lighting control system installed for the purpose of energy savings in office buildings. For this, a building was chosen as a typical example, and the energy cost was calculated by using the daylight and building energy analysis simulation. When the lighting control was utilized, an economic analysis was performed using a payback period that was calculated by comparing the initial cost of installing the lighting control system with the annual energy cost which was reduced thanks to the application of the lighting control. The results showed that the lighting energy consumption, when the lighting control was applied, was reduced by an average of 30.5% compared with the case that there was not lighting control applied. Also, the result for total energy consumption showed that, when lighting control was applied, this was reduced by 8.5% when the glazing ratio was 100%, 8.2% for 80%, and 7.6% for 60% when compared to non-application. The payback period was analyzed in terms of the number of floors in a building; 10 floors, 20 floors, 30 floors, and 40 floors. Hence, the building with 40 floors and glazing ratio 100% resulted in the shortest payback period of 8.8 years, the building with 10 floors and glazing ratio 60% resulted in the longest period of 12.7 years. In other words, the larger the glazing ratio and the number of building floors are, the shorter the payback period is. (author)

Workplane Illuminance Estimation for Robust Daylight Harvesting Lighting Control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, S.; Birru, D.

2012-01-01

Daylight harvesting lighting controls can provide significant energysavings in daylit spaces. However, their performance is affected bythe changing lighting distribution in the space due to window treatments and the sun. Such impacts reduce the field performance of daylight harvesting dimming

Distributed illumination control with local sensing and actuation in networked lighting systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Caicedo Fernandez, D.R.; Pandharipande, A.

2013-01-01

We consider the problem of illumination control in a networked lighting system wherein luminaires have local sensing and actuation capabilities. Each luminaire (i) consists of a light emitting diode (LED) based light source dimmable by a local controller, (ii) is actuated based on sensing

Solar charge controller in solar street light

OpenAIRE

Dong, Haibo

2014-01-01

Recently, with the rapid development of scientific technology, the conventional energy cannot meet the requirement of human beings. People are looking for the utilization of renew energy. Solar en-ergy as a new clean energy has attract the eyes of people. The applications of solar energy are popular to human society. Solar street light is a good example. This thesis will focus on a deeper research of the popular and ubiquitous solar street light in China. However, solar charge controll...

Luminescence- and nanoparticle-mediated increase of light absorption by photoreceptor cells: Converting UV light to visible light.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lei; Sahi, Sunil K; Peng, Mingying; Lee, Eric B; Ma, Lun; Wojtowicz, Jennifer L; Malin, John H; Chen, Wei

2016-02-10

We developed new optic devices - singly-doped luminescence glasses and nanoparticle-coated lenses that convert UV light to visible light - for improvement of visual system functions. Tb(3+) or Eu(3+) singly-doped borate glasses or CdS-quantum dot (CdS-QD) coated lenses efficiently convert UV light to 542 nm or 613 nm wavelength narrow-band green or red light, or wide-spectrum white light, and thereby provide extra visible light to the eye. In zebrafish (wild-type larvae and adult control animals, retinal degeneration mutants, and light-induced photoreceptor cell degeneration models), the use of Tb(3+) or Eu(3+) doped luminescence glass or CdS-QD coated glass lenses provide additional visible light to the rod and cone photoreceptor cells, and thereby improve the visual system functions. The data provide proof-of-concept for the future development of optic devices for improvement of visual system functions in patients who suffer from photoreceptor cell degeneration or related retinal diseases.

Lighting systems control; El control en los sistemas de iluminacion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arriaga Alpizar, Eric [Instituto Politecnico Nacional (Mexico)]. E-mail: eric_aa@hotmail.com

2006-04-15

In any workplace the illumination systems are very important, nevertheless, it is essential to control them in order to save energy. This article presents the six following control strategies for the efficient electric power use: programming, lights only will be on when it is necessary; natural light use, illumination will be replaced by using sunlight; lumens level maintenance, average level illumination can be measured utilizing this method; adjustment, the lowest illumination average is required avoiding to affect the performance and adaptation-compensation, decreasing the system variation. In addition there are also control devices which will operate the system, such as automatic devices, presence sensors and photo sensors. [Spanish] Los sistemas de iluminacion son muy importantes en cualquier lugar de trabajo, no obstante, es necesario que tengan un control, para lograr ahorrar energia. Este articulo presenta seis estrategias de control para el uso eficiente de la energia electrica: la programacion, con esta medida solo se encenderia la luz cuando sea necesario; uso de luz natural, asi se puede prescindir de la iluminacion pues la luz solar cumple con su funcion; mantenimiento del nivel de lumenes, de esta manera se mantiene un nivel promedio de iluminacion; ajuste, se ocupa el nivel de luz mas bajo posible sin afectar el rendimiento y adaptacion-compensacion, reduce la variacion del sistema. Por otro lado tambien hay dispositivos de control, que haran el trabajo, tales como dispositivos automaticos, sensores de presencia y fotosensores.

Light signals for road traffic control.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schreuder, D.A.

1981-01-01

Signals for road traffic control are a major constituent of the modern traffic scene, particularly in built-up areas. A vast amount of research has been executed in the last two decennia, resulting in a fairly generally accepted view on what the requirements for effective traffic lights are. For the

Daily light integral and day light quality: Potentials and pitfalls of nighttime UV treatments on cucumber powdery mildew.

Science.gov (United States)

Suthaparan, Aruppillai; Solhaug, Knut Asbjørn; Stensvand, Arne; Gislerød, Hans Ragnar

2017-10-01

Nighttime ultraviolet (UV) radiation, if applied properly, has a significant potential for management of powdery mildews in many crop species. In this study, the role of growth light duration, irradiance, a combination of both (daily light integral) and light spectral quality (blue or red) on the efficacy of UV treatments against powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera xanthii and the growth performance of cucumber plants was studied in growth chambers. Increasing daily light integral provided by high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) decreased efficacy of nighttime UV treatments against P. xanthii, but it increased plant growth. Furthermore, the efficacy of nighttime UV decreased when day length was increased from 16 to 20h at a constant daily light integral. The efficacy of nighttime UV increased if red light was applied after UV treatment, showing the possibility of day length extension without reducing the effect of UV. Increasing the dose of blue light during daytime reduced the efficacy of nighttime UV in controlling the disease, whereas blue deficient growth light (light after nighttime UV reduced its disease control efficacy. This showed the importance of maintaining a minimum of blue light in the growth light before nighttime UV treatment. Findings from this study showed that optimization of nighttime UV for management of powdery mildew is dependent on the spectral composition of the photosynthetically active radiation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Model Predictive Vibration Control Efficient Constrained MPC Vibration Control for Lightly Damped Mechanical Structures

CERN Document Server

Takács, Gergely

2012-01-01

Real-time model predictive controller (MPC) implementation in active vibration control (AVC) is often rendered difficult by fast sampling speeds and extensive actuator-deformation asymmetry. If the control of lightly damped mechanical structures is assumed, the region of attraction containing the set of allowable initial conditions requires a large prediction horizon, making the already computationally demanding on-line process even more complex. Model Predictive Vibration Control provides insight into the predictive control of lightly damped vibrating structures by exploring computationally efficient algorithms which are capable of low frequency vibration control with guaranteed stability and constraint feasibility. In addition to a theoretical primer on active vibration damping and model predictive control, Model Predictive Vibration Control provides a guide through the necessary steps in understanding the founding ideas of predictive control applied in AVC such as: ·         the implementation of ...

Amplitude and phase control of attosecond light pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez-Martens, Rodrigo; Varju, Katalin; Johnsson, Per; Mauritsson, Johan; Persson, Anders; Svanberg, Sune; Wahlstroem, Claes-Goeran; L'Huillier, Anne; Mairesse, Yann; Salieres, Pascal; Gaarde, Mette B.; Schafer, Kenneth J.

2005-01-01

We report the generation, compression, and delivery on target of ultrashort extreme-ultraviolet light pulses using external amplitude and phase control. Broadband harmonic radiation is first generated by focusing an infrared laser with a carefully chosen intensity into a gas cell containing argon atoms. The emitted light then goes through a hard aperture and a thin aluminum filter that selects a 30-eV bandwidth around a 30-eV photon energy and synchronizes all of the components, thereby enabling the formation of a train of almost Fourier-transform-limited single-cycle 170 attosecond pulses. Our experiment demonstrates a practical method for synthesizing and controlling attosecond waveforms

Controlling the speed of light

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sigmund, Ole; Stainko, Roman

Interesting phenomena of photonic crystals (PhCs), like bandgaps and waveguiding, have lead to a tremendous increase of research interest in this area. High-end functionalities in electro-optical circuts urge to optimize these structures. So far mostly trial and error methods have been applied to...... method to not only to create a bandgap around an a-priorily chosen guided mode, but also to control it's group-velocity under the light-line....

Controlling sickle cell disease in Ghana - ethics and options

Science.gov (United States)

Kyerewaa Edwin, Ama; Edwin, Frank; Etwire, Victor

2011-01-01

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a significant public health burden in Ghana. Recent studies indicate that 2% of Ghanaian newborns are affected by SCD; one in three Ghanaians has the hemoglobin S and/or C gene. As a means of controlling the disease, some authorities have recommended prenatal diagnosis (PND) and selective abortion. In the current era, SCD has a good prognosis and fairly reasonable quality of life. Advances in bone marrow transplantation have shown the disease is curable in selected patients. PND and selective abortion therefore raises a myriad of ethical dilemmas which are considered in this review. In the light of the demonstration of improved prognosis in recent times, PND and selective abortion appears to be applying capital punishment to the unborn child for “crimes” only the parents can be responsible for. In this review, we recommend control of SCD on three levels – preconception genetic testing and strategic reproductive choices, PND and education for carrier parents, and holistic management of persons with SCD. We emphasize the critical importance of self-management, especially self-awareness, in assuring a good quality of life for persons with SCD. We believe such an approach is cost-effective, and consistent with sound ethical principles and good conscience. PMID:22187596

High Performance and Energy Efficient Traffic Light Controller Design Using FPGA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pandey, Sujeet; Shrivastav, Vivek Kumar; Sharma, Rashmi

2017-01-01

and then we have analyzed power consumption for traffic light controller on different FPGA. Leakage power is in range of 97.5-99% of total power consumption by traffic light controller on Virtex-7 FPGA. Signal power, clock power and IOs power are almost negligible. Power dissipation is measured on XPOWER......In this work, Verilog is used as hardware description language for implementation of traffic light controller. It shows Red, Green and Yellow color at a predefined interval. Technology scaling is used as energy efficient technique. We have used 90nm, 65nm, 40nm and 28nm technology based FPGA...

Simulating the operation of photosensor-based lighting controls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehrlich, Charles; Papamichael, Konstantinos; Lai, Judy; Revzan, Kenneth

2001-01-01

Energy savings from the use of daylighting in commercial buildings are realized through implementation of photoelectric lighting controls that dim electric lights when sufficient daylight is available to provide adequate workplane illumination. The dimming level of electric lighting is based on the signal of a photosensor. Current simulation approaches for such systems are based on the questionable assumption that the signal of the photosensor is proportional to the task illuminance. This paper presents a method that simulates the performance of photosensor controls considering the acceptance angle, angular sensitivity, placement of the photosensor within a space, and color correction filter. The method is based on the multiplication of two fisheye images: one generated from the angular sensitivity of the photosensor and the other from a 180- or 360-degree fisheye image of the space as ''seen'' by the photosensor. The paper includes a detailed description of the method and its implementation, example applications, and validation results based on comparison with measurements in an actual office space

A Closed-Loop Smart Control System Driving RGB Light Emitting Diodes

KAUST Repository

Al-Saggaf, Abeer

2015-05-01

The demand for control systems that are highly capable of driving solid-state optoelectronic devices has significantly increased with the advancement of their efficiency and elevation of their current consumption. This work presents a closed-loop control system that is based on a microcontroller embedded system capable of driving high power optoelectronic devices. In this version of the system, the device in the center of control is a high-power red, green, and blue light emitting diode package. The system features a graphical user interface, namely an Android mobile phone application, in which the user can easily use to vary the light color and intensity of the light-emitting device wirelessly via Bluetooth. Included in the system is a feedback mechanism constituted by a red, green, and blue color sensor through which the user can use to observe feedback color information about the emitted light. The system has many commercial application including in-door lighting and research application including plant agriculture research fields.

A Closed-Loop Smart Control System Driving RGB Light Emitting Diodes

KAUST Repository

Al-Saggaf, Abeer

2015-01-01

The demand for control systems that are highly capable of driving solid-state optoelectronic devices has significantly increased with the advancement of their efficiency and elevation of their current consumption. This work presents a closed-loop control system that is based on a microcontroller embedded system capable of driving high power optoelectronic devices. In this version of the system, the device in the center of control is a high-power red, green, and blue light emitting diode package. The system features a graphical user interface, namely an Android mobile phone application, in which the user can easily use to vary the light color and intensity of the light-emitting device wirelessly via Bluetooth. Included in the system is a feedback mechanism constituted by a red, green, and blue color sensor through which the user can use to observe feedback color information about the emitted light. The system has many commercial application including in-door lighting and research application including plant agriculture research fields.

Spoilers for roll control of light airplanes

Science.gov (United States)

Roskam, J.; Kohlman, D. L.; Wentz, W. H.

1974-01-01

The paper presents an overview of the state-of-the-art of roll control spoilers for light airplanes. Reasons for using spoilers on light airplanes are presented. Several classical objections to the use of spoilers of such airplanes are critically examined. It is shown that mechanically driven spoiler systems can be designed. Flight test results of a new mechanically driven spoiler on the Redhawk airplane are discussed. Tunnel data of spoilers on the new general aviation airfoil GA(W)-1 are presented. Finally, a bibliography on spoiler data is included.

Community participation in disease control.

Science.gov (United States)

Bermejo, A; Bekui, A

1993-05-01

The main determinants of community participation in disease control programmes are identified and a framework with eleven variables is developed. Attention is drawn to the political background, community characteristics, the managerial capacity of the provider and the epidemiology of the disease. The framework is designed to guide health professionals in the systematic assessment and monitoring of participation in disease control programmes. Analysis of the Ghanaian Guinea Worm Eradication Programme and the Nicaraguan Tuberculosis Control Programme are presented as case studies. They show that political support does not guarantee community participation in disease control programmes and stress the importance of other determinants such as commitment to PHC, intersectoral coordination, the project approach and human resources. The relevance of the epidemiology of the disease in determining what degree of community participation will be most effective is highlighted by the case studies.

Energy-saving control strategy for lighting system based on multivariate extremum seeking with Newton algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, Chun; Dadras, Sara; Huang, Xuegang; Mei, Jun; Malek, Hadi; Cheng, Yuhua

2017-01-01

Highlights: • An energy-saving control strategy is proposed for multi-group lighting sources. • The proposed controller is designed to minimize the light-energy consumption. • It is designed to speed up the convergence rate without increasing the oscillation. • The minimal energy usage is guaranteed, while keeping the desired lighting level. • Experimental results shows the superiorities of the energy-saving control strategy. - Abstract: In recent years, the energy problem has been a universal concern. In order to improve the lighting energy efficiency and reduce the electric energy consumption, this paper develops an energy-saving control strategy for the lighting system with multiple lighting sources. The control strategy presented in this paper includes two parts: a new multivariate extremum seeking control method with Newton algorithm is developed to minimize the light-energy consumption by separately manipulating the brightness of multiple lighting sources, and a proportion-integration-differentiation control approach is adopted to realize the desired lighting level. The proposed scheme can increase the convergence speed of the closed loop system toward the minimum light-energy consumption, meanwhile, the accuracy of the control strategy will be improved. Experimental results illustrate that the light-energy consumption via the proposed method can reach more rapidly to a smaller vicinity of the minimum energy point, so, the lighting energy efficiency is greatly increased accordingly.

Intelligent system for lighting control in smart cities

OpenAIRE

de Paz Santana, Juan F.; Bajo Pérez, Javier; Rodríguez González, Sara; Villarrubia González, Gabriel; Corchado Rodríguez, Juan M.

2017-01-01

This paper presents an adaptive architecture that centralizes the control of public lighting and intelligent management to economize lighting and maintain maximum visual comfort in illuminated areas. To carry out this management, the architecture merges various techniques of artificial intelligence (AI) and statistics such as artificial neural networks (ANN), multi-agent systems (MAS), EM algorithm, methods based on ANOVA, and a Service Oriented Approach (SOA). It achieves optimization in ter...

Deflection of slow light by magneto-optically controlled atomic media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, D. L.; Wang, R. Q.; Zhou, Lan; Yi, S.; Sun, C. P.

2007-01-01

We present a semiclassical theory for light deflection by a coherent Λ-type three-level atomic medium in an inhomogeneous magnetic field or an inhomogeneous control laser. When the atomic energy levels (or the Rabi coupling by the control laser) are position-dependent due to the Zeeman effect caused by the inhomogeneous magnetic field (or due to inhomogeneity of the control field profile), the spatial dependence of the refraction index of the atomic medium will result in an observable deflection of slow signal light when the electromagnetically induced transparency cancels medium absorption. Our theoretical approach based on Fermat's principle in geometrical optics not only provides a consistent explanation for the most recent experiment in a straightforward way, but also predicts the two-photon detuning dependent behaviors and larger deflection angles by three orders of magnitude for the slow signal light deflection by the atomic media in an inhomogeneous off-resonant control laser field

Femtosecond Light Source for Phase-Controlled Multiphoton Ionization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, A. V.; Walker, D. R.; Yavuz, D. D.; Yin, G. Y.; Harris, S. E.

2001-01-01

We describe a femtosecond Raman light source with more than an octave of optical bandwidth. We use this source to demonstrate phase control of multiphoton ionization under conditions where ionization requires eleven photons of the lowest frequency of the spectrum or five photons of the highest frequency. The nonlinearity of the photoionization process allows us to characterize the light source. Experiment-to-theory comparison implies generation of a near single-cycle waveform

Cone and Rod Loss in Stargardt Disease Revealed by Adaptive Optics Scanning Light Ophthalmoscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Hongxin; Rossi, Ethan A.; Latchney, Lisa; Bessette, Angela; Stone, Edwin; Hunter, Jennifer J.; Williams, David R.; Chung, Mina

2015-01-01

Importance Stargardt disease (STGD1) is characterized by macular atrophy and flecks in the retinal pigment epithelium. The causative ABCA4 gene encodes a protein localizing to photoreceptor outer segments. The pathologic steps by which ABCA4 mutations lead to clinically detectable retinal pigment epithelium changes remain unclear. We investigated early STGD1 using adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy. Observations Adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy imaging of 2 brothers with early STGD1 and their unaffected parents was compared with conventional imaging. Cone and rod spacing were increased in both patients (P optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy reveals increased cone and rod spacing in areas that appear normal in conventional images, suggesting that photoreceptor loss precedes clinically detectable retinal pigment epithelial disease in STGD1. PMID:26247787

Light Control of Insulin Release and Blood Glucose Using an Injectable Photoactivated Depot.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarode, Bhagyesh R; Kover, Karen; Tong, Pei Y; Zhang, Chaoying; Friedman, Simon H

2016-11-07

In this work we demonstrate that blood glucose can be controlled remotely through light stimulated release of insulin from an injected cutaneous depot. Human insulin was tethered to an insoluble but injectable polymer via a linker, which was based on the light cleavable di-methoxy nitrophenyl ethyl (DMNPE) group. This material was injected into the skin of streptozotocin-treated diabetic rats. We observed insulin being released into the bloodstream after a 2 min trans-cutaneous irradiation of this site by a compact LED light source. Control animals treated with the same material, but in which light was blocked from the site, showed no release of insulin into the bloodstream. We also demonstrate that additional pulses of light from the light source result in additional pulses of insulin being absorbed into circulation. A significant reduction in blood glucose was then observed. Together, these results demonstrate the feasibility of using light to allow for the continuously variable control of insulin release. This in turn has the potential to allow for the tight control of blood glucose without the invasiveness of insulin pumps and cannulas.

Dynamic Colloidal Molecules Maneuvered by Light-Controlled Janus Micromotors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yirong; Mou, Fangzhi; Feng, Yizheng; Che, Shengping; Li, Wei; Xu, Leilei; Guan, Jianguo

2017-07-12

In this work, we propose and demonstrate a dynamic colloidal molecule that is capable of moving autonomously and performing swift, reversible, and in-place assembly dissociation in a high accuracy by manipulating a TiO 2 /Pt Janus micromotor with light irradiation. Due to the efficient motion of the TiO 2 /Pt Janus motor and the light-switchable electrostatic interactions between the micromotor and colloidal particles, the colloidal particles can be captured and assembled one by one on the fly, subsequently forming into swimming colloidal molecules by mimicking space-filling models of simple molecules with central atoms. The as-demonstrated dynamic colloidal molecules have a configuration accurately controlled and stabilized by regulating the time-dependent intensity of UV light, which controls the stop-and-go motion of the colloidal molecules. The dynamic colloidal molecules are dissociated when the light irradiation is turned off due to the disappearance of light-switchable electrostatic interaction between the motor and the colloidal particles. The strategy for the assembly of dynamic colloidal molecules is applicable to various charged colloidal particles. The simulated optical properties of a dynamic colloidal molecule imply that the results here may provide a novel approach for in-place building functional microdevices, such as microlens arrays, in a swift and reversible manner.

Occupant Controlled Lighting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Logadóttir, Ásta

2011-01-01

preferences for correlated colour temperature (CCT). The results suggest that the method of adjustment, previously used in the lighting literature, is not adequate to generalize about occupant preferences for illuminance or CCT. Factors that influence occupants’ lighting preference when applying the method...

Direct battery-driven solar LED lighting using constant-power control

KAUST Repository

Huang, Bin-Juine

2012-11-01

A direct battery-driven LED lighting technique using constant-power control is proposed in the present study. A system dynamics model of LED luminaire was derived and used in the design of the feedback constant-power control system. The test result has shown that the power of 18. W and 100. W LED luminaires can be controlled accurately with error at 2-5%. A solar LED street lighting system using constant-power and dimming control was designed and built for field test in a remote area. The long-term performance was satisfactory and no any failure since the installation. Since no high-power capacitor is used in the present constant-power control circuit, a longer lifetime is expected. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Controlling light oxidation flavor in milk by blocking riboflavin excitation wavelengths by interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Webster, J B; Duncan, S E; Marcy, J E; O'Keefe, S F

2009-01-01

Milk packaged in glass bottles overwrapped with iridescent films (treatments blocked either a single visible riboflavin [Rb] excitation wavelength or all visible Rb excitation wavelengths; all treatments blocked UV Rb excitation wavelengths) was exposed to fluorescent lighting at 4 degrees C for up to 21 d and evaluated for light-oxidized flavor. Controls consisted of bottles with no overwrap (light-exposed treatment; represents the light barrier properties of the glass packaging) and bottles overwrapped with aluminum foil (light-protected treatment). A balanced incomplete block multi-sample difference test, using a ranking system and a trained panel, was used for evaluation of light oxidation flavor intensity. Volatiles were evaluated by gas chromatography and Rb degradation was evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy. Packaging overwraps limited production of light oxidation flavor over time but not to the same degree as the complete light block. Blocking all visible and UV Rb excitation wavelengths reduced light oxidation flavor better than blocking only a single visible excitation wavelength plus all UV excitation wavelengths. Rb degraded over time in all treatments except the light-protected control treatment and only minor differences in the amount of degradation among treatments was observed. Hexanal production was significantly higher in the light-exposed control treatment compared to the light-protected control treatment from day 7; it was only sporadically significantly higher in the 570 nm and 400 nm block treatments. Pentanal, heptanal, and an unidentified volatile compound also increased in concentration over time, but there were no significant differences in concentration among the packaging overwrap treatments for these compounds.

Primary CNS Nonamyloidogenic Light Chain Deposition Disease: Case Report and Brief Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercado, Juan Jose; Markert, James M; Meador, William; Chapman, Philip; Perry, Arie; Hackney, James R

2017-12-01

The true incidence of light chain deposition disease (LCDD) restricted to the central nervous system (CNS) is unknown. To our knowledge only 7 cases of LCDD restricted to the brain have been previously reported. We herein describe an unusual example. A 44-year-old man presented with a history of ischemic retinopathy in 2004 and left lower extremity hypoesthesia in 2007 that progressed gradually to left-sided weakness and numbness in the 2 years prior to his hospitalization in 2015. A stereotactic brain biopsy was performed, displaying nonspecific hyaline deposits of amorphous "amyloid-like" material involving deep brain white matter and vessels. These were Congo red negative and were accompanied by a sparse lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. Plasma cells demonstrated kappa light chain class restriction by chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH). There was patchy reactivity with kappa immunohistochemistry in the amorphous deposits. A diagnosis of light chain deposition disease was made. Subsequent systemic myeloma and lymphoma workups were negative. Previously reported cases have included men and women, spanning the ages of 19 and 72 years, often presenting with hemiparesis, hypoesthesia, or seizures. Deposits have been reported in the cerebrum and cerebellum. T2/FLAIR (fluid attenuation inversion recovery) changes are usual, but lesions may or may not produce contrast enhancement. The light chain deposition may be of kappa or lambda class. Most lesions have been accompanied by local lymphoid and/or plasma cell infiltrates exhibiting light chain restriction of the same class as the deposits. In summary, LCDD limited to the CNS is a rare lesion consisting of deposition of amyloid-like, but Congo red-negative monotypic light chain usually produced by local lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates.

Repair of DNA damage in light sensitive human skin diseases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Horkay, I.; Varga, L.; Tam' asi P., Gundy, S.

1978-12-01

Repair of uv-light induced DNA damage and changes in the semiconservative DNA synthesis were studied by in vitro autoradiography in the skin of patients with lightdermatoses (polymorphous light eruption, porphyria cutanea tarda, erythropoietic protoporphyria) and xeroderma pigmentosum as well as in that of healthy controls. In polymorphous light eruption the semiconservative DNA replication rate was more intensive in the area of the skin lesions and in the repeated phototest site, the excision repair synthesis appeared to be unaltered. In cutaneous prophyrias a decreased rate of the repair incorporation could be detected. Xeroderma pigmentosum was characterized by a strongly reduced repair synthesis.

The advanced light source control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magyary, S.; Chin, M.; Cork, C.; Fahmie, M.; Lancaster, H.; Molinari, P.; Ritchie, A.; Robb, A.; Timossi, C.; Young, J.

1990-01-01

The criteria for the design of a modern control system are discussed in the context of the special requirements for the control of the Advanced Light Source (ALS). This is followed by the description of the system being built, which has a number of special features. The emphasis has been placed on providing an extremely wide I/O and CPU bandwidth (greater than 120 Mbits/s and 1200 Mips, respectively) and on using commercially available hardware and software. The only major custom design item is the Intelligent Local Controller (ILC), of which about 600 will be used to interface to the hardware. The use of personal computers for the operator stations allows the use of a wealth of industrial standards for windows, languages and tools. (orig.)

Arbitrary helicity control of circularly polarized light from lateral-type spin-polarized light-emitting diodes at room temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Nishizawa, Nozomi; Aoyama, Masaki; Roca, Ronel C.; Nishibayashi, Kazuhiro; Munekata, Hiro

2018-05-01

We demonstrate arbitrary helicity control of circularly polarized light (CPL) emitted at room temperature from the cleaved side facet of a lateral-type spin-polarized light-emitting diode (spin-LED) with two ferromagnetic electrodes in an antiparallel magnetization configuration. Driving alternate currents through the two electrodes results in polarization switching of CPL with frequencies up to 100 kHz. Furthermore, tuning the current density ratio in the two electrodes enables manipulation of the degree of circular polarization. These results demonstrate arbitrary electrical control of polarization with high speed, which is required for the practical use of lateral-type spin-LEDs as monolithic CPL light sources.

[Institutional insertion of Chagas' disease control].

Science.gov (United States)

Silveira, Antônio Carlos; Pimenta, Fabiano

2011-01-01

After the starting of the Center for studies and prophylaxis of Chagas disease in 1943, with the help of Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, in the city of Bambuí, state of Minas Gerais, technological and methodological basis for the extensive control of the disease were conceived. A main step to achieve success was the introduction of a new insecticide (gammexane, P 530) and the demonstration of its efficacy in the vector control. A consequence of these improvements was the official inauguration of the first prophylactic campaign for Chagas disease in Brazil, held in Uberaba in May, 1950. Even with the knowledge of how to control the vectorial transmission, financial resources were not available by this time, at a necessary degree to make it both regularly and in all the affected area. The institutional allocation of these activities is useful to understand the low priority given to them at that time. Several national services were created in 1941, for diseases as malaria, pest, smallpox, among others, but Chagas was included in a group of diseases with lower importance, inside a Division of Sanitary Organization. In 1956, the National Department of Rural endemies (DNERu) allocate all the major endemic diseases in a single institution, however this was not translated in an implementation program for the control of Chagas disease. After profound changes at the Ministry of Health, in 1970, the Superintendência de Campanhas de Saúde Pública (SUCAM) was in charge of all rural endemies including Chagas disease, which now could compete with other diseases transmitted by vectors, formerly priorities, included in the National Division. With this new status, more funds were available, as well as redistribution of personnel and expenses from the malaria program to the vectorial control of Chagas disease. In 1991 the Health National foundation was created to substitute SUCAM in the control of endemic diseases and it included all the units of the Ministry of Health related to

Control the polarization state of light with symmetry-broken metallic metastructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong, Xiang; Jiang, Shang-Chi; Hu, Yuan-Sheng; Hu, Yu-Hui; Wang, Zheng-Han; Peng, Ru-Wen; Wang, Mu

2015-01-01

Controlling the polarization state, the transmission direction, the amplitude and the phase of light in a very limited space is essential for the development of on-chip photonics. Over the past decades, numerous sub-wavelength metallic microstructures have been proposed and fabricated to fulfill these demands. In this article, we review our efforts in achieving negative refractive index, controlling the polarization state, and tuning the amplitude of light with two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) microstructures. We designed an assembly of stacked metallic U-shaped resonators that allow achieving negative refraction for pure magnetic and electric responses respectively at the same frequency by selecting the polarization of incident light. Based on this, we tune the permittivity and permeability of the structure, and achieve negative refractive index. Further, by control the excitation and radiation of surface electric current on a number of 2D and 3D asymmetric metallic metastructures, we are able to control the polarization state of light. It is also demonstrated that with a stereostructured metal film, the whole metal surfaces can be used to construct either polarization-sensitive or polarization-insensitive prefect absorbers, with the advantage of efficient heat dissipation and electric conductivity. Our practice shows that metamaterials, including metasurface, indeed help to master light in nanoscale, and are promising in the development of new generation of photonics

Light-controlled inhibition of malignant glioma by opsin gene transfer

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, F; Tu, J; Pan, J-Q; Luo, H-L; Liu, Y-H; Wan, J; Zhang, J; Wei, P-F; Jiang, T; Chen, Y-H; Wang, L-P

2013-01-01

Glioblastomas are aggressive cancers with low survival rates and poor prognosis because of their highly proliferative and invasive capacity. In the current study, we describe a new optogenetic strategy that selectively inhibits glioma cells through light-controlled membrane depolarization and cell death. Transfer of the engineered opsin ChETA (engineered Channelrhodopsin-2 variant) gene into primary human glioma cells or cell lines, but not normal astrocytes, unexpectedly decreased cell proliferation and increased mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, upon light stimulation. These optogenetic effects were mediated by membrane depolarization-induced reductions in cyclin expression and mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Importantly, the ChETA gene transfer and light illumination in mice significantly inhibited subcutaneous and intracranial glioma growth and increased the survival of the animals bearing the glioma. These results uncover an unexpected effect of opsin ion channels on glioma cells and offer the opportunity for the first time to treat glioma using a light-controllable optogenetic approach. PMID:24176851

BLAM (Benthic Light Availability Model): A Proposed Model of Hydrogeomorphic Controls on Light in Rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Julian, J. P.; Doyle, M. W.; Stanley, E. H.

2006-12-01

Light is vital to the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. It drives photosynthesis and photochemical reactions, affects thermal structure, and influences behavior of aquatic biota. Despite the fundamental role of light to riverine ecosystems, light studies in rivers have been mostly neglected because i) boundary conditions (e.g., banks, riparian vegetation) make ambient light measurements difficult, and ii) the optical water quality of rivers is highly variable and difficult to characterize. We propose a benthic light availability model (BLAM) that predicts the percent of incoming photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) available at the river bed. BLAM was developed by quantifying light attenuation of the five hydrogeomorphic controls that dictate riverine light availability: topography, riparian vegetation, channel geometry, optical water quality, and water depth. BLAM was calibrated using hydrogeomorphic data and light measurements from two rivers: Deep River - a 5th-order, turbid river in central North Carolina, and Big Spring Creek - a 2nd-order, optically clear stream in central Wisconsin. We used a series of four PAR sensors to measure i) above-canopy PAR, ii) PAR above water surface, iii) PAR below water surface, and iv) PAR on stream bed. These measurements were used to develop empirical light attenuation coefficients, which were then used in combination with optical water quality measurements, shading analyses, channel surveys, and flow records to quantify the spatial and temporal variability in riverine light availability. Finally, we apply BLAM to the Baraboo River - a 6th-order, 120-mile, unimpounded river in central Wisconsin - in order to characterize light availability along the river continuum (from headwaters to mouth).

Caged molecular beacons: controlling nucleic acid hybridization with light.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chunming; Zhu, Zhi; Song, Yanling; Lin, Hui; Yang, Chaoyong James; Tan, Weihong

2011-05-28

We have constructed a novel class of light-activatable caged molecular beacons (cMBs) that are caged by locking two stems with a photo-labile biomolecular interaction or covalent bond. With the cMBs, the nucleic acid hybridization process can be easily controlled with light, which offers the possibility for a high spatiotemporal resolution study of intracellular mRNAs. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

Control of the lighting system using a genetic algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Čongradac Velimir D.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The manufacturing, distribution and use of electricity are of fundamental importance for the social life and they have the biggest influence on the environment associated with any human activity. The energy needed for building lighting makes up 20-40% of the total consumption. This paper displays the development of the mathematical model and genetic algorithm for the control of dimmable lighting on problems of regulating the level of internal lighting and increase of energetic efficiency using daylight. A series of experiments using the optimization algorithm on the realized model confirmed very high savings in electricity consumption.

Upper-room ultraviolet light and negative air ionization to prevent tuberculosis transmission.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Roderick Escombe

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Institutional tuberculosis (TB transmission is an important public health problem highlighted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the emergence of multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant TB. Effective TB infection control measures are urgently needed. We evaluated the efficacy of upper-room ultraviolet (UV lights and negative air ionization for preventing airborne TB transmission using a guinea pig air-sampling model to measure the TB infectiousness of ward air.For 535 consecutive days, exhaust air from an HIV-TB ward in Lima, Perú, was passed through three guinea pig air-sampling enclosures each housing approximately 150 guinea pigs, using a 2-d cycle. On UV-off days, ward air passed in parallel through a control animal enclosure and a similar enclosure containing negative ionizers. On UV-on days, UV lights and mixing fans were turned on in the ward, and a third animal enclosure alone received ward air. TB infection in guinea pigs was defined by monthly tuberculin skin tests. All guinea pigs underwent autopsy to test for TB disease, defined by characteristic autopsy changes or by the culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from organs. 35% (106/304 of guinea pigs in the control group developed TB infection, and this was reduced to 14% (43/303 by ionizers, and to 9.5% (29/307 by UV lights (both p < 0.0001 compared with the control group. TB disease was confirmed in 8.6% (26/304 of control group animals, and this was reduced to 4.3% (13/303 by ionizers, and to 3.6% (11/307 by UV lights (both p < 0.03 compared with the control group. Time-to-event analysis demonstrated that TB infection was prevented by ionizers (log-rank 27; p < 0.0001 and by UV lights (log-rank 46; p < 0.0001. Time-to-event analysis also demonstrated that TB disease was prevented by ionizers (log-rank 3.7; p = 0.055 and by UV lights (log-rank 5.4; p = 0.02. An alternative analysis using an airborne infection model demonstrated that ionizers prevented 60% of TB infection and 51% of TB

Using Oxytetracycline, Amikacin and Erythromycin in Controlling Mycelial Growth and Spore Germination of Rhytisma acerinum as Pathogen in Tar Spot Disease at Acer velutinum Boiss in Vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sh. Mehdi Karami

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction : There are seven species and sub-species of Acer sp. in the Northern forest of Iran. One of the most important diseases of this tree in all over the world is tar spot. Two species of fungi, which cause this disease, are Rhytisma acerinum and R. punctatum from the category of Ascomycetidae. Studies on the Acer platinum sp. show that causative agent of this disease is R.punctatum which cause the early fall and make leaves turning yellow especially in the plant nurseries and forested areas. Therefore, investigating the use of antibiotics in treating this disease in the forest areas is necessary. The objective of the current research was to use Oxytetracycline, Amikacin and Erythromycin in Controlling mycelial growth and spore germination of R. acerinum as Pathogen in tar spot disease at Acer velutinum Boiss in vitro. Materials and methods: To control the disease of Maple tar spot in the condition of light and darkness, the medium containing oxytetracycline, Amikacin and Erythromycin were used. Four different dosage of 50, 100, 200, 500 microliter, of oxytetracycline 10% in the light and dark conditions in 100cc of distilled water and Amikacin 5% in four different dose of, 100, 200, 400 and 1000 microliter, light and dark conditions in 100 cc of distilled water and for erythromycin 5% four different dose of, 100, 200, 400 and 1000 microliter in 100 cc of distilled water in light and dark conditions each in three repetitions of medium were prepared. In this step, to evaluate the effect of light on the rate of the growth of mycelium and fungal colonies of R. acerinum, for each of the treatments with the different dosage, half of the repetitions were under the light condition and another half in dark condition (incubator. Then, after the growth, radiant growth was measured over one week. To investigate the fungi spore germination, above steps, were performed, as well. Results and Discussion: The results showed that among the mentioned

Modelling and Simulation of SVPWM Based Vector Controlled HVDC Light Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ajay Kumar MOODADLA

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Recent upgrades in power electronics technology have lead to the improvements of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT based Voltage source converter High voltage direct current (VSC HVDC transmission systems. These are also commercially known as HVDC Light systems, which are popular in renewable, micro grid, and electric power systems. Out of different pulse width modulation (PWM schemes, Space vector PWM (SVPWM control scheme finds growing importance in power system applications because of its better dc bus utilization. In this paper, modelling of the converter is described, and SVPWM scheme is utilized to control the HVDC Light system in order to achieve better DC bus utilization, harmonic reduction, and for reduced power fluctuations. The simulations are carried out in the MATLAB/SIMULINK environment and the results are provided for steady state and dynamic conditions. Finally, the performance of SVPWM based vector controlled HVDC Light transmission system is compared with sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM based HVDC Light system in terms of output voltage and total harmonic distortion (THD.

Advances in disease control of tick and tick-borne diseases

African Journals Online (AJOL)

J.nfection and treatment method ofimmunisation has been devised ... providing research and training and in extension work on. TBDs. ... systems, cattle types, level of disease risk, disease control policies ... This paper highlights tick .control,.

Estimation Methodology for the Electricity Consumption with the Daylight- and Occupancy-Controlled Artificial Lighting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Olena Kalyanova; Jensen, Rasmus Lund; Strømberg, Ida Kristine

2017-01-01

Artificial lighting represents 15-30% of the total electricity consumption in buildings in Scandinavia. It is possible to avoid a large share of electricity use for lighting by application of daylight control systems for artificial lighting. Existing methodology for estimation of electricity...... consumption with application of such control systems in Norway is based on Norwegian standard NS 3031:2014 and can only provide results from a rough estimate. This paper aims to introduce a new estimation methodology for the electricity usage with the daylight- and occupancy-controlled artificial lighting...

A simulation-powered approach to ventilation, lighting and shading systems control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schuss, Matthias; Proeglhoef, Claus; Orehounig, Kristina; Mahdavi, Ardeshir [Department of Building Physics and Building Ecology, Vienna University of Technology (Austria)

2010-12-15

This paper reports on ongoing work toward implementing a predictive control approach for buildings systems for ventilation, lighting, and shading. The main objective of this method is the optimized control of multiple devices toward usage of passive cooling and natural lighting. In this way, control options (various opening positions of windows, shades, etc.) are generated and computationally assessed using a combination of option space navigation via genetic algorithms and numeric simulation. (Copyright copyright 2010 Ernst and Sohn Verlag fuer Architektur und technische Wissenschaften GmbH and Co. KG, Berlin)

Use of prismatic films to control light distribution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kneipp, K.G. [3M Company Traffic Control, St. Paul, MN (United States)

1994-12-31

3M prismatic films are finding increasing utility in the construction of new hollow light guide fixtures which capitalize on the unique ways in which these novel materials interact with light. Often, the resulting systems provide features and end-user benefits which are difficult or impossible to achieve by alternative design or construction methods. It is apparent that the benefits may be applied to a wide variety of end-uses, and that the resulting products being developed will find utility in many diverse market areas. With the recognition that creating hollow light guide products and systems requires a substantial resource investment, and because of an existing prominent position in the traffic management market, 3M has decided to focus its current efforts in the development, manufacture, and distribution of value-added products for this market. However, through the sale of these prismatic films, a variety of companies have developed and are manufacturing and distributing other unrelated hollow light guide products which capitalize on the unique capabilities of these films in controlling and distributing light. There appears to be little doubt that the potential applications of this technology will grow both in numbers as well as in diversity.

Controlling Light Harvesting with Light

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gwizdala, M.S.; Berera, R.; Kirilovsky, D.; van Grondelle, R.; Kruger, T.P.J.

2016-01-01

When exposed to intense sunlight, all organisms performing oxygenic photosynthesis implement various photoprotective strategies to prevent potentially lethal photodamage. The rapidly responding photoprotective mechanisms, occurring in the light-harvesting pigment-protein antennae, take effect within

Achieving Energy Savings with Highly-Controlled Lighting in an Open-Plan Office

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rubinstein, Francis; Enscoe, Abby

2010-04-19

An installation in a Federal building tested the effectiveness of a highly-controlled, workstation-specific lighting retrofit. The study took place in an open-office area with 86 cubicles and low levels of daylight. Each cubicle was illuminated by a direct/indirectpendant luminaire with three 32 watt lamps, two dimmable DALI ballasts, and an occupancy sensor. A centralized control system programmed all three lamps to turn on and off according to occupancy on a workstation-by-workstation basis. Field measurements taken over the course of several monthsdemonstrated 40% lighting energy savings compared to a baseline without advanced controls that conforms to GSA's current retrofit standard. A photometric analysis found that the installation provided higher desktop light levels than the baseline, while an occupant survey found that occupants in general preferred the lighting system to thebaseline.Simple payback is fairly high; projects that can achieve lower installation costs and/or higher energy savings and those in which greenhouse gas reduction and occupant satisfaction are significant priorities provide the ideal setting for workstation-specific lighting retrofits.

Monolithically Integrated Light Feedback Control Circuit for Blue/UV LED Smart Package

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koladouz Esfahani, Z.; Tohidian, M.; van Zeijl, H.W.; Kolahdouz, Mohammadreza; Zhang, G.Q.

2017-01-01

Given the performance decay of high-power light-emitting diode (LED) chips over time and package condition changes, having a reliable output light for sensitive applications is a point of concern. In this study, a light feedback control circuit, including blue-selective photodiodes, for

Sole-Source Lighting for Controlled-Environment Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell.Cary; Stutte, Gary W.

2015-01-01

Since plants on Earth evolved under broad-spectrum solar radiation, anytime they are grown exclusively under electric lighting that does not contain all wavelengths in similar proportion to those in sunlight, plant appearance and size could be uniquely different. Nevertheless, plants have been grown for decades under fluorescent (FL) (1) + incandescent (IN) (2) lamps as a sole source of lighting (SSL), and researchers have become comfortable that, in certain proportions of FL + IN for a given species, plants can appear "normal" relative to their growth outdoors. The problem with using such traditional SSLs for commercial production typically is short lamp lifespans and not obtaining enough photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400-700 nm) when desired. These limitations led to supplementation of FL + IN lamp outputs with longer-lived, high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps in growth chambers (3). As researchers became comfortable that mixes of orange-biased high-pressure sodium (HPS) and blue-biased metal halide (MH) HIDs together also could give normal plant growth at higher intensities, growth chambers and phytotrons subsequently were equipped mainly with HID lamps, with their intense thermal output filtered out by ventilated light caps or thermal-controlled water barriers. For the most part, IN and HID lamps have found a home in commercial protected horticulture, usually for night-break photoperiod lighting (IN) or for seasonal supplemental lighting (mostly HPS) in greenhouses. However, lack of economically viable options for SSL have held back aspects of year-round indoor agriculture from taking off commercially.

CSF neurofilament light chain and phosphorylated tau 181 predict disease progression in PSP.

Science.gov (United States)

Rojas, Julio C; Bang, Jee; Lobach, Iryna V; Tsai, Richard M; Rabinovici, Gil D; Miller, Bruce L; Boxer, Adam L

2018-01-23

To determine the ability of CSF biomarkers to predict disease progression in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). We compared the ability of baseline CSF β-amyloid 1-42 , tau, phosphorylated tau 181 (p-tau), and neurofilament light chain (NfL) concentrations, measured by INNO-BIA AlzBio3 or ELISA, to predict 52-week changes in clinical (PSP Rating Scale [PSPRS] and Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living [SEADL]), neuropsychological, and regional brain volumes on MRI using linear mixed effects models controlled for age, sex, and baseline disease severity, and Fisher F density curves to compare effect sizes in 50 patients with PSP. Similar analyses were done using plasma NfL measured by single molecule arrays in 141 patients. Higher CSF NfL concentration predicted more rapid decline (biomarker × time interaction) over 52 weeks in PSPRS ( p = 0.004, false discovery rate-corrected) and SEADL ( p = 0.008), whereas lower baseline CSF p-tau predicted faster decline on PSPRS ( p = 0.004). Higher CSF tau concentrations predicted faster decline by SEADL ( p = 0.004). The CSF NfL/p-tau ratio was superior for predicting change in PSPRS, compared to p-tau ( p = 0.003) or NfL ( p = 0.001) alone. Higher NfL concentrations in CSF or blood were associated with greater superior cerebellar peduncle atrophy (fixed effect, p ≤ 0.029 and 0.008, respectively). Both CSF p-tau and NfL correlate with disease severity and rate of disease progression in PSP. The inverse correlation of p-tau with disease severity suggests a potentially different mechanism of tau pathology in PSP as compared to Alzheimer disease. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

Implementation of a PV lighting system based on DC-DC converter with intelligent controlled approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hua, C.-C.; Chuang, D.-J. [National Yunlin Univ. of Science and Technology, Douliou, Yunlin, Taiwan (China). Dept. of Electrical Engineering; Chuang, C.-W. [National Yunlin Univ. of Science and Technology, Douliou, Yunlin, Taiwan (China). Graduate School of Engineering Science and Technology

2007-07-01

Photovoltaic (PV) lighting systems for municipalities represent one of the largest cost effective markets for PVs. The installation cost of just one or two utility power poles can justify the initial cost of a PV lighting system. However, many previous PV lighting systems have experienced a number of component failures including premature charge controller, battery, and ballast illumination failures. This paper presented the design and implementation of a digital high performance photovoltaic lighting system based on a microcontroller. A high brightness light-emitting diode (HBLED), was used as it can work at very high efficiency with a specially designed lighting power module. The proposed system consisted of a photovoltaic module, a light emitting diode (LED) lighting module, a bi-directional buck-boost converter and a battery. The paper analysed battery charging methods and proposed a control strategy and hardware implementation. The dimming control methods for LED were also discussed and compared. The experimental results were also provided to verify the theoretical analysis and design procedure of a digital controlled photovoltaic lighting system. It was concluded that the experimental results verified the performance of the proposed photovoltaic lighting system. 8 refs., 1 tab., 18 figs.

Herbivores and nutrients control grassland plant diversity via light limitation

Science.gov (United States)

Borer, Elizabeth T.; Seabloom, Eric W.; Gruner, Daniel S.; Harpole, W. Stanley; Hillebrand, Helmut; Lind, Eric M.; Alder, Peter B.; Alberti, Juan; Anderson, T. Michael; Bakker, Jonathan D.; Biederman, Lori; Blumenthal, Dana; Brown, Cynthia S.; Brudvig, Lars A.; Buckley, Yvonne M.; Cadotte, Marc; Chu, Cheng-Jin; Cleland, Elsa E.; Crawley, Michael J.; Daleo, Pedro; Damschen, Ellen Ingman; Davies, Kendi F.; DeCrappeo, Nicole M.; Du, Guozhen; Firn, Jennifer; Hautier, Yann; Heckman, Robert W.; Hector, Andy; HilleRisLambers, Janneke; Iribarne, Oscar; Klein, Julia A.; Knops, Johannes M.H.; La Pierre, Kimberly J.; Leakey, Andrew D.B.; Li, Wei; MacDougall, Andrew S.; McCulley, Rebecca L.; Melbourne, Brett A.; Mitchell, Charles E.; Moore, Joslin L.; Mortensen, Brent; O'Halloran, Lydia R.; Orrock, John L.; Pascual, Jesús; Prober, Suzanne M.; Pyke, David A.; Risch, Anita C.; Schuetz, Martin; Smith, Melinda D.; Stevens, Carly J.; Sullivan, Lauren L.; Williams, Ryan J.; Wragg, Peter D.; Wright, Justin P.; Yang, Louie H.

2014-01-01

Human alterations to nutrient cycles and herbivore communities are affecting global biodiversity dramatically. Ecological theory predicts these changes should be strongly counteractive: nutrient addition drives plant species loss through intensified competition for light, whereas herbivores prevent competitive exclusion by increasing ground-level light, particularly in productive systems. Here we use experimental data spanning a globally relevant range of conditions to test the hypothesis that herbaceous plant species losses caused by eutrophication may be offset by increased light availability due to herbivory. This experiment, replicated in 40 grasslands on 6 continents, demonstrates that nutrients and herbivores can serve as counteracting forces to control local plant diversity through light limitation, independent of site productivity, soil nitrogen, herbivore type and climate. Nutrient addition consistently reduced local diversity through light limitation, and herbivory rescued diversity at sites where it alleviated light limitation. Thus, species loss from anthropogenic eutrophication can be ameliorated in grasslands where herbivory increases ground-level light.

An Adaptive Intelligent Integrated Lighting Control Approach for High-Performance Office Buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Karizi, Nasim

An acute and crucial societal problem is the energy consumed in existing commercial buildings. There are 1.5 million commercial buildings in the U.S. with only about 3% being built each year. Hence, existing buildings need to be properly operated and maintained for several decades. Application of integrated centralized control systems in buildings could lead to more than 50% energy savings. This research work demonstrates an innovative adaptive integrated lighting control approach which could achieve significant energy savings and increase indoor comfort in high performance office buildings. In the first phase of the study, a predictive algorithm was developed and validated through experiments in an actual test room. The objective was to regulate daylight on a specified work plane by controlling the blind slat angles. Furthermore, a sensor-based integrated adaptive lighting controller was designed in Simulink which included an innovative sensor optimization approach based on genetic algorithm to minimize the number of sensors and efficiently place them in the office. The controller was designed based on simple integral controllers. The objective of developed control algorithm was to improve the illuminance situation in the office through controlling the daylight and electrical lighting. To evaluate the performance of the system, the controller was applied on experimental office model in Lee et al.'s research study in 1998. The result of the developed control approach indicate a significantly improvement in lighting situation and 1-23% and 50-78% monthly electrical energy savings in the office model, compared to two static strategies when the blinds were left open and closed during the whole year respectively.

Commercial preslaughter blue light ambience for controlling broiler stress and meat qualities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Freitas Barbosa

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to study the effect of blue light diffuser on the broiler stress control by measuring the occurrence of PSE meat just before slaughtering. Birds were divided into the following two groups before slaughter at the point of being hung on shackles: broiler group under low intensity blue light ambience (475, 17-20 lx and control group under white light (550-650nm, 321-332 lx. Birds' stressful conditions were measured by the occurrence of PSE meat. Breast fillets were classified as PSE meat based on pH ( 53.0. The fillet samples in the control group had the following characteristics: pHu=5.77, L* = 54.26 and b*= 6.27. The fillet samples from birds under blue light ambience had the following characteristics: pHu=5.81, L* = 52.86 and b* = 5.22 (p < 0.05. These results revealed that the treatment of blue light ambience just before slaughtering contributed to the alleviation of ante mortem stress of the birds, which was observed by a 14% decrease in the occurrence of PSE meat. Exposure to blue light just before slaughtering was shown to have potential to be used in modern slaughterhouses to offer a comfortable atmosphere, thereby maintaining breast meat quality.

Disruption of Circadian Rhythms by Light During Day and Night.

Science.gov (United States)

Figueiro, Mariana G

2017-06-01

This study aims to discuss possible reasons why research to date has not forged direct links between light at night, acute melatonin suppression or circadian disruption, and risks for disease. Data suggest that irregular light-dark patterns or light exposures at the wrong circadian time can lead to circadian disruption and disease risks. However, there remains an urgent need to: (1) specify light stimulus in terms of circadian rather than visual response; (2) when translating research from animals to humans, consider species-specific spectral and absolute sensitivities to light; (3) relate the characteristics of photometric measurement of light at night to the operational characteristics of the circadian system; and (4) examine how humans may be experiencing too little daytime light, not just too much light at night. To understand the health effects of light-induced circadian disruption, we need to measure and control light stimulus during the day and at night.

Advanced Light Source control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magyary, S.; Chin, M.; Cork, C.; Fahmie, M.; Lancaster, H.; Molinari, P.; Ritchie, A.; Robb, A.; Timossi, C.

1989-03-01

The Advanced Light Source (ALS) is a third generation 1--2 GeV synchrotron radiation source designed to provide ports for 60 beamlines. It uses a 50 MeV electron linac and 1.5 GeV, 1 Hz, booster synchrotron for injection into a 1--2 GeV storage ring. Interesting control problems are created because of the need for dynamic closed beam orbit control to eliminate interaction between the ring tuning requirements and to minimize orbit shifts due to ground vibrations. The extremely signal sensitive nature of the experiments requires special attention to the sources of electrical noise. These requirements have led to a control system design which emphasizes connectivity at the accelerator equipment end and a large I/O bandwidth for closed loop system response. Not overlooked are user friendliness, operator response time, modeling, and expert system provisions. Portable consoles are used for local operation of machine equipment. Our solution is a massively parallel system with >120 Mbits/sec I/O bandwidth and >1500 Mips computing power. At the equipment level connections are made using over 600 powerful Intelligent Local Controllers (ILC-s) mounted in 3U size Eurocard slots using fiber-optic cables between rack locations. In the control room, personal computers control and display all machine variables at a 10 Hz rate including the scope signals which are collected though the control system. Commercially available software and industry standards are used extensively. Particular attention is paid to reliability, maintainability and upgradeability. 10 refs., 11 figs

System and Battery Charge Control for PV-Powered AC Lighting Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kern, G.

1999-04-01

This report reviews a number of issues specific to stand-alone AC lighting systems. A review of AC lighting technology is presented, which discusses the advantages and disadvantages of various lamps. The best lamps for small lighting systems are compact fluorescent. The best lamps for intermediate-size systems are high- or low-pressure sodium. Specifications for battery charging and load control are provided with the goal of achieving lamp lifetimes on the order of 16,000 to 24,000 hours and battery lifetimes of 4 to 5 years. A rough estimate of the potential domestic and global markets for stand-alone AC lighting systems is presented. DC current injection tests were performed on high-pressure sodium lamps and the test results are presented. Finally, a prototype system was designed and a prototype system controller (with battery charger and DC/AC inverter) was developed and built.

Pulmonary light-chain deposition disease: CT and pathology findings in nine patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheard, S.; Nicholson, A.G.; Edmunds, L.; Wotherspoon, A.C.; Hansell, D.M.

2015-01-01

Aim: To review the clinical features of nine patients with pulmonary light-chain deposition disease (LCDD) and record their high-resolution CT (HRCT) and histopathological findings. Materials and methods: Patients with a diagnosis of LCDD on lung biopsy specimen were retrospectively identified. The HRCT characteristics of nodules, cysts, and ancillary findings; change at follow-up; and histopathological findings were documented. Results: Features common to all nine cases were thin-walled cysts. In seven cases, vessels traversing the cysts were identified. The majority of patients (8/9) had at least one pulmonary nodule. There was no zonal predominance of either cysts or nodules. The disease appeared stable in the majority of cases with no serial change in HRCT appearances (5/6 cases with follow-up data, mean duration 29 months). Conclusion: To the authors' knowledge, this is the largest series of pulmonary LCDD patients in the literature, and the first systematic assessment of HRCT findings. Pulmonary cysts are a unifying feature, usually with pulmonary nodules, and serial change on HRCT is unusual. - Highlights: • Nine cases of pulmonary light chain deposition disease with high-resolution CT. • CT scans assessed for abnormal features. • Clinical data and histopathological findings obtained. • All patients had thin-walled cysts on CT, often with traversing vessels. • CT features of disease in this group are cysts, nodules and an indolent course

Direct battery-driven solar LED lighting using constant-power control

KAUST Repository

Huang, Bin-Juine; Chen, Chun-Wei; Hsu, Po-Chien; Tseng, Wei-Min; Wu, Min-Sheng

2012-01-01

A direct battery-driven LED lighting technique using constant-power control is proposed in the present study. A system dynamics model of LED luminaire was derived and used in the design of the feedback constant-power control system. The test result

Final Technical Report: Commercial Advanced Lighting Control (ALC) Demonstration and Deployment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arnold, Gabe [Efficiency Forward, Inc. / DesignLights Consortium

2018-02-05

This three-year demonstration and deployment project sought to address market barriers to accelerating the adoption of Advanced Lighting Controls (ALCs), an underutilized technology with low market penetration. ALCs are defined as networked, addressable lighting control systems that utilize software or intelligent controllers to combine multiple energy-saving lighting control strategies in a single space (e.g., smart-time scheduling, daylight harvesting, task tuning, occupancy control, personal control, variable load-shedding, and plug-load control). The networked intelligent aspect of these systems allows applicable lighting control strategies to be combined in a single space, layered over one another, maximizing overall energy-savings. The project included five real building demonstrations of ALCs across the Northeast US region. The demonstrations provided valuable data and experience to support deployment tasks that are necessary to overcome market barriers. These deployment tasks included development of training resources for building designers, installers, and trades, as well as development of new energy efficiency rebates for the technology from Efficiency Forward’s utility partners. Educating designers, installers, and trades on ALCs is a critical task for reducing the cost of the technology that is currently inflated due to perceived complexity and unfamiliarity with how to design and install the systems. Further, utility and non-utility energy efficiency programs continue to relegate the technology to custom or ill-suited prescriptive program designs that do not effectively deploy the technology at scale. This project developed new, scalable rebate approaches for the technology. Efficiency Forward utilized their DesignLights Consortium® (DLC) brand and network of 81 DLC member utilities to develop and deploy the results of the project. The outputs of the project have included five published case studies, a six-hour ALC technology training curriculum

Epidemiology and control of malaria and other arthropod born diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. J. López-Antuñano

1992-01-01

Full Text Available Malaria and other arthropod born diseases remain a serious public health problem affecting the lives and health of certain social groups when the two basic strategies to control fail due to : (1 the lack of effective chemoprophylaxis/chemotherapy or the rapid development of drug resistance of the infectious agents and (2 the ineffectiveness of pesticides or the arthropod vectors develop resistance to them. These situations enhances the need for the design and implementation of other alternatives for sustainable health programmes. The application of the epidemiological methods is essential not only for analyzing the relevant data for the understanding of the biological characteristics of the infectious agents, their reservoirs and vectors and the methods for their control, but also for the assessment of the human behaviour, the environmental, social and economic factors involved in disease transmission and the capacity of the health systems to implement interventions for both changes in human behaviour and environmental management to purpose guaranteed prevention and control of malaria and other arthropod born diseases with efficiency, efficacy and equity. This paper discuss the evolution of the malaria arthropod diseases programmes in the American Region and the perspectives for their integration into health promotion programs and emphasis is made in the need to establish solid basis in the decision-making process for the selection of intervention strategies to remove the risk factors determining the probability to get sick or die from ABDs. The implications of the general planning and the polices to be adopted in an area should be analyzed in the light of programme feasibility at the local level, in the multisectoral context specific social groups and taking in consideration the principles of stratification and equity

Status report on the ADVANCED LIGHT SOURCE control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magyary, S.; Chin, M.; Fahmie, M.; Lancaster, H.; Molinari, P.; Robb, A.; Timossi, C.; Young, J.

1992-01-01

This paper is a status report on the ADVANCED LIGHT SOURCE (ALS) control system. The current status, performance data, and future plans will be discussed. Manpower, scheduling, and costs issues are addressed. (author)

Light sensitive memristor with bi-directional and wavelength-dependent conductance control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maier, P.; Hartmann, F., E-mail: fabian.hartmann@physik.uni-wuerzburg.de; Emmerling, M.; Schneider, C.; Kamp, M.; Worschech, L. [Technische Physik and Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen Research Center for Complex Material Systems, Physikalisches Institut, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg (Germany); Rebello Sousa Dias, M. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 13565-905 São Carlos, São Paulo (Brazil); Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States); Castelano, L. K.; Marques, G. E.; Lopez-Richard, V. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 13565-905 São Carlos, São Paulo (Brazil); Höfling, S. [Technische Physik and Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen Research Center for Complex Material Systems, Physikalisches Institut, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg (Germany); SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9SS (United Kingdom)

2016-07-11

We report the optical control of localized charge on positioned quantum dots in an electro-photo-sensitive memristor. Interband absorption processes in the quantum dot barrier matrix lead to photo-generated electron-hole-pairs that, depending on the applied bias voltage, charge or discharge the quantum dots and hence decrease or increase the conductance. Wavelength-dependent conductance control is observed by illumination with red and infrared light, which leads to charging via interband and discharging via intraband absorption. The presented memristor enables optical conductance control and may thus be considered for sensory applications in artificial neural networks as light-sensitive synapses or optically tunable memories.

Light sensitive memristor with bi-directional and wavelength-dependent conductance control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maier, P.; Hartmann, F.; Emmerling, M.; Schneider, C.; Kamp, M.; Worschech, L.; Rebello Sousa Dias, M.; Castelano, L. K.; Marques, G. E.; Lopez-Richard, V.; Höfling, S.

2016-01-01

We report the optical control of localized charge on positioned quantum dots in an electro-photo-sensitive memristor. Interband absorption processes in the quantum dot barrier matrix lead to photo-generated electron-hole-pairs that, depending on the applied bias voltage, charge or discharge the quantum dots and hence decrease or increase the conductance. Wavelength-dependent conductance control is observed by illumination with red and infrared light, which leads to charging via interband and discharging via intraband absorption. The presented memristor enables optical conductance control and may thus be considered for sensory applications in artificial neural networks as light-sensitive synapses or optically tunable memories.

Computer control system of the superconducting SR-light source ''Aurora''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, H.

1989-01-01

The Aurora is a compact SR-light system optimized for x-ray lithography. The system includes a superconducting electron storage ring, a 150-MeV race track microtron as an injector, and light beamlines. The SR-ring features a single magnet body, in which the 650-MeV electron beam orbits a true circular trajectory of 1 m diameter. The computer control system developed for Aurora has a three-level hierarchical architecture. The top level is the Central Intelligence System, and the second an Autonomic Control System (ACS). The bottom is an assembly of distributed local controllers linked to the ACS level through optical fibers. This system provides fully automatic and remote operation, and a powerful machine study capability through the associated man--machine console and the interpretive operation language

Computer control system of the superconducting SR-light source ``Aurora''

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Hironari

1989-07-01

The Aurora is a compact SR-light system optimized for x-ray lithography. The system includes a superconducting electron storage ring, a 150-MeV race track microtron as an injector, and light beamlines. The SR-ring features a single magnet body, in which the 650-MeV electron beam orbits a true circular trajectory of 1 m diameter. The computer control system developed for Aurora has a three-level hierarchical architecture. The top level is the Central Intelligence System, and the second an Autonomic Control System (ACS). The bottom is an assembly of distributed local controllers linked to the ACS level through optical fibers. This system provides fully automatic and remote operation, and a powerful machine study capability through the associated man-machine console and the interpretive operation language.

Stray light analysis and control

CERN Document Server

Fest, Eric

2013-01-01

Stray light is defined as unwanted light in an optical system, a familiar concept for anyone who has taken a photograph with the sun in or near their camera's field of view. This book addresses stray light terminology, radiometry, and the physics of stray light mechanisms, such as surface roughness scatter and ghost reflections. The most-efficient ways of using stray light analysis software packages are included. The book also demonstrates how the basic principles are applied in the design, fabrication, and testing phases of optical system development.

Using microcomputers for lighting appliance control using a DALI bus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sysala Tomas

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Article concerns the DALI bus theoretical and practical aspects. The DALI bus is a modern technology developed especially for illumination systems control. Authors are outlining communication basic principles related to the physical layer and going up to more complex data transactions among particular devices. The article main topic is aimed at two device models development based on microcontroller and exploiting that technology. The first of those two devices is a DALI slave unit enabling the light source or multi switch with light indication components control via DALI bus. The second device measures the ambient illumination intensity and it also detects errors in the load.

Lighting and energy performance for an office using high frequency dimming controls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Danny H.W.; Lam, Tony N.T.; Wong, S.L.

2006-01-01

Artificial lighting is one of the major electricity consuming items in many non-domestic buildings. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in incorporating daylight in architectural and building designs to reduce the electricity use and enhance greener building developments. This paper presents field measurements for a fully air conditioned open plan office using a photoelectric dimming system. Electric lighting load, indoor illuminance levels and daylight availability were systematically measured and analyzed. The general features and characteristics of the results such as electric lighting energy savings and transmitted daylight illuminance in the forms of frequency distributions and cumulative frequency distributions are presented. Daylighting theories and regression models have been developed and discussed. It has been found that energy savings in electric lighting were over 30% using the high frequency dimming controls. The results from the study would be useful and applicable to other office spaces with similar architectural layouts and daylight linked lighting control systems

Lambda light chain disease associated with myelomatous pericardial and pleural effusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helbig, G.; Wieczorkiewicz, A.; Dziaczkowska-Suszek, J.; Krzemien, S.

2009-01-01

The paper presents the case of a 53-year patient with lambda light chain disease and concomitant myelomatous pleural and pericardial effusions. The symptoms of cardiac failure dominated the clinical manifestation. Only moderate plasma cell infiltration in bone marrow was present, whereas 100% of these cells infiltrated the pleura. Chemotherapy appeared to be ineffective and patient died from cardiac failure. (authors)

TYPE OF LIGHT IN SAND FLY CAPTURES (DIPTERA:PSYCHODIDAE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VERÔNICA DE LOURDES SIERPE JERALDO

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The number of cases of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil has been gradually increasing, and one of the strategies to reduce the transmission of this disease is based on the control of the adult forms of its vectors. It is therefore of great epidemiological importance to develop more refined methods for monitoring and controlling its vectors, which are the phlebotomine sand flies, or biting midges. The present study compares the attraction exercised by UV light in comparison with conventional incandescent, or white, light in catching phlebotomine sand flies. Traps baited with UV light caught higher numbers of these flies than traps baited with white light, indicating the potential use of UV light, especially in locations of low demographic density of the flies.

A Traffic Prediction Algorithm for Street Lighting Control Efficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

POPA Valentin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the development of a traffic prediction algorithm that can be integrated in a street lighting monitoring and control system. The prediction algorithm must enable the reduction of energy costs and improve energy efficiency by decreasing the light intensity depending on the traffic level. The algorithm analyses and processes the information received at the command center based on the traffic level at different moments. The data is collected by means of the Doppler vehicle detection sensors integrated within the system. Thus, two methods are used for the implementation of the algorithm: a neural network and a k-NN (k-Nearest Neighbor prediction algorithm. For 500 training cycles, the mean square error of the neural network is 9.766 and for 500.000 training cycles the error amounts to 0.877. In case of the k-NN algorithm the error increases from 8.24 for k=5 to 12.27 for a number of 50 neighbors. In terms of a root means square error parameter, the use of a neural network ensures the highest performance level and can be integrated in a street lighting control system.

Reversible light-controlled conductance switching of azobenzene-based metal/polymer nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pakula, Christina; Zaporojtchenko, Vladimir; Strunskus, Thomas; Faupel, Franz; Zargarani, Dordaneh; Herges, Rainer

2010-01-01

We present a new concept of light-controlled conductance switching based on metal/polymer nanocomposites with dissolved chromophores that do not have intrinsic current switching ability. Photoswitchable metal/PMMA nanocomposites were prepared by physical vapor deposition of Au and Pt clusters, respectively, onto spin-coated thin poly(methylmethacrylate) films doped with azo-dye molecules. High dye concentrations were achieved by functionalizing the azo groups with tails and branches, thus enhancing solubility. The composites show completely reversible optical switching of the absorption bands upon alternating irradiation with UV and blue light. We also demonstrate reversible light-controlled conductance switching. This is attributed to changes in the metal cluster separation upon isomerization based on model experiments where analogous conductance changes were induced by swelling of the composite films in organic vapors and by tensile stress.

Smart Nanostructures for Cargo Delivery: Uncaging and Activating by Light.

Science.gov (United States)

Karimi, Mahdi; Sahandi Zangabad, Parham; Baghaee-Ravari, Soodeh; Ghazadeh, Mehdi; Mirshekari, Hamid; Hamblin, Michael R

2017-04-05

Nanotechnology has begun to play a remarkable role in various fields of science and technology. In biomedical applications, nanoparticles have opened new horizons, especially for biosensing, targeted delivery of therapeutics, and so forth. Among drug delivery systems (DDSs), smart nanocarriers that respond to specific stimuli in their environment represent a growing field. Nanoplatforms that can be activated by an external application of light can be used for a wide variety of photoactivated therapies, especially light-triggered DDSs, relying on photoisomerization, photo-cross-linking/un-cross-linking, photoreduction, and so forth. In addition, light activation has potential in photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, radiotherapy, protected delivery of bioactive moieties, anticancer drug delivery systems, and theranostics (i.e., real-time monitoring and tracking combined with a therapeutic action to different diseases sites and organs). Combinations of these approaches can lead to enhanced and synergistic therapies, employing light as a trigger or for activation. Nonlinear light absorption mechanisms such as two-photon absorption and photon upconversion have been employed in the design of light-responsive DDSs. The integration of a light stimulus into dual/multiresponsive nanocarriers can provide spatiotemporal controlled delivery and release of therapeutic agents, targeted and controlled nanosystems, combined delivery of two or more agents, their on-demand release under specific conditions, and so forth. Overall, light-activated nanomedicines and DDSs are expected to provide more effective therapies against serious diseases such as cancers, inflammation, infections, and cardiovascular disease with reduced side effects and will open new doors toward the treatment of patients worldwide.

Heavy and Light chain amyloidosois presenting as complete heart block: A rare presentation of a rare disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Priyamvada, P S; Morkhandikar, S; Srinivas, B H; Parameswaran, S

2015-01-01

Amyloidosis is an uncommon disease characterized by deposition of proteinaceous material in the extracellular matrix, which results from abnormal protein folding. Even though more than 25 precursor proteins are identified, majority of systemic amyloidosis results from deposition of abnormal immunoglobulin (Ig) light chains. In heavy chain amyloidosis (AH), deposits are derived from both heavy chain alone, whereas in heavy and light chain amyloidosis (AHL), the deposits are derived from Ig heavy chains and light chains. Both AH and AHL are extremely rare diseases. Here, we report an unusual presentation of IgG (lambda) AHL amyloidosis in the background of multiple myeloma, where the initial clinical presentation was complete heart block, which preceded the definitive diagnosis by 18 months.

Effect of various infection-control methods for light-cure units on the cure of composite resins.

Science.gov (United States)

Chong, S L; Lam, Y K; Lee, F K; Ramalingam, L; Yeo, A C; Lim, C C

1998-01-01

This study (1) compared the curing-light intensity with various barrier infection-control methods used to prevent cross contamination, (2) compared the Knoop hardness value of cured composite resin when various barrier control methods were used, and (3) correlated the hardness of the composite resin with the light-intensity output when different infection-control methods were used. The light-cure unit tips were covered with barriers, such as cellophane wrap, plastic gloves, Steri-shields, and finger cots. The control group had no barrier. Composite resins were then cured for each of the five groups, and their Knoop hardness values recorded. The results showed that there was significant statistical difference in the light-intensity output among the five groups. However, there was no significant statistical difference in the Knoop hardness values among any of the groups. There was also no correlation between the Knoop hardness value of the composite resin with the light-intensity output and the different infection-control methods. Therefore, any of the five infection-control methods could be used as barriers for preventing cross-contamination of the light-cure unit tip, for the light-intensity output for all five groups exceeded the recommended value of 300 W/m2. However, to allow a greater margin of error in clinical situations, the authors recommend that the plastic glove or the cellophane wrap be used to wrap the light-cure tip, since these barriers allowed the highest light-intensity output.

Experimental light scattering by positionally-controlled small particles — Implications for Planetary Science

Science.gov (United States)

Gritsevich, M.; Penttilä, A.; Maconi, G.; Kassamakov, I.; Martikainen, J.; Markkanen, J.; Vaisanen, T.; Helander, P.; Puranen, T.; Salmi, A.; Hæggström, E.; Muinonen, K.

2017-12-01

Electromagnetic scattering is a fundamental physical process that allows inferring characteristics of an object studied remotely. This possibility is enhanced by obtaining the light-scattering response at multiple wavelengths and viewing geometries, i.e., by considering a wider range of the phase angle (the angle between the incident light and the light reflected from the object) in the experiment. Within the ERC Advanced Grant project SAEMPL (http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/107666_en.html) we have assembled an interdisciplinary group of scientists to develop a fully automated, 3D scatterometer that can measure scattered light at different wavelengths from small particulate samples. The setup comprises: (a) the PXI Express platform to synchronously record data from several photomultiplier tubes (PMTs); (b) a motorized rotation stage to precisely control the azimuthal angle of the PMTs around 360°; and (c) a versatile light source, whose wavelength, polarization, intensity, and beam shape can be precisely controlled. An acoustic levitator is used to hold the sample without touching it. The device is the first of its kind, since it measures controlled spectral angular scattering including all polarization effects, for an arbitrary object in the µm-cm size scale. It permits a nondestructive, disturbance-free measurement with control of the orientation and location of the scattering object. To demonstrate our approach we performed detailed measurements of light scattered by a Chelyabinsk LL5 chondrite particle, derived from the light-colored lithology sample of the meteorite. These measurements are cross-validated against the modeled light-scattering characteristics of the sample, i.e., the intensity and the degree of linear polarization of the reflected light, calculated with state-of-the-art electromagnetic techniques (see Muinonen et al., this meeting). We demonstrate a unique non-destructive approach to derive the optical properties of small grain samples

Modeling in control of the Advanced Light Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bengtsson, J.; Forest, E.; Nishimura, H.; Schachinger, L.

1991-05-01

A software system for control of accelerator physics parameters of the Advanced Light Source (ALS) is being designed and implemented at LBL. Some of the parameters we wish to control are tunes, chromaticities, and closed orbit distortions as well as linear lattice distortions and, possibly, amplitude- and momentum-dependent tune shifts. In all our applications, the goal is to allow the user to adjust physics parameters of the machine, instead of turning knobs that control magnets directly. This control will take place via a highly graphical user interface, with both a model appropriate to the application and any correction algorithm running alongside as separate processes. Many of these applications will run on a Unix workstation, separate from the controls system, but communicating with the hardware database via Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs)

Light-Triggered Soft Artificial Muscles: Molecular-Level Amplification of Actuation Control Signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Dicker, Michael P M; Baker, Anna B; Iredale, Robert J; Naficy, Sina; Bond, Ian P; Faul, Charl F J; Rossiter, Jonathan M; Spinks, Geoffrey M; Weaver, Paul M

2017-08-23

The principle of control signal amplification is found in all actuation systems, from engineered devices through to the operation of biological muscles. However, current engineering approaches require the use of hard and bulky external switches or valves, incompatible with both the properties of emerging soft artificial muscle technology and those of the bioinspired robotic systems they enable. To address this deficiency a biomimetic molecular-level approach is developed that employs light, with its excellent spatial and temporal control properties, to actuate soft, pH-responsive hydrogel artificial muscles. Although this actuation is triggered by light, it is largely powered by the resulting excitation and runaway chemical reaction of a light-sensitive acid autocatalytic solution in which the actuator is immersed. This process produces actuation strains of up to 45% and a three-fold chemical amplification of the controlling light-trigger, realising a new strategy for the creation of highly functional soft actuating systems.

Practical homeostasis lighting control system using sensor agent robots for office space

Science.gov (United States)

Tokiwa, Momoko; Mita, Akira

2014-03-01

The comfortable space can be changed by season, age, physical condition and the like. However, the current systems are not able to resolve them absolutely. This research proposes the Homeostasis lighting control system based on the mechanism of biotic homeostasis for making the algorithms of apparatus control. Homeostasis are kept by the interaction of the three systems, endocrine system, immune system, and nervous system[1]. By the gradual reaction in the endocrine system, body's protective response in the immune system, and the electrical reaction in the nerve system, we can keep the environments against variable changes. The new lighting control system utilizes this mechanism. Firstly, we focused on legibility and comfort in the office space to construct the control model learning from the endocrine and immune systems. The mechanism of the endocrine system is used for ambient lights in the space is used considering circadian rhythm for comfort. For the legibility, the immune system is used to control considering devices near the human depending on the distance between the human. Simulations and the demonstration were conducted to show the feasibility. Finally, the nerve system was intruded to enhance the system.

Heavy and Light chain amyloidosois presenting as complete heart block: A rare presentation of a rare disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P S Priyamvada

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Amyloidosis is an uncommon disease characterized by deposition of proteinaceous material in the extracellular matrix, which results from abnormal protein folding. Even though more than 25 precursor proteins are identified, majority of systemic amyloidosis results from deposition of abnormal immunoglobulin (Ig light chains. In heavy chain amyloidosis (AH, deposits are derived from both heavy chain alone, whereas in heavy and light chain amyloidosis (AHL, the deposits are derived from Ig heavy chains and light chains. Both AH and AHL are extremely rare diseases. Here, we report an unusual presentation of IgG (lambda AHL amyloidosis in the background of multiple myeloma, where the initial clinical presentation was complete heart block, which preceded the definitive diagnosis by 18 months.

High Efficiency Lighting with Integrated Adaptive Control (HELIAC), Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The proposed project is the continued development of the High Efficiency Lighting with Integrated Adaptive Control (HELIAC) system. Solar radiation is not a viable...

High Efficiency Lighting with Integrated Adaptive Control (HELIAC), Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The innovation of the proposed project is the development of High Efficiency Lighting with Integrated Adaptive Control (HELIAC) systems to drive plant growth. Solar...

Optochemokine Tandem for Light-Control of Intracellular Ca2.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrin Feldbauer

Full Text Available An optochemokine tandem was developed to control the release of calcium from endosomes into the cytosol by light and to analyze the internalization kinetics of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs by electrophysiology. A previously constructed rhodopsin tandem was re-engineered to combine the light-gated Ca2+-permeable cation channel Channelrhodopsin-2(L132C, CatCh, with the chemokine receptor CXCR4 in a functional tandem protein tCXCR4/CatCh. The GPCR was used as a shuttle protein to displace CatCh from the plasma membrane into intracellular areas. As shown by patch-clamp measurements and confocal laser scanning microscopy, heterologously expressed tCXCR4/CatCh was internalized via the endocytic SDF1/CXCR4 signaling pathway. The kinetics of internalization could be followed electrophysiologically via the amplitude of the CatCh signal. The light-induced release of Ca2+ by tandem endosomes into the cytosol via CatCh was visualized using the Ca2+-sensitive dyes rhod2 and rhod2-AM showing an increase of intracellular Ca2+ in response to light.

Light-triggerable formulations for the intracellular controlled release of biomolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Lino, Miguel M; Ferreira, Lino

2018-05-01

New therapies based on the use of biomolecules [e.g., proteins, peptides, and non-coding (nc)RNAs] have emerged during the past few years. Given their instability, adverse effects, and limited ability to cross cell membranes, delivery systems are required to fully reveal their biological potential. Sophisticated nanoformulations responsive to light offer an excellent opportunity for the controlled release of these biomolecules, enabling the control of timing, duration, location, and dosage. In this review, we discuss the design principles for the delivery of biomolecules, in particular proteins and RNA-based therapeutics, by light-triggerable formulations. We further discuss the opportunities offered by these formulations in terms of endosomal escape, as well as their limitations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of nanotechnology and nano and micro-electronics in monitoring and control of cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Varadan, Vijay K.

2007-04-01

Nanotechnology has been broadly defined as the one for not only the creation of functional materials and devices as well as systems through control of matter at the scale of 1-100 nm, but also the exploitation of novel properties and phenomena at the same scale. Growing needs in the point-of-care (POC) that is an increasing market for improving patient's quality of life, are driving the development of nanotechnologies for diagnosis and treatment of various life threatening diseases. This paper addresses the recent development of nanodiagnostic sensors and nanotherapeutic devices with functionalized carbon nanotube and/or nanowire on a flexible organic thin film electronics to monitor and control of the three leading diseases namely 1) neurodegenerative diseases, 2) cardiovascular diseases, and 3) diabetes and metabolic diseases. The sensors developed include implantable and biocompatible devices, light weight wearable devices in wrist-watches, hats, shoes and clothes. The nanotherapeutics devices include nanobased drug delivery system. Many of these sensors are integrated with the wireless systems for the remote physiological monitoring. The author's research team has also developed a wireless neural probe using nanowires and nanotubes for monitoring and control of Parkinson's disease. Light weight and compact EEG, EOG and EMG monitoring system in a hat developed is capable of monitoring real time epileptic patients and patients with neurological and movement disorders using the Internet and cellular network. Physicians could be able to monitor these signals in realtime using portable computers or cell phones and will give early warning signal if these signals cross a pre-determined threshold level. In addition the potential impact of nanotechnology for applications in medicine is that, the devices can be designed to interact with cells and tissues at the molecular level, which allows high degree of functionality. Devices engineered at nanometer scale imply a

Fly-by-light flight control system technology development plan

Science.gov (United States)

Chakravarty, A.; Berwick, J. W.; Griffith, D. M.; Marston, S. E.; Norton, R. L.

1990-01-01

The results of a four-month, phased effort to develop a Fly-by-Light Technology Development Plan are documented. The technical shortfalls for each phase were identified and a development plan to bridge the technical gap was developed. The production configuration was defined for a 757-type airplane, but it is suggested that the demonstration flight be conducted on the NASA Transport Systems Research Vehicle. The modifications required and verification and validation issues are delineated in this report. A detailed schedule for the phased introduction of fly-by-light system components has been generated. It is concluded that a fiber-optics program would contribute significantly toward developing the required state of readiness that will make a fly-by-light control system not only cost effective but reliable without mitigating the weight and high-energy radio frequency related benefits.

The design of the light-flash warning light

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Junli

2018-05-01

In today's society, the warning light has been used widely in people's daily life and various industries and agricultures. It is important to protect people's life and security. Light-flashing warning light is a kind of warning light control equipment which can control warning light automatically open and work in the state of blinking after dark, and it can automatically shut down after the dawn. It can achieve the flashing light automatic control and dual function. At present, light-flashing warning lights are mainly used in the projects of municipal construction. It is helpful to warn people and vehicles that passed in the construction site and ensure personal safety through using light-flashing warning light. Its design is simple, its performance is stable and it is also very convince to use it.

Renal histomorphology in dogs with pyometra and control dogs, and long term clinical outcome with respect to signs of kidney disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teige Jon

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Age-related changes in renal histomorphology are described, while the presence of glomerulonephritis in dogs with pyometra is controversial in current literature. Methods Dogs with pyometra were examined retrospectively for evidence of secondary renal damage and persisting renal disease through two retrospective studies. In Study 1, light microscopic lesions of renal tissue were graded and compared in nineteen dogs with pyometra and thirteen age-matched control bitches. In Study 2, forty-one owners of dogs with pyometra were interviewed approximately 8 years after surgery for evidence ofclinical signs of renal failure in order to document causes of death/euthanasia. Results Interstitial inflammation and tubular atrophy were more pronounced in dogs with pyometra than in the control animals. Glomerular lesions classified as glomerular sclerosis were present in both groups. No unequivocal light microscopic features of glomerulonephritis were observed in bitches in any of the groups. Two bitches severely proteinuric at the time of surgery had developed end stage renal disease within 3 years. In five of the bitches polyuria persisted after surgery. Most bitches did not show signs of kidney disease at the time of death/euthanasia. Conclusion Tubulointerstitial inflammation was observed, but glomerular damage beyond age-related changes could not be demonstrated by light microscopy in the dogs with pyometra. However, severe proteinuria after surgery may predispose to development of renal failure.

Light controlled friction at a liquid crystal polymer coating with switchable patterning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liu, D.; Broer, D.J.

2014-01-01

We describe a new methodology that enables dynamically control of motion through modulating friction at coating surfaces by exposing with UV light. The principle is based on reversibly switching the surface topographies of the coating by light. The coating surface transfers from flat in the dark to

Advanced optical design and control of multi-colored SSL system for stage lighting application

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chakrabarti, Maumita

, the light output from the light engine is energy and optically efficient as well as environmentally friendly. The light output stability during the operational time is investigated by using the Monte Carlo simulation and a color sensor is implemented along with the pre‐calibrated lookup table to a feedback...... system in order to provide controlled color and intensity variations within certain limits. By implementing the control mechanism, system‐to‐system calibration is possible. The control mechanism can be generalized to be used in any other SSL system. Instead of using a color sensor, the variation......The thesis deals with a novel LED color mixing light engine which is designed, developed, and subsequently demonstrated by making a prototype of the same, which is experimentally investigated. Further, the design optimization solves the problems of achieving collimated high luminous flux in a color...

Application of programmable controllers to oil fired boiler light-off system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Copeland, H.C.; Gallaway, E.N.

1978-01-01

A programmable controller has been used to improve the reliability of an oil-fired boiler burner control system. An outdated and failing Germanium discrete transistor logic control system was replaced with a modern solid state large scale integrated circuit programmable controller. The ease of making this conversion at a modest expenditure during a limited boiler outage is explained, as well as pitfalls and problems encountered. Light-off reliability with fuel savings were prime objectives. The boiler, rated at 575,000 lb/hr at 450 psig, is used as a backup steam supply for the dual purpose N Reactor at Hanford, Washington, which supplies 860 MWe to the Bonneville Power Administration and weapons grade Plutonium for the Department of Energy. High reliability in light-off and load ascension from standby is required of the boiler which serves as the backup power supply for the reactor

Monte Carlo analysis of a control technique for a tunable white lighting system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chakrabarti, Maumita; Thorseth, Anders; Jepsen, Jørgen

2017-01-01

A simulated colour control mechanism for a multi-coloured LED lighting system is presented. The system achieves adjustable and stable white light output and allows for system-to-system reproducibility after application of the control mechanism. The control unit works using a pre-calibrated lookup...... table for an experimentally realized system, with a calibrated tristimulus colour sensor. A Monte Carlo simulation is used to examine the system performance concerning the variation of luminous flux and chromaticity of the light output. The inputs to the Monte Carlo simulation, are variations of the LED...... peak wavelength, the LED rated luminous flux bin, the influence of the operating conditions, ambient temperature, driving current, and the spectral response of the colour sensor. The system performance is investigated by evaluating the outputs from the Monte Carlo simulation. The outputs show...

An Intelligent Lighting Control System (ILCS) using LabVIEW ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An Intelligent Lighting Control System (ILCS) was proposed and designed by considering ergonomic setting and energy efficiency. The integration of CompactRIO as a main hardware and National Instrument Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (NI LabVIEW) 2012 as a platform to design an interactive ...

Foot-and-mouth disease virus persists in the light zone of germinal centres.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas Juleff

Full Text Available Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV is one of the most contagious viruses of animals and is recognised as the most important constraint to international trade in animals and animal products. Two fundamental problems remain to be understood before more effective control measures can be put in place. These problems are the FMDV "carrier state" and the short duration of immunity after vaccination which contrasts with prolonged immunity after natural infection. Here we show by laser capture microdissection in combination with quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemical analysis and corroborate by in situ hybridization that FMDV locates rapidly to, and is maintained in, the light zone of germinal centres following primary infection of naïve cattle. We propose that maintenance of non-replicating FMDV in these sites represents a source of persisting infectious virus and also contributes to the generation of long-lasting antibody responses against neutralising epitopes of the virus.

Eternal triangle: the interaction of light source, electrical control gear, and optics

Science.gov (United States)

S'heeren, Griet

1998-04-01

In this particular 'affair' the participants are less than human but have individual personalities they bring to their relationship with each other. High pressure metal halide lamps such as BriteArc lamps have the highest luminance and radiance of all continuously operating practical light source. Since these lamps have short arcs and are available in power ratings from about 30W to 30kW they have found applications with various optical systems. Besides the lamps, such systems include an electrical control device and an optical system. To fulfil the user's requirements for a specific application, it is not only important to choose the right lamp, but crucial to achieve a harmonious marriage between the light source, electrical control device and the optics. To run a high pressure discharge lamp an ignitor/ballast system is essential This stabilizes the lamp parameters. The chemical components inside the lamp determine the lamp voltage and the gear determines, via the current, the lamp power. These are directly related in the luminance and color temperature of the emitted light. Therefore lamp performance and effective life are dependent on the ignitor, control gear and lamp combination. Since the lamp emits radiation in all directions, collection of the light from a lamp can be improved by using reflectors to deliver the light into a lens system. Since lamps with short arc gaps approach a point source they appear ideal for optical system applications. The shape of the reflector and the focusing of the lamp determine which part of the light is collected out of the light-arc. In the case of an LCD projector, the final light output also depends on the transmission characteristics of the LCD panels. Their nonlinearity causes the color of the emitted light to be different from the lamp color. All these parameters have to be optimized to obtain the highest performance. This leads to the conclusion that a carefully matched combination of lamp, ignitor/ballast and optics

Status report on the Advanced Light Source control system, 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, J.; Brown, W. Jr.; Cork, C.

1993-10-01

The Advanced Light Source (ALS), under construction for the past seven years, has become operational. The accelerator has been successfully commissioned using a control system based on hundreds of controllers of our own design and high performance personal computers which are the operator interface. The first beamlines are being commissioned using a control system based on VME hardware and the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) software. The two systems are being integrated, and this paper reports on the current work being done

"Tangible Lights"

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Tor; Merritt, Timothy; Andersen, Oskar

2015-01-01

While there has been much focus on tangible lighting interfaces embedded in physical objects and smartphones as remote control, there has not been sufficient attention on how the expressivity of bodily movement can be used when designing interactions with light. Therefore, we investigate...... interaction with lighting technology beyond the smartphone and physical controllers. We examine the usefulness of the in-air gestural interaction style for lighting control. We bring forward "Tangible Lights", which serves as a novel interface for in-air interaction with lighting, drawing on existing...

Controllability studies for an advanced CANDU boiling light water reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lepp, R.M.; Hinds, H.W.

1976-12-01

Bulk controllability studies carried out as part of a conceptual design study of a 1200 MWe CANDU boiling-light-water reactor fuelled with U 235 - or Pu-enriched uranium oxide are outlined. The concept, the various models developed for its simulation on a hybrid computer and the perturbations used to test system controllability, are described. The results show that this concept will have better bulk controllability than similar CANDU-BLW reactors fuelled with natural uranium. (author)

Timed Light Therapy for Sleep and Daytime Sleepiness Associated With Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Videnovic, Aleksandar; Klerman, Elizabeth B; Wang, Wei; Marconi, Angelica; Kuhta, Teresa; Zee, Phyllis C

2017-04-01

Impaired sleep and alertness are some of the most common nonmotor manifestations of Parkinson disease (PD) and currently have only limited treatment options. Light therapy (LT), a widely available treatment modality in sleep medicine, has not been systematically studied in the PD population. To determine the safety and efficacy of LT on excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) associated with PD. This randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical intervention study was set in PD centers at Northwestern University and Rush University. Participants were 31 patients with PD receiving stable dopaminergic therapy with coexistent EDS, as assessed by an Epworth Sleepiness Scale score of 12 or greater, and without cognitive impairment or primary sleep disorder. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive bright LT or dim-red LT (controlled condition) twice daily in 1-hour intervals for 14 days. This trial was conducted between March 1, 2007, and October 31, 2012. Data analysis of the intention-to-treat population was conducted from November 1, 2012, through April 30, 2016. The primary outcome measure was the change in the Epworth Sleepiness Scale score comparing the bright LT with the dim-red LT. Secondary outcome measures included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score, the Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale score, the visual analog scale score for daytime sleepiness, and sleep log-derived and actigraphy-derived metrics. Among the 31 patients (13 males and 18 females; mean [SD] disease duration, 5.9 [3.6] years), bright LT resulted in significant improvements in EDS, as assessed by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale score (mean [SD], 15.81 [3.10] at baseline vs 11.19 [3.31] after the intervention). Both bright LT and dim-red LT were associated with improvements in sleep quality as captured by mean (SD) scores on the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (7.88 [4.11] at baseline vs 6.25 [4.27] after bright LT, and 8.87 [2.83] at baseline vs 7.33 [3.52] after dim-red LT) and the Parkinson's Disease

Bright Light for Weight Loss: Results of a Controlled Crossover Trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantin V. Danilenko

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate whether bright light treatment can reduce body mass in overweight subjects irrespective of their seasonal (= light dependence. Methods: A crossover, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was performed between November and April in Novosibirsk, Russia (55° N. The trial comprised a 3-week in-home session of morning bright light treatment using a device of light-emitting diodes and a 3-week placebo session by means of a deactivated ion generator, separated by an off-protocol period of at least 23 days. The number of placebo and light sessions was matched with respect to season. Data were obtained from 34 overweight women, aged 20-54 years, 10 were seasonal-dependent according to the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire. Weekly measures included body weight, percentage body fat by bioimpedancemetry, and subjective scores (appetite, mood, energy levels. Results: Motivation and expectation towards weight loss were similar for the two intervention sessions. With light, compared to the placebo session, weight did not reduce significantly, but percentage fat, fat mass, and appetite were significantly lower (average fat reduction 0.35 kg. The latter two results remained significant after excluding seasonal-dependent subjects from the analysis. Irrespective of the type of intervention, seasonal-dependent subjects had greater weight and fat mass changes during treatment (decline p 0.036 or between sessions (regain p 0.003. Photoperiod (p = 0.0041, air temperature to a lesser extent (p = 0.012, but not sunshine (p = 0.29 was associated with the weight change (greater weight reduction if the second session was in spring. Conclusion: Morning bright light treatment reduces body fat and appetite in overweight women and may be included in weight control programs.

Vibrations control of light rail transportation vehicle via PID type fuzzy controller using parameters adaptive method

OpenAIRE

METİN, Muzaffer; GÜÇLÜ, Rahmi

2014-01-01

In this study, a conventional PID type fuzzy controller and parameter adaptive fuzzy controller are designed to control vibrations actively of a light rail transport vehicle which modeled as 6 degree-of-freedom system and compared performances of these two controllers. Rail vehicle model consists of a passenger seat and its suspension system, vehicle body, bogie, primary and secondary suspensions and wheels. The similarity between mathematical model and real system is shown by compar...

Simulating and evaluating an adaptive and integrated traffic lights control system for smart city application

Science.gov (United States)

Djuana, E.; Rahardjo, K.; Gozali, F.; Tan, S.; Rambung, R.; Adrian, D.

2018-01-01

A city could be categorized as a smart city when the information technology has been developed to the point that the administration could sense, understand, and control every resource to serve its people and sustain the development of the city. One of the smart city aspects is transportation and traffic management. This paper presents a research project to design an adaptive traffic lights control system as a part of the smart system for optimizing road utilization and reducing congestion. Research problems presented include: (1) Congestion in one direction toward an intersection due to dynamic traffic condition from time to time during the day, while the timing cycles in traffic lights system are mostly static; (2) No timing synchronization among traffic lights in adjacent intersections that is causing unsteady flows; (3) Difficulties in traffic condition monitoring on the intersection and the lack of facility for remotely controlling traffic lights. In this research, a simulator has been built to model the adaptivity and integration among different traffic lights controllers in adjacent intersections, and a case study consisting of three sets of intersections along Jalan K. H. Hasyim Ashari has been simulated. It can be concluded that timing slots synchronization among traffic lights is crucial for maintaining a steady traffic flow.

LightLeaves: computer controlled kinetic reflection hologram installation and a brief discussion of earlier work

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connors Chen, Betsy

2013-01-01

LightLeaves is an installation combining leaf shaped, white light reflection holograms of landscape images with a special kinetic lighting device that houses a lamp and moving leaf shaped masks. The masks are controlled by an Arduino microcontroller and servomotors that position the masks in front of the illumination source of the holograms. The work is the most recent in a long series of landscapes that combine multi-hologram installations with computer controlled devices that play with the motion of the holograms, the light, sound or other elements in the work. LightLeaves was first exhibited at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts in a show titled E ye Spy: Playing with Perception .

LightLeaves: computer controlled kinetic reflection hologram installation and a brief discussion of earlier work

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Connors Chen, Betsy, E-mail: acmeholo@gmail.com [ACME Holography, Somerville, Massachusetts USA 02144 (United States)

2013-02-22

LightLeaves is an installation combining leaf shaped, white light reflection holograms of landscape images with a special kinetic lighting device that houses a lamp and moving leaf shaped masks. The masks are controlled by an Arduino microcontroller and servomotors that position the masks in front of the illumination source of the holograms. The work is the most recent in a long series of landscapes that combine multi-hologram installations with computer controlled devices that play with the motion of the holograms, the light, sound or other elements in the work. LightLeaves was first exhibited at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts in a show titled {sup E}ye Spy: Playing with Perception{sup .}.

Light Duty Utility Arm interface control document plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Engstrom, J.W.

1994-12-27

This document describes the interface control documents that will be used to identify and control interface features throughout all phases of the Light Duty Utility Arm (LDUA) development and design. After the system is built, delivered and installed in the Cold Test Facility and later at the tank farm, the Interface Control Documents can be used in maintaining the configuration control process. The Interface Control Document will consist of Interface Control Drawings and a data base directly tied to the Interface Control Drawings. The data base can be used as an index to conveniently find interface information. Design drawings and other text documents that contain interface information will appear in the database. The Interface Control Drawings will be used to document and control the data and information that define the interface boundaries between systems, subsystems and equipment. Also, the interface boundaries will define the areas of responsibility for systems and subsystems. The drawing will delineate and identify all the physical and functional interfaces that required coordination to establish and maintain compatibility between the co-functioning equipment, computer software, and the tank farm facilities. An appendix contains the Engineering interface control database system riser manual.

Light Duty Utility Arm interface control document plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engstrom, J.W.

1994-01-01

This document describes the interface control documents that will be used to identify and control interface features throughout all phases of the Light Duty Utility Arm (LDUA) development and design. After the system is built, delivered and installed in the Cold Test Facility and later at the tank farm, the Interface Control Documents can be used in maintaining the configuration control process. The Interface Control Document will consist of Interface Control Drawings and a data base directly tied to the Interface Control Drawings. The data base can be used as an index to conveniently find interface information. Design drawings and other text documents that contain interface information will appear in the database. The Interface Control Drawings will be used to document and control the data and information that define the interface boundaries between systems, subsystems and equipment. Also, the interface boundaries will define the areas of responsibility for systems and subsystems. The drawing will delineate and identify all the physical and functional interfaces that required coordination to establish and maintain compatibility between the co-functioning equipment, computer software, and the tank farm facilities. An appendix contains the Engineering interface control database system riser manual

Evaluate Influence to Space Lighting Intensity in Main Control Room of RSG-GAS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teguh-Sulistyo; Yuyut-S-M; Yahya; Adin S

2006-01-01

Have been done by an activity evaluate factor depreciation influence to light source in Main Control Room (RKU). This Factor Depreciation is resulted from by defilement of effect of dirt, duration of light source utilized, way of installation, and others. Method used by perceives directly at light source, determining measurement dot in space RKU, measurement by using meter lux equipment and group storey; level depreciation of light source become light depreciation, and heavy. Than measurement result that lighting intensity in space RKU experience of decrease of equal to 1.5 %. After by stage; steps overcome the factor depreciation, result of measurement repeat obtained by decrease of equal to 0.87 %. Thereby the lighting intensity in space RKU becomes better. (author)

Predictive control strategies for energy saving of hybrid electric vehicles based on traffic light information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaijiang YU

2015-10-01

Full Text Available As the conventional control method for hybrid electric vehicle doesn’t consider the effect of known traffic light information on the vehicle energy management, this paper proposes a model predictive control intelligent optimization strategies based on traffic light information for hybrid electric vehicles. By building the simplified model of the hybrid electric vehicle and adopting the continuation/generalized minimum residual method, the model prediction problem is solved. The simulation is conducted by using MATLAB/Simulink platform. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed model of the traffic light information, and that the proposed model predictive control method can improve fuel economy and the real-time control performance significantly. The research conclusions show that the proposed control strategy can achieve optimal control of the vehicle trajectory, significantly improving fuel economy of the vehicle, and meet the system requirements for the real-time optimal control.

Intense pulsed light treatment for dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction; a 3-year retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Toyos, Rolando; McGill, William; Briscoe, Dustin

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical benefits of intense-pulsed-light therapy for the treatment of dry-eye disease caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). MGD is the leading cause of evaporative dry eye disease. It is currently treated with a range of methods that have been shown to be only somewhat effective, leading to the need for advanced treatment options. A retrospective noncomparative interventional case series was conducted with 91 patients presenting with severe dry eye syndrome. Treatment included intense-pulsed-light therapy and gland expression at a single outpatient clinic over a 30-month study. Pre/post tear breakup time data were available for a subset of 78 patients. For all patients, a specially developed technique for the treatment of dry eye syndrome was applied as a series of monthly treatments until there was adequate improvement in dry eye syndrome symptoms by physician judgment, or until patient discontinuation. Primary outcomes included change in tear breakup time, self-reported patient satisfaction, and adverse events. Physician-judged improvement in dry eye tear breakup time was found for 68 of 78 patients (87%) with seven treatment visits and four maintenance visits on average (medians), and 93% of patients reported post-treatment satisfaction with degree of dry eye syndrome symptoms. Adverse events, most typically redness or swelling, were found for 13% of patients. No serious adverse events were found. Although preliminary, study results of intense-pulsed-light therapy treatment for dry eye syndrome caused by meibomian gland dysfunction are promising. A multisite clinical trial with a larger sample, treatment comparison groups, and randomized controlled trials is currently underway.

The role of free kappa and lambda light chains in the pathogenesis and treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Esparvarinha, Mojgan; Nickho, Hamid; Mohammadi, Hamed; Aghebati-Maleki, Leili; Abdolalizadeh, Jalal; Majidi, Jafar

2017-07-01

Kappa (κ) or lambda (λ) free light chains (FLCs) are produced from B cells during immunoglobulin synthesis. FLCs have been shown to participate in several key processes of immune responses. They are necessary to adjust PMN functions and assist PMN pre-stimulation. Moreover, they cause mast cell degranulation which releases pro-inflammatory mediators and stimulates local inflammatory responses in some conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Having low molecular weights which may straightly be toxic to proximal tubule cells (PTCs), FLCs can also have an important role in renal diseases. In this review we have highlighted the involvement of light chains in the pathogenesis of some inflammatory diseases and discussed their potential to be the targets of therapeutic purposes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Light-controlled microwave whispering-gallery-mode quasi-optical resonators at 50W LED array illumination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. B. Yurchenko

2015-08-01

Full Text Available We present experimental observations of light-controlled resonance effects in microwave whispering-gallery-mode quasi-optical dielectric-semiconductor disk resonators in the frequency band of 5 GHz to 20 GHz arising due to illumination from a light emitting diode (LED of 50W power range. We obtain huge enhancement of photo-sensitivity (growing with the resonator Q-factor that makes light-microwave interaction observable with an ordinary light (no laser at conventional brightness (like an office lighting in quasi-optical microwave structures at rather long (centimeter-scale wavelength. We also demonstrate non-conventional photo-response of Fano resonances when the light suppresses one group of resonances and enhances another group. The effects could be used for the optical control and quasi-optical switching of microwave propagation through either one or another frequency channel.

Intensive glycemic control and cardiovascular disease: an update.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Aparna; Reynolds, L Raymond; Bruemmer, Dennis

2010-07-01

Cardiovascular complications constitute the major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) provided consistent evidence that intensive glycemic control prevents the development and progression of microvascular complications in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. However, whether intensive glucose lowering also prevents macrovascular disease and major cardiovascular events remains unclear. Extended follow-up of participants in these studies demonstrated that intensive glycemic control reduced the long-term incidence of myocardial infarction and death from cardiovascular disease. By contrast, the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial, Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron Modified Release Controlled Evaluation (ADVANCE) trial, and Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial (VADT) results suggested that intensive glycemic control to near normoglycemia had either no, or potentially even a detrimental, effect on cardiovascular outcomes. This article discusses the effects of intensive glycemic control on cardiovascular disease, and examines key differences in the design of these trials that might have contributed to their disparate findings. Recommendations from the current joint ADA, AHA, and ACCF position statement on intensive glycemic control and prevention of cardiovascular disease are highlighted.

Evaluation of Alternative Field Buses for Lighting ControlApplications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koch, Ed; Rubinstein, Francis

2005-03-21

The Subcontract Statement of Work consists of two major tasks. This report is the Final Report in fulfillment of the contract deliverable for Task 1. The purpose of Task 1 was to evaluate existing and emerging protocols and standards for interfacing sensors and controllers for communicating with integrated lighting control systems in commercial buildings. The detailed task description follows: Task 1. Evaluate alternative sensor/field buses. The objective of this task is to evaluate existing and emerging standards for interfacing sensors and controllers for communicating with integrated lighting control systems in commercial buildings. The protocols to be evaluated will include at least: (1) 1-Wire Net, (2) DALI, (3) MODBUS (or appropriate substitute such as EIB) and (4) ZigBee. The evaluation will include a comparative matrix for comparing the technical performance features of the different alternative systems. The performance features to be considered include: (1) directionality and network speed, (2) error control, (3) latency times, (4) allowable cable voltage drop, (5) topology, and (6) polarization. Specifically, Subcontractor will: (1) Analyze the proposed network architecture and identify potential problems that may require further research and specification. (2) Help identify and specify additional software and hardware components that may be required for the communications network to operate properly. (3) Identify areas of the architecture that can benefit from existing standards and technology and enumerate those standards and technologies. (4) Identify existing companies that may have relevant technology that can be applied to this research. (5) Help determine if new standards or technologies need to be developed.

Applications of Light Emitting Diodes in Health Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Jianfei; Xiong, Daxi

2017-11-01

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) have become the main light sources for general lighting, due to their high lumen efficiency and long life time. Moreover, their high bandwidth and the availability of diverse wavelength contents ranging from ultraviolet to infrared empower them with great controllability in tuning brightness, pulse durations and spectra. These parameters are the essential ingredients of the applications in medical imaging and therapies. Despite the fast advances in both LED technologies and their applications, few reviews have been seen to link the controllable emission properties of LEDs to these applications. The objective of this paper is to bridge this gap by reviewing the main control techniques of LEDs that enable creating enhanced lighting patterns for imaging and generating effective photon doses for photobiomodulation. This paper also provides the basic mechanisms behind the effective LED therapies in treating cutaneous and neurological diseases. The emerging field of optogenetics is also discussed with a focus on the application of LEDs. The multidisciplinary topics reviewed in this paper can help the researchers in LEDs, imaging, light therapy and optogenetics better understand the basic principles in each other's field; and hence to stimulate the application of LEDs in health care.

design and implementation of a density-based traffic light control

African Journals Online (AJOL)

HOD

sensors, a new traffic light control system was developed to ease the flow of traffic at a particular ... of traffic on each lane at the intersection triggered when a vehicle comes between the ... change the sequence back to the normal sequence.

Efficiency of Roundabouts as Compared to Traffic Light Controlled ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bheema

controlled intersection and multi-lane roundabouts to maximize flow along the system. Thus ... double-lane roundabout two vehicles can approach a roundabout at a time. ..... light color changes that used to permit traffic to flow or to deny. .... also view this comparison in terms of the queue length formed at the entrance of an ...

Analysis and prediction of daylighting and energy performance in atrium spaces using daylight-linked lighting controls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chow, Stanley K.H.; Li, Danny H.W.; Lee, Eric W.M.; Lam, Joseph C.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Daylight-linked lighting control and energy performance for atrium is studied. ► Field measurement of automatic dimming control shows 93% energy saving. ► Field measurement of manual on–off control shows 95% energy saving. ► Atrium illuminance is correlated with daylight factor for energy saving prediction. - Abstract: In subtropical Hong Kong, a certain amount of electricity is used to create visually comfortable interior spaces through electric lighting, which is the second major electricity-consuming item in commercial buildings, accounting for 20–30% of total electricity use. The burning of fossil fuels for electricity generation has many adverse effects on the environment. Daylighting is an important and useful strategy for enhancing visual comfort and reducing the need for the electricity consumed by light fittings. The rational use of daylight through tools such as photoelectric lighting controls can effectively reduce buildings’ electricity consumption and the related pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. Daylighting design techniques are often best demonstrated via field measurements that provide reliable operational and energy performance data for establishing design guidelines. An atrium provides an environmentally controlled indoor public space that introduces daylight into the hearts of large buildings. In circulation areas such as corridors, people expect the way ahead to be sufficiently lit and daylight-linked lighting controls can deliver excellent energy savings. This paper presents the daylighting and energy performance of an atrium space using daylight-linked lighting controls. The cost, energy and environmental issues related to various daylight illuminances are estimated and design implications are discussed

The design and optimization for light-algae bioreactor controller based on Artificial Neural Network-Model Predictive Control

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Dawei; Liu, Hong; Yang, Chenliang; Hu, Enzhu

As a subsystem of the bioregenerative life support system (BLSS), light-algae bioreactor (LABR) has properties of high reaction rate, efficiently synthesizing microalgal biomass, absorbing CO2 and releasing O2, so it is significant for BLSS to provide food and maintain gas balance. In order to manipulate the LABR properly, it has been designed as a closed-loop control system, and technology of Artificial Neural Network-Model Predictive Control (ANN-MPC) is applied to design the controller for LABR in which green microalgae, Spirulina platensis is cultivated continuously. The conclusion is drawn by computer simulation that ANN-MPC controller can intelligently learn the complicated dynamic performances of LABR, and automatically, robustly and self-adaptively regulate the light intensity illuminating on the LABR, hence make the growth of microalgae in the LABR be changed in line with the references, meanwhile provide appropriate damping to improve markedly the transient response performance of LABR.

Motor Control Abnormalities in Parkinson’s Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzoni, Pietro; Shabbott, Britne; Cortés, Juan Camilo

2012-01-01

The primary manifestations of Parkinson’s disease are abnormalities of movement, including movement slowness, difficulties with gait and balance, and tremor. We know a considerable amount about the abnormalities of neuronal and muscle activity that correlate with these symptoms. Motor symptoms can also be described in terms of motor control, a level of description that explains how movement variables, such as a limb’s position and speed, are controlled and coordinated. Understanding motor symptoms as motor control abnormalities means to identify how the disease disrupts normal control processes. In the case of Parkinson’s disease, movement slowness, for example, would be explained by a disruption of the control processes that determine normal movement speed. Two long-term benefits of understanding the motor control basis of motor symptoms include the future design of neural prostheses to replace the function of damaged basal ganglia circuits, and the rational design of rehabilitation strategies. This type of understanding, however, remains limited, partly because of limitations in our knowledge of normal motor control. In this article, we review the concept of motor control and describe a few motor symptoms that illustrate the challenges in understanding such symptoms as motor control abnormalities. PMID:22675667

A controlled trial of the Litebook light-emitting diode (LED light therapy device for treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Telner John

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent research has emphasized that the human circadian rhythm system is differentially sensitive to short wavelength light. Light treatment devices using efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs whose output is relatively concentrated in short wavelengths may enable a more convenient effective therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD. Methods The efficacy of a LED light therapy device in the treatment of SAD was tested in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial. Participants aged 18 to 65 with SAD (DSM-IV major depression with seasonal pattern were seen at Baseline and Randomization visits separated by 1 week, and after 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks of treatment. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores (SIGH-SAD were obtained at each visit. Participants with SIGH-SAD of 20 or greater at Baseline and Randomization visits were randomized to active or control treatment: exposure to the Litebook LED treatment device (The Litebook Company Ltd., Alberta, Canada which delivers 1,350 lux white light (with spectral emission peaks at 464 nm and 564 nm at a distance of 20 inches or to an inactivated negative ion generator at a distance of 20 inches, for 30 minutes a day upon awakening and prior to 8 A.M. Results Of the 26 participants randomized, 23 completed the trial. Mean group SIGH-SAD scores did not differ significantly at randomization. At trial end, the proportions of participants in remission (SIGH-SAD less than 9 were significantly greater (Fisher's exact test, and SIGH-SAD scores, as percent individual score at randomization, were significantly lower (t-test, with active treatment than with control, both in an intent-to-treat analysis and an observed cases analysis. A longitudinal repeated measures ANOVA analysis of SIGH-SAD scores also indicated a significant interaction of time and treatment, showing superiority of the Litebook over the placebo condition. Conclusion The results of this pilot study support

Impacts of safety on the design of light remotely-piloted helicopter flight control systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Rito, G.; Schettini, F.

2016-01-01

This paper deals with the architecture definition and the safety assessment of flight control systems for light remotely-piloted helicopters for civil applications. The methods and tools to be used for these activities are standardised for conventional piloted aircraft, while they are currently a matter of discussion in case of light remotely-piloted systems flying into unsegregated airspaces. Certification concerns are particularly problematic for aerial systems weighing from 20 to 150 kgf, since the airworthiness permission is granted by national authorities. The lack of specific requirements actually requires to analyse both the existing standards for military applications and the certification guidelines for civil systems, up to derive the adequate safety objectives. In this work, after a survey on applicable certification documents for the safety objectives definition, the most relevant functional failures of a light remotely-piloted helicopter are identified and analysed via Functional Hazard Assessment. Different architectures are then compared by means of Fault-Tree Analysis, highlighting the contributions to the safety level of the main elements of the flight control system (control computers, servoactuators, antenna) and providing basic guidelines on the required redundancy level. - Highlights: • A method for architecture definition and safety assessment of light RW‐UAS flight control systems is proposed. • Relevant UAS failures are identified and analysed via Functional Hazard Assessment and Fault‐Tree Analysis. • The key safety elements are control computers, servoactuators and TX/RX system. • Single‐simplex flight control systems have inadequate safety levels. • Dual‐duplex flight control systems demonstrate to be safety compliant, with safety budgets dominated by servoactuators.

Two-photon polymerization for 3D printing light-controlled microrobots

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bunea, Ada-Ioana; Engay, Einstom; Separa, Stephen Daedalus

of the light for different types of optical trapping and manipulation experiments has been thoroughly explored. However, most optical trapping experiments make use of simple microbeads, which have limited functionality. An important step forward in the field of Light Robotics is the use of 3D printed.......g. DNA transfection in plant cells or to burst open bacteria cells. By incorporating different features into the microrobot design we are working towards developing a series of microrobotic “surgeons” that would represent a valuable toolbox for surgical precision at the microscale. Combining the full 3D...... design freedom of 2PP with the full volume control freedom facilitated by the use of 3D real-time light shaping represents a significant step towards the development of a new generation of microrobotic tools that have the potential to revolutionize biomedical research at the smallest scales....

Intense pulsed light therapy for the treatment of evaporative dry eye disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Vora, Gargi K; Gupta, Preeya K

2015-07-01

Evaporative dry eye disease is one of the most common types of dry eye. It is often the result of chronic meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and associated ocular rosacea. Evaporative dry eye and MGD significantly reduce patient's quality of life. Traditional treatments, such as artificial tears, warm compresses, and medications, such as topical cyclosporine, azithromycin, and oral doxycycline, provide some relief; however, many patients still suffer from dry eye symptoms. Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, which has been used extensively in dermatology to treat chronic skin conditions, is a relatively new treatment in ophthalmology for patients with evaporative dry eye disease. There are very few studies published on the use of IPL in patients with dry eye disease. The present review describes the theoretical mechanisms of IPL treatment of MGD and ocular rosacea. Personal clinical experience and recently presented data are reported as well. IPL therapy has promising results for evaporative dry eye patients. There are statistically significant improvements in clinical exam findings of dry eye disease. More importantly, patients report subjective improvement in their symptoms. More research is needed in this area to help understand the mechanism of dry eye disease and how it can be effectively treated.

A design of LED adaptive dimming lighting system based on incremental PID controller

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xiangyan; Xiao, Zexin; He, Shaojia

2010-11-01

As a new generation energy-saving lighting source, LED is applied widely in various technology and industry fields. The requirement of its adaptive lighting technology is more and more rigorous, especially in the automatic on-line detecting system. In this paper, a closed loop feedback LED adaptive dimming lighting system based on incremental PID controller is designed, which consists of MEGA16 chip as a Micro-controller Unit (MCU), the ambient light sensor BH1750 chip with Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C), and constant-current driving circuit. A given value of light intensity required for the on-line detecting environment need to be saved to the register of MCU. The optical intensity, detected by BH1750 chip in real time, is converted to digital signal by AD converter of the BH1750 chip, and then transmitted to MEGA16 chip through I2C serial bus. Since the variation law of light intensity in the on-line detecting environment is usually not easy to be established, incremental Proportional-Integral-Differential (PID) algorithm is applied in this system. Control variable obtained by the incremental PID determines duty cycle of Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM). Consequently, LED's forward current is adjusted by PWM, and the luminous intensity of the detection environment is stabilized by self-adaptation. The coefficients of incremental PID are obtained respectively after experiments. Compared with the traditional LED dimming system, it has advantages of anti-interference, simple construction, fast response, and high stability by the use of incremental PID algorithm and BH1750 chip with I2C serial bus. Therefore, it is suitable for the adaptive on-line detecting applications.

Light storage in a doped solid enhanced by feedback-controlled pulse shaping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beil, F.; Buschbeck, M.; Heinze, G.; Halfmann, T.

2010-01-01

We report on experiments dealing with feedback-controlled pulse shaping to optimize the efficiency of light storage by electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in a Pr 3+ :Y 2 SiO 5 crystal. A learning loop in combination with an evolutionary algorithm permits the automatic determination of optimal temporal profiles of intensities and frequencies in the driving laser pulses (i.e., the probe and coupling pulses). As a main advantage, the technique finds optimal solutions even in the complicated multilevel excitation scheme of a doped solid, involving large inhomogeneous broadening. The learning loop experimentally determines optimal temporal intensity profiles of the coupling pulses for a given probe pulse. The optimized intensity pulse shapes enhance the light-storage efficiency in the doped solid by a factor of 2. The learning loop also determines a fast and efficient preparation pulse sequence, which serves to optically prepare the crystal prior to light-storage experiments. The optimized preparation sequence is 5 times faster than standard preparation sequences. Moreover, the optimized preparation sequence enhances the optical depth in the medium by a factor of 5. As a consequence, the efficiency of light storage also increases by another factor of 3. Our experimental data clearly demonstrate the considerable potential of feedback-controlled pulse shaping, applied to EIT-driven light storage in solid media.

Lighting Systems Control for Demand Response

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Husen, S.A.; Pandharipande, A.; Tolhuizen, L.M.G.; Wang, Y.; Zhao, M.

2012-01-01

Lighting is a major part of energy consumption in buildings. Lighting systems will thus be one of the important component systems of a smart grid for dynamic load management services like demand response.In the scenario considered in this paper, under a demand response request, lighting systems in a

Light-regulated promoters for tunable, temporal, and affordable control of fungal gene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Kevin K; Dunlap, Jay C; Loros, Jennifer J

2018-05-01

Regulatable promoters are important genetic tools, particularly for assigning function to essential and redundant genes. They can also be used to control the expression of enzymes that influence metabolic flux or protein secretion, thereby optimizing product yield in bioindustry. This review will focus on regulatable systems for use in filamentous fungi, an important group of organisms whose members include key research models, devastating pathogens of plants and animals, and exploitable cell factories. Though we will begin by cataloging those promoters that are controlled by nutritional or chemical means, our primary focus will rest on those who can be controlled by a literal flip-of-the-switch: promoters of light-regulated genes. The vvd promoter of Neurospora will first serve as a paradigm for how light-driven systems can provide tight, robust, tunable, and temporal control of either autologous or heterologous fungal proteins. We will then discuss a theoretical approach to, and practical considerations for, the development of such promoters in other species. To this end, we have compiled genes from six previously published light-regulated transcriptomic studies to guide the search for suitable photoregulatable promoters in your fungus of interest.

Non surgical laser and light in the treatment of chronic diseases: a review based on personal experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, L.

2010-11-01

Since many years some effects of non surgical laser and light on biological tissue have been demonstrated, in vitro and in vivo. This review is based on the results obtained by me and my colleagues/follower in Italy. Aim of our study is to verify the anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects of non surgical laser and light therapy on patients with chronic diseases not good treatable with traditional therapies, as diabetes, and central nervous system injuries. In addition, many clinical data have emerged from double-blind trials on laser treatment of rheumatic diseases and in sports medicine. So, we would like to do a review on the state of the art of non surgical laser treatment in medicine, included aesthetic laser and light therapy field. We discuss the indications and limitations of aesthetic laser medicine, as concluded from the data analysis of the published literature and from over thirty years of personal experiences.

Non surgical laser and light in the treatment of chronic diseases: a review based on personal experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Longo, L

2010-01-01

Since many years some effects of non surgical laser and light on biological tissue have been demonstrated, in vitro and in vivo. This review is based on the results obtained by me and my colleagues/follower in Italy. Aim of our study is to verify the anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects of non surgical laser and light therapy on patients with chronic diseases not good treatable with traditional therapies, as diabetes, and central nervous system injuries. In addition, many clinical data have emerged from double-blind trials on laser treatment of rheumatic diseases and in sports medicine. So, we would like to do a review on the state of the art of non surgical laser treatment in medicine, included aesthetic laser and light therapy field. We discuss the indications and limitations of aesthetic laser medicine, as concluded from the data analysis of the published literature and from over thirty years of personal experiences

2011 Gordon Research Conference on Quantum Control of Light and Matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weinacht, Thomas

2011-01-01

Quantum control of light and matter is the quest to steer a physical process to a desirable outcome, employing constructive and destructive interference. Three basic questions address feasibility of quantum control: (1) The problem of controllability, does a control field exist for a preset initial and target state; (2) Synthesis, constructively finding the field that leads to the target; and (3) Optimal Control Theory - optimizing the field that carries out this task. These continue to be the fundamental theoretical questions to be addressed in the conference. How to realize control fields in the laboratory is an ongoing challenge. This task is very diverse viewing the emergence of control scenarios ranging from attoseconds to microseconds. How do the experimental observations reflect on the theoretical framework? The typical arena of quantum control is an open environment where much of the control is indirect. How are control scenarios realized in dissipative open systems? Can new control opportunities emerge? Can one null decoherence effects? An ideal setting for control is ultracold matter. The initial and final state can be defined more precisely. Coherent control unifies many fields of physical science. A lesson learned in one field can reflect on another. Currently quantum information processing has emerged as a primary target of control where the key issue is controlling quantum gate operation. Modern nonlinear spectroscopy has emerged as another primary field. The challenge is to unravel the dynamics of molecular systems undergoing strong interactions with the environment. Quantum optics where non-classical fields are to be generated and employed. Finally, coherent control is the basis for quantum engineering. These issues will be under the limelight of the Gordon conference on Quantum Control of Light and Matter.

Elevated Concentrations of Serum Immunoglobulin Free Light Chains in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients in Relation to Disease Activity, Inflammatory Status, B Cell Activity and Epstein-Barr Virus Antibodies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Draborg, Anette H; Lydolph, Magnus; Westergaard, Marie

2015-01-01

, FLCs' association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies was examined. METHODS: Using a nephelometric assay, κFLC and λFLC concentrations were quantified in sera from 45 SLE patients and 40 healthy controls. SLE patients with renal insufficiency were excluded in order to preclude high concentrations......OBJECTIVE: In this study, we examined the concentration of serum immunoglobulin free light chains (FLCs) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and investigated its association with various disease parameters in order to evaluate the role of FLCs as a potential biomarker in SLE. Furthermore...... of serum FLCs due to decreased clearance. RESULTS: Serum FLC concentrations were significantly elevated in SLE patients compared to healthy controls (pdisease activity (SLE disease activity...

Quantum memory for nonstationary light fields based on controlled reversible inhomogeneous broadening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraus, B.; Tittel, W.; Gisin, N.; Nilsson, M.; Kroell, S.; Cirac, J. I.

2006-01-01

We propose a method for efficient storage and recall of arbitrary nonstationary light fields, such as, for instance, single photon time-bin qubits or intense fields, in optically dense atomic ensembles. Our approach to quantum memory is based on controlled, reversible, inhomogeneous broadening and relies on a hidden time-reversal symmetry of the optical Bloch equations describing the propagation of the light field. We briefly discuss experimental realizations of our proposal

Improving Control Efficiency of Dynamic Street Lighting by Utilizing the Dual Graph Grammar Concept

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor Wojnicki

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The paper introduces a definition of dual graph grammar. It enables two graphs to share information in a synchronized way. A smart city example application, which is an outdoor lighting control system utilizing the dual graph grammar, is also demonstrated. The system controls dimming of street lights which is based on traffic intensity. Each luminaire’s light level is adjusted individually to comply with the lighting norms to ensure safety. Benefits of applying the dual graph grammar are twofold. First, it increases expressive power of the mathematical model that the system uses. It becomes possible to take into account complex geographical distribution of sensors and logical dependencies among them. Second, it increases the system’s efficiency by reducing the problem size during run-time. Experimental results show a reduction of the computation time by a factor of 2.8. The approach has been verified in practice.

78 FR 12622 - Control of Communicable Diseases: Foreign; Scope and Definitions

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-25

... Control of Communicable Diseases: Foreign; Scope and Definitions AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and... of direct final rule. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the... INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning this notice: Ashley A. Marrone, JD, Centers for Disease Control...

Development of a Synthetic Switch to Control Protein Stability in Eukaryotic Cells with Light.

Science.gov (United States)

Taxis, Christof

2017-01-01

In eukaryotic cells, virtually all regulatory processes are influenced by proteolysis. Thus, synthetic control of protein stability is a powerful approach to influence cellular behavior. To achieve this, selected target proteins are modified with a conditional degradation sequence (degron) that responds to a distinct signal. For development of a synthetic degron, an appropriate sensor domain is fused with a degron such that activity of the degron is under control of the sensor. This chapter describes the development of a light-activated, synthetic degron in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This photosensitive degron module is composed of the light-oxygen-voltage (LOV) 2 photoreceptor domain of Arabidopsis thaliana phototropin 1 and a degron derived from murine ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Excitation of the photoreceptor with blue light induces a conformational change that leads to exposure and activation of the degron. Subsequently, the protein is targeted for degradation by the proteasome. Here, the strategy for degron module development and optimization is described in detail together with experimental aspects, which were pivotal for successful implementation of light-controlled proteolysis. The engineering of the photosensitive degron (psd) module may well serve as a blueprint for future development of sophisticated synthetic switches.

78 FR 12621 - Control of Communicable Diseases: Interstate; Scope and Definitions

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-25

... Control of Communicable Diseases: Interstate; Scope and Definitions AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control... effective date of Direct Final Rule. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within... Disease [[Page 12622

Light - Controlled automatically or by pressing a button?; Licht - per Knopfdruck oder Automatik? Tageslichtgesteuerte Beleuchtungen fordern psychologisches und technisches Feingefuehl

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santner, G.

2006-07-01

This article discusses the psychological aspects and the technical tactfulness needed when implementing daylight-controlled lighting systems. On the basis of experience gained, the author concludes that the same amount of energy can be saved if the lighting is controlled half-automatically or when the lighting is always switched off when rooms are unoccupied. The article reviews the experience gained with automatically-dimmed lighting in a school in Zurich, Switzerland, and at the University of Zurich. The requirements placed on the control of lighting by the 'Minergie' low energy consumption standard are discussed. Control methods that have been implemented in various public buildings are looked at and the variations in the personal sensitivity of users to varying lighting levels are discussed. The placing of sensors for light-level and occupancy is discussed.

Improving NIR snow pit stratigraphy observations by introducing a controlled NIR light source

Science.gov (United States)

Dean, J.; Marshall, H.; Rutter, N.; Karlson, A.

2013-12-01

Near-infrared (NIR) photography in a prepared snow pit measures mm-/grain-scale variations in snow structure, as reflectivity is strongly dependent on microstructure and grain size at the NIR wavelengths. We explore using a controlled NIR light source to maximize signal to noise ratio and provide uniform incident, diffuse light on the snow pit wall. NIR light fired from the flash is diffused across and reflected by an umbrella onto the snow pit; the lens filter transmits NIR light onto the spectrum-modified sensor of the DSLR camera. Lenses are designed to refract visible light properly, not NIR light, so there must be a correction applied for the subsequent NIR bright spot. To avoid interpolation and debayering algorithms automatically performed by programs like Adobe's Photoshop on the images, the raw data are analyzed directly in MATLAB. NIR image data show a doubling of the amount of light collected in the same time for flash over ambient lighting. Transitions across layer boundaries in the flash-lit image are detailed by higher camera intensity values than ambient-lit images. Curves plotted using median intensity at each depth, normalized to the average profile intensity, show a separation between flash- and ambient-lit images in the upper 10-15 cm; the ambient-lit image curve asymptotically approaches the level of the flash-lit image curve below 15cm. We hypothesize that the difference is caused by additional ambient light penetrating the upper 10-15 cm of the snowpack from above and transmitting through the wall of the snow pit. This indicates that combining NIR ambient and flash photography could be a powerful technique for studying penetration depth of radiation as a function of microstructure and grain size. The NIR flash images do not increase the relative contrast at layer boundaries; however, the flash more than doubles the amount of recorded light and controls layer noise as well as layer boundary transition noise.

Benefits of metering and intelligent control in energy savings of public street lighting - UA Smart Campus use case

OpenAIRE

Alves, Luis Nero; Barraca, João Paulo; Aguiar, Rui L.

2015-01-01

We describe an intelligent lighting solution suitable for public spaces. The proposed design optimally combines sensor information, LED based lighting, and dynamic control. Departing from this set of starting objectives, project LITES (funded by the EC CIP-ICT-PSP framework) proposed the development of an intelligent lighting solution suitable for public street lighting. This solution was based on the usage of motion sensors as means to control the luminous flow. Following t...

Lighting.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration.

1992-09-01

Since lighting accounts for about one-third of the energy used in commercial buildings, there is opportunity to conserve. There are two ways to reduce lighting energy use: modify lighting systems so that they used less electricity and/or reduce the number of hours the lights are used. This booklet presents a number of ways to do both. Topics covered include: reassessing lighting levels, reducing lighting levels, increasing bulb & fixture efficiency, using controls to regulate lighting, and taking advantage of daylight.

The energy saving potential of occupancy-based lighting control strategies in open-plan offices: the influence of occupancy patterns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Bakker, C.; van de Voort, T.; Rosemann, A.L.P.

2018-01-01

Occupancy-based lighting control strategies have been proven to be effective in diminishing offices’ energy consumption. These strategies have typically worked by controlling lighting at the room level but, recently, lighting systems have begun to be equipped with sensors on a more fine-grained

The Energy Saving Potential of Occupancy-Based Lighting Control Strategies in Open-Plan Offices: The Influence of Occupancy Patterns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christel de Bakker

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Occupancy-based lighting control strategies have been proven to be effective in diminishing offices’ energy consumption. These strategies have typically worked by controlling lighting at the room level but, recently, lighting systems have begun to be equipped with sensors on a more fine-grained level, enabling lighting control at the desk level. For some office cases, however, the savings gained using this strategy may not outweigh the costs and design efforts compared to room control. This is because, in some offices, individual occupancy patterns are similar, hence the difference in savings between desk and room control would be minimal. This study examined the influence of occupancy pattern variance within an office space on the relative energy savings of control strategies with different control zone sizes. We applied stochastic modeling to estimate the occupancy patterns, as this method can account for uncertainty. To validate our model, simulation results were compared to earlier studies and real measurements, which demonstrated that our simulations provided realistic occupancy patterns. Next, office cases varying in both job-function type distribution and office policy were investigated on energy savings potential to determine the influence of occupancy pattern variance. The relative energy savings potential of the different control strategies differed minimally for the test cases, suggesting that variations in individual occupancy patterns negligibly influence energy savings. In all cases, lighting control at the desk level showed a significantly higher energy savings potential than strategies with lower control zone granularity, suggesting that it is useful to implement occupancy-based lighting at the desk level in all office cases. This strategy should, thus, receive more attention from both researchers and lighting designers.

Chapter 3: Commercial and Industrial Lighting Controls Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurnik, Charles W. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Carlson, Stephen [DNV GL, Madison, WI (United States)

2017-10-04

This Commercial and Industrial Lighting Controls Evaluation Protocol (the protocol) describes methods to account for energy savings resulting from programmatic installation of lighting control equipment in large populations of commercial, industrial, government, institutional, and other nonresidential facilities. This protocol does not address savings resulting from changes in codes and standards, or from education and training activities. When lighting controls are installed in conjunction with a lighting retrofit project, the lighting control savings must be calculated parametrically with the lighting retrofit project so savings are not double counted.

Optimal control for Malaria disease through vaccination

Science.gov (United States)

Munzir, Said; Nasir, Muhammad; Ramli, Marwan

2018-01-01

Malaria is a disease caused by an amoeba (single-celled animal) type of plasmodium where anopheles mosquito serves as the carrier. This study examines the optimal control problem of malaria disease spread based on Aron and May (1982) SIR type models and seeks the optimal solution by minimizing the prevention of the spreading of malaria by vaccine. The aim is to investigate optimal control strategies on preventing the spread of malaria by vaccination. The problem in this research is solved using analytical approach. The analytical method uses the Pontryagin Minimum Principle with the symbolic help of MATLAB software to obtain optimal control result and to analyse the spread of malaria with vaccination control.

PLC based Smart Street Lighting Control

OpenAIRE

D.V.Pushpa Latha; K.R.Sudha; Swati Devabhaktuni

2013-01-01

Conventional street lighting systems in most of the areas are Online at regular intervals of time irrespective of the seasonal variations. The street lights are simply switched on at afternoon and turned off in the morning. The consequence is that a large amount of Power is wasted meaninglessly. As energy consumption is an issue of increasing interest, possible energy savings in public street lighting systems are recently discussed from different viewpoints. The purpose of this work is to des...

Video Demo: Deep Reinforcement Learning for Coordination in Traffic Light Control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Pol, E.; Oliehoek, F.A.; Bosse, T.; Bredeweg, B.

2016-01-01

This video demonstration contrasts two approaches to coordination in traffic light control using reinforcement learning: earlier work, based on a deconstruction of the state space into a linear combination of vehicle states, and our own approach based on the Deep Q-learning algorithm.

Shedding light on walking in the dark: the effects of reduced lighting on the gait of older adults with a higher-level gait disorder and controls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gruendlinger Leor

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective To study the effects of reduced lighting on the gait of older adults with a high level gait disorder (HLGD and to compare their response to that of healthy elderly controls. Methods 22 patients with a HLGD and 20 age-matched healthy controls were studied under usual lighting conditions (1000 lumens and in near darkness (5 lumens. Gait speed and gait dynamics were measured under both conditions. Cognitive function, co-morbidities, depressive symptoms, and vision were also evaluated. Results Under usual lighting conditions, patients walked more slowly, with reduced swing times, and increased stride-to-stride variability, compared to controls. When walking under near darkness conditions, both groups slowed their gait. All other measures of gait were not affected by lighting in the controls. In contrast, patients further reduced their swing times and increased their stride-to-stride variability, both stride time variability and swing time variability. The unique response of the patients was not explained by vision, mental status, co-morbidities, or the values of walking under usual lighting conditions. Conclusion Walking with reduced lighting does not affect the gait of healthy elderly subjects, except for a reduction in speed. On the other hand, the gait of older adults with a HLGD becomes more variable and unsteady when they walk in near darkness, despite adapting a slow and cautious gait. Further work is needed to identify the causes of the maladaptive response among patients with a HLGD and the potential connection between this behavior and the increased fall risk observed in these patients.

Light controllable catalytic activity of Au clusters decorated with photochromic molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Na; Meng Yam, Kah; Zhang, Chun

2018-06-01

By ab initio calculations, we show that when decorated with a photochromic molecule, the catalytic activity of an Au nanocluster can be reversibly controlled by light. The combination of a photochromic thiol-pentacarbonyl azobenzene (TPA) molecule and an Au8 cluster is chosen as a model catalyst. The TPA molecule has two configurations (trans and cis) that can be reversibly converted to each other upon photo-excitation. Our calculations show that when the TPA takes the trans configuration, the combined system (trans-Au8) is an excellent catalyst for CO oxidation. The reaction barrier of the catalyzed CO oxidation is less than 0.4 eV. While, the reaction barrier of CO oxidation catalyzed by cis-Au8 is very high (>2.7 eV), indicating that the catalyst is inactive. These results pave the way for a new class of light controllable nanoscale catalysts.

Model predictive control in light naphtha distillation column of gasoline hydrogenation process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kornkrit Chiewchanchairat

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The main scope of this research is for designing and implementing of model predictive control (MPC on the light naphtha distillation column of gasoline hydrogenation process. This model is designed by using robust multivariable predictive control technology (RMPCT. The performance of MPC controller is better than PID controllers 32.1 % those are comparing by using as the same of objective function and also in the MPC controller can be used for steam optimization that is shown in this research, stream consumption is reduced 6.6 Kg/ m3 of fresh feed.

Automatic detection of diseased tomato plants using thermal and stereo visible light images.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shan-e-Ahmed Raza

Full Text Available Accurate and timely detection of plant diseases can help mitigate the worldwide losses experienced by the horticulture and agriculture industries each year. Thermal imaging provides a fast and non-destructive way of scanning plants for diseased regions and has been used by various researchers to study the effect of disease on the thermal profile of a plant. However, thermal image of a plant affected by disease has been known to be affected by environmental conditions which include leaf angles and depth of the canopy areas accessible to the thermal imaging camera. In this paper, we combine thermal and visible light image data with depth information and develop a machine learning system to remotely detect plants infected with the tomato powdery mildew fungus Oidium neolycopersici. We extract a novel feature set from the image data using local and global statistics and show that by combining these with the depth information, we can considerably improve the accuracy of detection of the diseased plants. In addition, we show that our novel feature set is capable of identifying plants which were not originally inoculated with the fungus at the start of the experiment but which subsequently developed disease through natural transmission.

Adaptive Lighting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Kjell Yngve; Søndergaard, Karin; Kongshaug, Jesper

2015-01-01

Adaptive Lighting Adaptive lighting is based on a partial automation of the possibilities to adjust the colour tone and brightness levels of light in order to adapt to people’s needs and desires. IT support is key to the technical developments that afford adaptive control systems. The possibilities...... offered by adaptive lighting control are created by the ways that the system components, the network and data flow can be coordinated through software so that the dynamic variations are controlled in ways that meaningfully adapt according to people’s situations and design intentions. This book discusses...... differently into an architectural body. We also examine what might occur when light is dynamic and able to change colour, intensity and direction, and when it is adaptive and can be brought into interaction with its surroundings. In short, what happens to an architectural space when artificial lighting ceases...

Controlled light scattering in transparent polycrystalline ferroelectrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasilevskaya, A.S.; Grodnenskij, I.M.; Sonin, A.S.

1977-01-01

Scattering indicatrices, birefringence, attenuation factor and time characteristics of the light scattering effect have been investigated in a polycrystal solid solution of Pbsub(0.92)Lasub(0.08)(Zrsub(0.65)Tisub(0.35))Osub(3) with the crystallite dimension 4-5 μm. The measurements have been taken for longitudinal and transverse scattering effects in the visible range of spectrum in the temperature range 20-200 deg C. The time characteristics of the scattering effect have been found to be significantly different when a sample transfers from a thermally depolarized state to an electrically polarized one and from an electrically polarized state to an electrically depolarized one. The shape of the scattering indicatrices depends on the polarization state of a sample. The distribution of the scattered light intensity in the part of the indicatrix characterizing the fundamental scattering is satisfactorily described by the Rayleigh-Hans theory. The diameter of scattering centres responsible for the scattering has been determined to be 6-7 μm. The experimental data show that there are different types of scattering centres, in the material. The fundamental scattering is caused by centres arising irreversibly during initial polarization of the sample. The second type of centres is responsible for the controlled part of scattering during repolarization

[The Bioptron light therapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Dediulescu, Lucretia

2004-01-01

The Bioptron light therapy system acts naturally, upholding the capacity of regeneration of the body. Since the discovery of the therapeutical effects of the Bioptron light, over 20 years ago, its use as treatment has been developed for a large variety of diseases, among which also the eye-diseases (simplex and zoster herpes, conjunctivitis).

Controlled trifluoromethylation reactions of alkynes through visible-light photoredox catalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Iqbal, Naeem; Jung, Jaehun; Park, Sehyun; Cho, Eun Jin

2014-01-07

The control of a reaction that can form multiple products is a highly attractive and challenging concept in synthetic chemistry. A set of valuable CF3 -containing molecules, namely trifluoromethylated alkenyl iodides, alkenes, and alkynes, were selectively generated from alkynes and CF3 I by environmentally benign and efficient visible-light photoredox catalysis. Subtle differences in the combination of catalyst, base, and solvent enabled the control of reactivity and selectivity for the reaction between an alkyne and CF3 I. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

AND logic-like pH- and light-dual controlled drug delivery by surface modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Junwei; He, Zhaoshuai; Li, Biao; Cheng, Tanyu, E-mail: tycheng@shnu.edu.cn; Liu, Guohua

2017-04-01

Recently, the controlled drug delivery system has become a potential platform for biomedical application. Herein, we developed a pH and light-dual controlled cargo release system exhibiting AND logic based on MCM-41 mesoporous silica nanoparticles, which was surface modified using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with imine bond and azobenzene derivative. The complex of β-CD and azobenzene derivative effectively blocked the cargo delivery in pH = 7.0 phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution without 365 nm UV light irradiation. The cargo was fully released when both factors of acidic environment (pH = 5.0 PBS) and 365 nm UV light irradiation were satisfied, meanwhile only very little cargo was delivered if one factor was satisfied. The result also demonstrates that the opening/closing of the gate and the release of the cargo in small portions can be controlled. - Highlights: • A pH and light-dual controlled cargo release system exhibiting AND logic is developed. • The delivery system can release the cargo in small potions by controlling the opening/closing of the gate. • The delivery system realizes the controlled release in zebrafish.

Smart Mirrors for Photorefractive Control of Light with Tim Bunning, RX - Agile Filters Application

Science.gov (United States)

2016-11-08

AFRL-AFOSR-UK-TR-2017-0008 Smart Mirrors for photorefractive control of light with Tim Bunning, RX-- Agile filters application Luciano De Sio...DATE (DD-MM-YYYY)      10-02-2017 2. REPORT TYPE Final 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 01 Feb 2014 to 31 Jan 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Smart Mirrors for...photorefractive control of light with Tim Bunning, RX-- Agile filters application 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT NUMBER FA9550-14-1-0050 5c.  PROGRAM

Flight control and landing precision in the nocturnal bee Megalopta is robust to large changes in light intensity.

Science.gov (United States)

Baird, Emily; Fernandez, Diana C; Wcislo, William T; Warrant, Eric J

2015-01-01

Like their diurnal relatives, Megalopta genalis use visual information to control flight. Unlike their diurnal relatives, however, they do this at extremely low light intensities. Although Megalopta has developed optical specializations to increase visual sensitivity, theoretical studies suggest that this enhanced sensitivity does not enable them to capture enough light to use visual information to reliably control flight in the rainforest at night. It has been proposed that Megalopta gain extra sensitivity by summing visual information over time. While enhancing the reliability of vision, this strategy would decrease the accuracy with which they can detect image motion-a crucial cue for flight control. Here, we test this temporal summation hypothesis by investigating how Megalopta's flight control and landing precision is affected by light intensity and compare our findings with the results of similar experiments performed on the diurnal bumblebee Bombus terrestris, to explore the extent to which Megalopta's adaptations to dim light affect their precision. We find that, unlike Bombus, light intensity does not affect flight and landing precision in Megalopta. Overall, we find little evidence that Megalopta uses a temporal summation strategy in dim light, while we find strong support for the use of this strategy in Bombus.

Effective Remote Control of Several Outdoor Security Lights by SMS and Wifi Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. F. Akorede

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to design and develop a control system using Short Message Service (SMS and wireless networking (WiFi technology to remotely control outdoor security lights in large organisations. The device comprises four main units, namely: the mobile phone or a computer system, the Global System for Mobile communication (GSM modem, the switching unit and the WiFi module. One feature that makes the developed system better than other related existing works is its ability to use two means of control. It makes use of WiFi when the operator is within the coverage area of the network of about 100 m to the device, at no cost, otherwise it uses SMS containing certain codes to control the lights. A Subscriber Identity Module (SIM card is placed in the GSM modem and SMS from the transmitter are sent to that mobile number. The module is also constantly checked by the microcontroller unit, processes the information, extracts the message and command from the GSM modem and WiFi module respectively and then acts accordingly. Owing to its simplicity, C programming is used to programme the microcontroller. The developed device when tested with three lighting points operating on 230V power supply, gives an impressive performance in terms of accuracy and promptness with both SMS and WiFi technology.

Assessing the use of Low Voltage UV-light Emitting Miniature LEDs for Marine Biofouling Control

Science.gov (United States)

2016-07-01

of that required to drive traditional UV mercury lamps . Secondly, given their small size and relatively low cost, UV LEDs provide ease of maintenance...UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Assessing the use of Low Voltage UV -light Emitting Miniature LEDs for Marine Biofouling Control Richard...settling organisms. The introduction of miniature UV light emitting diodes ( LEDs ) as a light source enables them to be embedded into thin, flexible

Dynamic Blue Light-Inducible T7 RNA Polymerases (Opto-T7RNAPs) for Precise Spatiotemporal Gene Expression Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Baumschlager, Armin; Aoki, Stephanie K; Khammash, Mustafa

2017-11-17

Light has emerged as a control input for biological systems due to its precise spatiotemporal resolution. The limited toolset for light control in bacteria motivated us to develop a light-inducible transcription system that is independent from cellular regulation through the use of an orthogonal RNA polymerase. Here, we present our engineered blue light-responsive T7 RNA polymerases (Opto-T7RNAPs) that show properties such as low leakiness of gene expression in the dark state, high expression strength when induced with blue light, and an inducible range of more than 300-fold. Following optimization of the system to reduce expression variability, we created a variant that returns to the inactive dark state within minutes once the blue light is turned off. This allows for precise dynamic control of gene expression, which is a key aspect for most applications using optogenetic regulation. The regulators, which only require blue light from ordinary light-emitting diodes for induction, were developed and tested in the bacterium Escherichia coli, which is a crucial cell factory for biotechnology due to its fast and inexpensive cultivation and well understood physiology and genetics. Opto-T7RNAP, with minor alterations, should be extendable to other bacterial species as well as eukaryotes such as mammalian cells and yeast in which the T7 RNA polymerase and the light-inducible Vivid regulator have been shown to be functional. We anticipate that our approach will expand the applicability of using light as an inducer for gene expression independent from cellular regulation and allow for a more reliable dynamic control of synthetic and natural gene networks.

Control of neglected tropical diseases needs a long-term commitment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mubila Likezo

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Neglected tropical diseases are widespread, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting over 2 billion individuals. Control of these diseases has gathered pace in recent years, with increased levels of funding from a number of governmental or non-governmental donors. Focus has currently been on five major 'tool-ready' neglected tropical diseases (lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis and trachoma, using a package of integrated drug delivery according to the World Health Organization guidelines for preventive chemotherapy. Discussion Success in controlling these neglected tropical diseases has been achieved in a number of countries in recent history. Experience from these successes suggests that long-term sustainable control of these diseases requires: (1 a long-term commitment from a wider range of donors and from governments of endemic countries; (2 close partnerships of donors, World Health Organization, pharmaceutical industries, governments of endemic countries, communities, and non-governmental developmental organisations; (3 concerted action from more donor countries to provide the necessary funds, and from the endemic countries to work together to prevent cross-border disease transmission; (4 comprehensive control measures for certain diseases; and (5 strengthened primary healthcare systems as platforms for the national control programmes and capacity building through implementation of the programmes. Conclusions The current level of funding for the control of neglected tropical diseases has never been seen before, but it is still not enough to scale up to the 2 billion people in all endemic countries. While more donors are sought, the stakeholders must work in a coordinated and harmonised way to identify the priority areas and the best delivery approaches to use the current funds to the maximum effect. Case management and other necessary control measures should be

Marked improvement by high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in a case of light chain deposition disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuzaki, Keiichi; Ohsawa, Isao; Nishitani, Tomohito; Takeda, Yukihiko; Inoshita, Hiroyuki; Ishii, Masaya; Takagi, Miyuki; Horikoshi, Satoshi; Tomino, Yasuhiko

2011-01-01

A 55-year-old woman presented with heavy proteinuria (6.2 g/day) in April 2007. Because monoclonal IgG-k was detected in serum and urine samples, bone marrow aspiration and renal biopsy were performed. She was diagnosed with plasma cell dyscrasia because a bone marrow aspiration specimen showed plasma cells at 6.1%. Renal tissues revealed the formation of nodular glomerulosclerosis which was negative for Congo-red staining. Renal immunohistochemistry showed positive staining for kappa light chains in the nodular lesions, proximal tubules and part of Bowman's capsules. Her renal involvement was diagnosed as light chain deposition disease. Proteinuria disappeared and renal function stabilized after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. It appears that an early initiation of active therapy such as high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation may be beneficial for patients with light chain deposition disease.

Smart office lighting control using occupancy sensors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, X.; Linnartz, J.-P.; Tjalkens, T.J.

2017-01-01

Nowadays, despite the use of efficient LED lighting, lighting consumes a considerable amount of energy. To reduce the energy consumption, many office lighting systems are equipped with occupancy sensors. Since these sensors have a limited reliability in detecting presence, usually very conservative

Controlling light with resonant plasmonic nanostructures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waele, R. de

2009-01-01

Plasmons are collective oscillations of free electrons in a metal. At optical frequencies plasmons enable nanoscale confinement of light in metal nanostructures. This ability has given rise to many applications in e.g. photothermal cancer treatment, light trapping in photovoltaic cells, and sensing.

Spectral composition of light and growing of plants in controlled environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tikhomirov, A.A. [Institute of Biophysics, Krasnoyarsk (Russian Federation)

1994-12-31

The curve of the action spectrum of photosynthesis is examined under the controlled influence of light that involves av 3-5 minutes irradiation with one specific spectral flux. Different curves were obtained for spectral affectivity of green leaf photosynthesis when plants have had long duration adaptation to lamps of different spectral composition and PAR intensity. The author suggests that the illumination of plants in natural conditions does not have to be copied for growing plants in controlled environments.

Pattern of glomerular diseases in oman: A study based on light microscopy and immunofluorescence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasar Yousuf Alwahaibi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Light microscopy and immunofluorescence play an important part in the final diagnosis of renal biopsy. The aim of this study was to analyze the pattern of various glomerular diseases in Oman. A total of 424 renal biopsies were retrospectively analyzed at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital between 1999 and 2010. Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS, minimal change disease (MCD, membranous glomerulopathy (MGN and IgA nephropathy were the most common primary glomerular diseases encountered, accounting for 21.2%, 17%, 12.3% and 8.3%, respectively, of all cases. Lupus nephritis was the most common secondary glomerular disease and was the most prevalent among all biopsies, accounting for 30.4% of all biopsies. Amyloidosis was seen in only two cases. The presence of fluorescein isothiocyanatefibrin in all renal cases was low when compared with IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and C1q markers. In conclusion, based on the findings of this study, lupus nephritis was the most common of all glomerular diseases and FSGS was the most common primary glomerular disease. The importance of fluorescein isothiocyanate-fibrin in the diagnosis of renal biopsy needs to be further investigated.

Light + architecture. Daylight - artificial light - energy; Licht + Architektur. Tageslicht - Kunstlicht - Energie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2009-07-01

The symposium intends to provide scientific and technical fundamentals for room lighting with daylight. Daylight deflection systems and artificial light control systems were analyzed for this purpose, and a catalogue of criteria was established. Planners were given tools for projecting daylight control systems. Builder-owners received the fundamentals for economic assessment of combined daylight and artificial light illumination systems, while industrial producers obtained information for further development to maturity and for marketing of daylight-dependent artificial light control systems. (GL)

Laser in Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension (LiGHT) trial. A multicentre, randomised controlled trial: design and methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Gazzard, Gus; Konstantakopoulou, Evgenia; Garway-Heath, David; Barton, Keith; Wormald, Richard; Morris, Stephen; Hunter, Rachael; Rubin, Gary; Buszewicz, Marta; Ambler, Gareth; Bunce, Catey

2018-05-01

The Laser in Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension (LiGHT) Trial aims to establish whether initial treatment with selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is superior to initial treatment with topical medication for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) or ocular hypertension (OHT). The LiGHT Trial is a prospective, unmasked, multicentre, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial. 718 previously untreated patients with POAG or OHT were recruited at six collaborating centres in the UK between 2012 and 2014. The trial comprises two treatment arms: initial SLT followed by conventional medical therapy as required, and medical therapy without laser therapy. Randomisation was provided online by a web-based randomisation service. Participants will be monitored for 3 years, according to routine clinical practice. The target intraocular pressure (IOP) was set at baseline according to an algorithm, based on disease severity and lifetime risk of loss of vision at recruitment, and subsequently adjusted on the basis of IOP control, optic disc and visual field. The primary outcome measure is health-related quality of life (HRQL) (EQ-5D five-level). Secondary outcomes are treatment pathway cost and cost-effectiveness, Glaucoma Utility Index, Glaucoma Symptom Scale, Glaucoma Quality of Life, objective measures of pathway effectiveness, visual function and safety profiles and concordance. A single main analysis will be performed at the end of the trial on an intention-to-treat basis. The LiGHT Trial is a multicentre, pragmatic, randomised clinical trial that will provide valuable data on the relative HRQL, clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of SLT and topical IOP-lowering medication. ISRCTN32038223, Pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Mitochondrial quality control in cardiac diseases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliane Campos

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Disruption of mitochondrial homeostasis is a hallmark of cardiac diseases. Therefore, maintenance of mitochondrial integrity through different surveillance mechanisms is critical for cardiomyocyte survival. In this review, we discuss the most recent findings on the central role of mitochondrial quality control processes including regulation of mitochondrial redox balance, aldehyde metabolism, proteostasis, dynamics and clearance in cardiac diseases, highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets.

Field-programmable gate array based controller for multi spot light-addressable potentiometric sensors with integrated signal correction mode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Werner, Carl Frederik; Schusser, Sebastian; Spelthahn, Heiko [Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Juelich Campus, Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies, Heinrich-Mussmann-Strasse 1, 52428 Juelich (Germany); Institute of Bio- and Nanosystems (IBN-2), Research Centre Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich (Germany); Wagner, Torsten; Yoshinobu, Tatsuo [Tohoku University, Department of Electronic Engineering, 6-6-05 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579 (Japan); Schoening, Michael J., E-mail: schoening@fh-aachen.de [Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Juelich Campus, Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies, Heinrich-Mussmann-Strasse 1, 52428 Juelich (Germany); Institute of Bio- and Nanosystems (IBN-2), Research Centre Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich (Germany)

2011-11-01

Highlights: > Flexible up-scalable design of a light-addressable potentiometric sensor set-up. > Utilisation of a field-programmable gate array to address LAPS measurement spots. > Measurements in amplitude-mode and phase-mode for different pH solutions. > Amplitude, phase and frequency behaviour of LAPS for single and multiple light stimulus. > Signal calibration method by brightness control to compensated systematic errors. - Abstract: A light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) can measure the concentration of one or several analytes at the sensor surface simultaneously in a spatially resolved manner. A modulated light pointer stimulates the semiconductor structure at the area of interest and a responding photocurrent can be read out. By simultaneous stimulation of several areas with light pointers of different modulation frequencies, the read out can be performed at the same time. With the new proposed controller electronic based on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), it is possible to control the modulation frequencies, phase shifts, and light brightness of multiple light pointers independently and simultaneously. Thus, it is possible to investigate the frequency response of the sensor, and to examine the analyte concentration by the determination of the surface potential with the help of current/voltage curves and phase/voltage curves. Additionally, the ability to individually change the light intensities of each light pointer is used to perform signal correction.

EULAR definition of erosive disease in light of the 2010 ACR/EULAR rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Heijde, Désirée; van der Helm-van Mil, Annette H. M.; Aletaha, Daniel; Bingham, Clifton O.; Burmester, Gerd R.; Dougados, Maxime; Emery, Paul; Felson, David; Knevel, Rachel; Kvien, Tore K.; Landewé, Robert B. M.; Lukas, Cédric; McInnes, Iain; Silman, Alan J.; Smolen, Josef S.; Stanislawska-Biernat, Ewa; Zink, Angela; Combe, Bernard

2013-01-01

The aim of this report was to propose a definition for erosive disease in the context of inflammatory arthritis in light of the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) criteria for use in clinical practice and studies. A EULAR

Light-regulated leaf expansion in two Populus species: dependence on developmentally controlled ion transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Stiles, Kari A; Van Volkenburgh, Elizabeth

2002-07-01

Leaf growth responses to light have been compared in two species of Populus, P. deltoides and P. trichocarpa. These species differ markedly in morphology, anatomy, and dependence on light during leaf expansion. Light stimulates the growth rate and acidification of cell walls in P. trichocarpa but not in P. deltoides, whereas leaves of P. deltoides maintain growth in the dark. Light-induced growth is promoted in P. deltoides when cells are provided 50-100 mM KCl. In both species, light initially depolarizes, then hyperpolarizes mesophyll plasma membranes. However, in the dark, the resting E(m) of mesophyll cells in P. deltoides, but not in P. trichocarpa, is relatively insensitive to decade changes in external [K+]. Results suggest that light-stimulated leaf growth depends on developmentally regulated cellular mechanisms controlling ion fluxes across the plasma membrane. These developmental differences underlie species-level differences in growth and physiological responses to the photoenvironment.

Adaptive Lighting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Kjell Yngve; Kongshaug, Jesper; Søndergaard, Karin

2015-01-01

offered by adaptive lighting control are created by the ways that the system components, the network and data flow can be coordinated through software so that the dynamic variations are controlled in ways that meaningfully adapt according to people’s situations and design intentions. This book discusses...... to be static, and no longer acts as a kind of spatial constancy maintaining stability and order? Moreover, what new potentials open in lighting design? This book is one of four books that is published in connection with the research project entitled LED Lighting; Interdisciplinary LED Lighting Research...

Intelligent street lighting clustering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoeven, R.; Jovanovic, N.; Lukkien, J.J.

2014-01-01

The advances in dynamic street lighting introduce new functionality for control and maintenance of the street lighting infrastructure. Vital elements in this infrastructure are the powerful controlling devices that control separate groups of light poles and collect information from the system. For

78 FR 12702 - Control of Communicable Diseases: Interstate; Scope and Definitions

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-25

... Control of Communicable Diseases: Interstate; Scope and Definitions AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control... rulemaking; withdrawal. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department... Rulemaking (NPRM) that solicited public comment on updates to the Scope and Definitions for its regulations...

Flight control and landing precision in the nocturnal bee Megalopta is robust to large changes in light intensity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily eBaird

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Like its diurnal relatives, Megalopta genalis use visual information to control flight. Unlike their diurnal relatives, however, they do this at extremely low light intensities. Although Megalopta has developed optical specialisations to increase visual sensitivity, theoretical studies suggest that this enhanced sensitivity does not enable them to capture enough light to use visual information to reliably control flight in the rainforest at night. It has been proposed that Megalopta gain extra sensitivity by summing visual information over time. While enhancing the reliability of vision, this strategy would decrease the accuracy with which they can detect image motion - a crucial cue for flight control. Here, we test this temporal summation hypothesis by investigating how Megalopta’s flight control and landing precision is affected by light intensity and compare our findings with the results of similar experiments performed on the diurnal bumblebee Bombus terrestris, to explore the extent to which Megalopta’s adaptations to dim light affect their precision. We find that, unlike Bombus, light intensity does not affect flight and landing precision in Megalopta. Overall, we find little evidence that Megalopta uses a temporal summation strategy in dim light, while we find strong support for the use of this strategy in Bombus.

Controlled patterns of daytime light exposure improve circadian adjustment in simulated night work.

Science.gov (United States)

Dumont, Marie; Blais, Hélène; Roy, Joanie; Paquet, Jean

2009-10-01

Circadian misalignment between the endogenous circadian signal and the imposed rest-activity cycle is one of the main sources of sleep and health troubles in night shift workers. Timed bright light exposure during night work can reduce circadian misalignment in night workers, but this approach is limited by difficulties in incorporating bright light treatment into most workplaces. Controlled light and dark exposure during the daytime also has a significant impact on circadian phase and could be easier to implement in real-life situations. The authors previously described distinctive light exposure patterns in night nurses with and without circadian adaptation. In the present study, the main features of these patterns were used to design daytime light exposure profiles. Profiles were then tested in a laboratory simulation of night work to evaluate their efficacy in reducing circadian misalignment in night workers. The simulation included 2 day shifts followed by 4 consecutive night shifts (2400-0800 h). Healthy subjects (15 men and 23 women; 20-35 years old) were divided into 3 groups to test 3 daytime light exposure profiles designed to produce respectively a phase delay (delay group, n=12), a phase advance (advance group, n=13), or an unchanged circadian phase (stable group, n=13). In all 3 groups, light intensity was set at 50 lux during the nights of simulated night work. Salivary dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) showed a significant phase advance of 2.3 h (+/-1.3 h) in the advance group and a significant phase delay of 4.1 h (+/-1.3 h) in the delay group. The stable group showed a smaller but significant phase delay of 1.7 h (+/-1.6 h). Urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) acrophases were highly correlated to salivary DLMOs. Urinary aMT6s acrophases were used to track daily phase shifts. They showed that phase shifts occurred rapidly and differed between the 3 groups by the 3rd night of simulated night work. These results show that significant phase shifts can

Lighting. Eclairage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1989-01-01

Increasing energy costs have led to a review of the high costs of lighting. The use of new energy-efficient lighting equipment, coupled with the use of the proper quantity and quality of lighting only where it is needed, creates a potential for cost reduction. A manual is provided to aid the process of adapting Canadian industrial, commercial, and institutional enterprises to these higher costs. An introductory review of lighting fundamentals is presented, providing a basic understanding of concepts such as illumination, light output measurements, power requirements, lighting quality, and energy audit methods. The currently available lighting equipment used to achieve cost savings is then reviewed, including energy saving lamps and ballasts, controls, and automatic energy control systems. A number of energy management opportunities are identified, such as modification of lighting usage patterns, calculation of the optimum number of lighting fixtures, replacement of existing lamps, and the application of task lighting. Examples are included to show the cost savings possible when applying some of the techniques suggested. 27 figs., 11 tabs.

Light-induced spatial control of pH-jump reaction at smart gel interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Techawanitchai, Prapatsorn; Ebara, Mitsuhiro; Idota, Naokazu; Aoyagi, Takao

2012-11-01

We proposed here a 'smart' control of an interface movement of proton diffusion in temperature- and pH-responsive hydrogels using a light-induced spatial pH-jump reaction. A photoinitiated proton-releasing reaction of o-nitrobenzaldehyde (NBA) was integrated into poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-o-2-carboxyisopropylacrylamide) (P(NIPAAm-co-CIPAAm)) hydrogels. NBA-integrated hydrogels demonstrated quick release of proton upon UV irradiation, allowing the pH inside the gel to decrease below the pK(a) of P(NIPAAm-co-CIPAAm) within a minute. The NBA-integrated gel was shown to shrink rapidly upon UV irradiation without polymer "skin layer" formation due to a uniform decrease of pH inside the gel. Spatial control of gel shrinking was also created by irradiating UV light to a limited region of the gel through a photomask. The interface of proton diffusion ("active interface") gradually moved toward non-illuminated area. The apparent position of "active interface", however, did not change remarkably above the LCST, while protons continuously diffused outward direction. This is because the "active interface" also moved inward direction as gel shrank above the LCST. As a result, slow movement of the apparent interface was observed. The NBA-integrated gel was also successfully employed for the controlled release of an entrapped dextran in a light controlled manner. This system is highly promising as smart platforms for triggered and programmed transportation of drugs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FEL polarization control studies on Dalian coherent light source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Tong; Deng Haixiao; Wang Dong; Zhao Zhentang; Zhang Weiqing; Wu Guorong; Dai Dongxu; Yang Xueming

2013-01-01

The polarization switch of a free-electron laser (FEL) is of great importance to the user scientific community. In this paper, we investigate the generation of controllable polarization FEL from two well-known approaches for Dalian coherent light source, i.e., crossed planar undulator and elliptical permanent undulator. In order to perform a fair comparative study, a one-dimensional time-dependent FEL code has been developed, in which the imperfection effects of an elliptical permanent undulator are taken into account. Comprehensive simulation results indicate that the residual beam energy chirp and the intrinsic FEL gain may contribute to the degradation of the polarization performance for the crossed planar undulator. The elliptical permanent undulator is not very sensitive to the undulator errors and beam imperfections. Meanwhile, with proper configurations of the main planar undulators and additional elliptical permanent undulator section, circular polarized FEL with pulse energy exceeding 100 μJ could be achieved at Dalian coherent light source. (authors)

A case study on occupant controlled lighting in offices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Logadóttir, Asta

2015-01-01

provided a maximum of 100 lx, starting at a low starting value. The occupants of the four person office operated the task light 65% of their working hours when provided with a low starting value and 48% of the time when provided with high starting values. The average satisfaction ratings indicated......Occupant controlled lighting is known to present opportunity for energy savings1,2,3,4 and can increase occupant satisfaction with the lit environment5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Scale model and Laboratory studies suggest that the illuminance interval and the starting value provided to occupants to adjust from......=0.5. The starting values were the minimum and the maximum of each interval and every interval with the different starting values was presented to the occupants in a randomized order for a total of one week. The CCT was 3000 K and the illuminance settings data was monitored online by collecting the DALI signals...

78 FR 12702 - Control of Communicable Diseases: Foreign; Scope and Definitions

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-25

... Control of Communicable Diseases: Foreign; Scope and Definitions AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and...; withdrawal. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and... solicited public comment on updates to the Scope and Definitions for its regulations. DATES: The Notice of...

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

... PDF file Microsoft PowerPoint file Microsoft Word file Microsoft Excel ... Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Page maintained by: Office of Associate Director of Communication, Division of Public ...

The effect of light touch on balance control during overground walking in healthy young adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AR Oates

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Balance control is essential for safe walking. Adding haptic input through light touch may improve walking balance; however, evidence is limited. This research investigated the effect of added haptic input through light touch in healthy young adults during challenging walking conditions. Sixteen individuals walked normally, in tandem, and on a compliant, low-lying balance beam with and without light touch on a railing. Three-dimensional kinematic data were captured to compute stride velocity (m/s, relative time spent in double support (%DS, a medial-lateral margin of stability (MOSML and its variance (MOSMLCV, as well as a symmetry index (SI for the MOSML. Muscle activity was evaluated by integrating electromyography signals for the soleus, tibialis anterior, and gluteus medius muscles bilaterally. Adding haptic input decreased stride velocity, increased the %DS, had no effect on the MOSML magnitude, decreased the MOSMLCV, had no effect on the SI, and increased activity of most muscles examined during normal walking. During tandem walking, stride velocity and the MOSMLCV decreased, while %DS, MOSML magnitude, SI, and muscle activity did not change with light touch. When walking on a low-lying, compliant balance beam, light touch had no effect on walking velocity, MOSML magnitude, or muscle activity; however, the %DS increased and the MOSMLCV and SI decreased when lightly touching a railing while walking on the balance beam. The decreases in the MOSMLCV with light touch across all walking conditions suggest that adding haptic input through light touch on a railing may improve balance control during walking through reduced variability.

Lighting Control System (ILCS)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2017-08-08

Aug 8, 2017 ... function blocks CNC machining protocol. Advanced Materials Research, 2014, 845:779-785. [2] Miki M, Nagano M, Yoshimi M, Yonemoto H, Yoshida K. Intelligent lighting system with an additional energy-saving mechanism. In IEEE International Conference on Systems,. Man, and Cybernetics, 2012, pp.

25 CFR 700.723 - Control of livestock disease and parasites.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Control of livestock disease and parasites. 700.723... RELOCATION PROCEDURES New Lands Grazing § 700.723 Control of livestock disease and parasites. Whenever livestock within the New Lands become infected with contagious or infectious disease or parasites or have...

Experimental study on modelling and control of lighting components in a test-cell building

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yahiaoui, Azzedine

2018-01-01

The perfect control of shading devices, particularly venetian blinds can significantly improve the rational use of daylight in buildings and provide enhanced visual comfort for occupants while saving the electricity that would be used for artificial lighting. This study proposes a control strategy

Tuning the white light spectrum of light emitting diode lamps to reduce attraction of nocturnal arthropods.

Science.gov (United States)

Longcore, Travis; Aldern, Hannah L; Eggers, John F; Flores, Steve; Franco, Lesly; Hirshfield-Yamanishi, Eric; Petrinec, Laina N; Yan, Wilson A; Barroso, André M

2015-05-05

Artificial lighting allows humans to be active at night, but has many unintended consequences, including interference with ecological processes, disruption of circadian rhythms and increased exposure to insect vectors of diseases. Although ultraviolet and blue light are usually most attractive to arthropods, degree of attraction varies among orders. With a focus on future indoor lighting applications, we manipulated the spectrum of white lamps to investigate the influence of spectral composition on number of arthropods attracted. We compared numbers of arthropods captured at three customizable light-emitting diode (LED) lamps (3510, 2704 and 2728 K), two commercial LED lamps (2700 K), two commercial compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs; 2700 K) and a control. We configured the three custom LEDs to minimize invertebrate attraction based on published attraction curves for honeybees and moths. Lamps were placed with pan traps at an urban and two rural study sites in Los Angeles, California. For all invertebrate orders combined, our custom LED configurations were less attractive than the commercial LED lamps or CFLs of similar colour temperatures. Thus, adjusting spectral composition of white light to minimize attracting nocturnal arthropods is feasible; not all lights with the same colour temperature are equally attractive to arthropods. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Controlling Urban Lighting by Human Motion Patterns results from a full Scale Experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Esben Skouboe; Andersen, Hans Jørgen; Jensen, Ole B.

2012-01-01

This paper presents a full-scale experiment investigating the use of human motion intensities as input for interactive illumination of a town square in the city of Aalborg in Denmark. As illuminators sixteen 3.5 meter high RGB LED lamps were used. The activity on the square was monitored by three...... thermal cameras and analysed by computer vision software from which motion intensity maps and peoples trajectories were estimated and used as input to control the interactive illumination. The paper introduces a 2-layered interactive light strategy addressing ambient and effect illumination criteria...... totally four light scenarios were designed and tested. The result shows that in general people immersed in the street lighting did not notice that the light changed according to their presence or actions, but people watching from the edge of the square noticed the interaction between the illumination...

Impact and cost-effectiveness of snail control to achieve disease control targets for schistosomiasis

OpenAIRE

Lo, Nathan C.; Gurarie, David; Yoon, Nara; Coulibaly, Jean T.; Bendavid, Eran; Andrews, Jason R.; King, Charles H.

2018-01-01

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that affects over 240 million people globally. To improve population-level disease control, there is growing interest in adding chemical-based snail control interventions to interrupt the lifecycle of Schistosoma in its snail host to reduce parasite transmission. However, this approach is not widely implemented, and given environmental concerns, the optimal conditions for when snail control is appropriate are unclear. We assessed the potential impact and...

Human-centered sensor-based Bayesian control: Increased energy efficiency and user satisfaction in commercial lighting

Science.gov (United States)

Granderson, Jessica Ann

2007-12-01

The need for sustainable, efficient energy systems is the motivation that drove this research, which targeted the design of an intelligent commercial lighting system. Lighting in commercial buildings consumes approximately 13% of all the electricity generated in the US. Advanced lighting controls1 intended for use in commercial office spaces have proven to save up to 45% in electricity consumption. However, they currently comprise only a fraction of the market share, resulting in a missed opportunity to conserve energy. The research goals driving this dissertation relate directly to barriers hindering widespread adoption---increase user satisfaction, and provide increased energy savings through more sophisticated control. To satisfy these goals an influence diagram was developed to perform daylighting actuation. This algorithm was designed to balance the potentially conflicting lighting preferences of building occupants, with the efficiency desires of building facilities management. A supervisory control policy was designed to implement load shedding under a demand response tariff. Such tariffs offer incentives for customers to reduce their consumption during periods of peak demand, trough price reductions. In developing the value function occupant user testing was conducted to determine that computer and paper tasks require different illuminance levels, and that user preferences are sufficiently consistent to attain statistical significance. Approximately ten facilities managers were also interviewed and surveyed to isolate their lighting preferences with respect to measures of lighting quality and energy savings. Results from both simulation and physical implementation and user testing indicate that the intelligent controller can increase occupant satisfaction, efficiency, cost savings, and management satisfaction, with respect to existing commercial daylighting systems. Several important contributions were realized by satisfying the research goals. A general

Lighting energy savings potential of split-pane electrochromic windows controlled for daylighting with visual comfort

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Software, Anyhere; Fernandes, Luis; Lee, Eleanor; Ward, Greg

2013-03-15

A simulation study was conducted to evaluate lighting energy savings of split-pane electrochromic (EC) windows controlled to satisfy key visual comfort parameters. Using the Radiance lighting simulation software, interior illuminance and luminance levels were computed for a south-facing private office illuminated by a window split into two independently-controlled EC panes. The transmittance of these was optimized hourly for a workplane illuminance target while meeting visual comfort constraints, using a least-squares algorithm with linear inequality constraints. Blinds were successively deployed until visual comfort criteria were satisfied. The energy performance of electrochromics proved to be highly dependent on how blinds were controlled. With hourly blind position adjustments, electrochromics showed significantly higher (62percent and 53percent, respectively without and with overhang) lighting energy consumption than clear glass. With a control algorithm designed to better approximate realistic manual control by an occupant, electrochromics achieved significant savings (48percent and 37percent, respectively without and with overhang). In all cases, energy consumption decreased when the workplace illuminance target was increased. In addition, the fraction of time during which the occupant had an unobstructed view of the outside was significantly greater with electrochromics: 10 months out of the year versus a handful of days for the reference case.

Control of human parasitic diseases: Context and overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Molyneux, David H

2006-01-01

The control of parasitic diseases of humans has been undertaken since the aetiology and natural history of the infections was recognized and the deleterious effects on human health and well-being appreciated by policy makers, medical practitioners and public health specialists. However, while some parasitic infections such as malaria have proved difficult to control, as defined by a sustained reduction in incidence, others, particularly helminth infections can be effectively controlled. The different approaches to control from diagnosis, to treatment and cure of the clinically sick patient, to control the transmission within the community by preventative chemotherapy and vector control are outlined. The concepts of eradication, elimination and control are defined and examples of success summarized. Overviews of the health policy and financing environment in which programmes to control or eliminate parasitic diseases are positioned and the development of public-private partnerships as vehicles for product development or access to drugs for parasite disease control are discussed. Failure to sustain control of parasites may be due to development of drug resistance or the failure to implement proven strategies as a result of decreased resources within the health system, decentralization of health management through health-sector reform and the lack of financial and human resources in settings where per capita government expenditure on health may be less than $US 5 per year. However, success has been achieved in several large-scale programmes through sustained national government investment and/or committed donor support. It is also widely accepted that the level of investment in drug development for the parasitic diseases of poor populations is an unattractive option for pharmaceutical companies. The development of partnerships to specifically address this need provides some hope that the intractable problems of the treatment regimens for the trypanosomiases and

A Paratransgenic Strategy for the Control of Chagas Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivy Hurwitz

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Chagas disease results from infection with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. This disease remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in central and south America. Chagas disease now exists and is detected worldwide because of human migration. Control of Chagas disease has relied mainly on vector eradication however, the development of insect resistance to pesticides, coupled with cost and adverse health effects of insecticide treatments, has prompted our group to investigate novel methods of transmission control. Our laboratory has been instrumental in the development of the paratransgenic strategy to control vectorial transmission of T. cruzi. In this paper, we discuss various components of the paratransgenic approach. Specifically, we describe classes of molecules that can serve as effectors, including antimicrobial peptides, endoglucanases, and highly specific single chain antibodies that target surface glycoprotein tags on the surface of T. cruzi. Furthermore, we address evolving concepts related to field dispersal of engineered bacteria as part of the paratransgenic control strategy and attendant risk assessment evaluation.

Biological control of banana black Sigatoka disease with Trichoderma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poholl Adan Sagratzki Cavero

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Black Sigatoka disease caused by Mycosphaerella fijiensis is the most severe banana disease worldwide. The pathogen is in an invasive phase in Brazil and is already present in most States of the country. The potential of 29 isolates of Trichoderma spp. was studied for the control of black Sigatoka disease under field conditions. Four isolates were able to significantly reduce disease severity and were further tested in a second field experiment. Isolate 2.047 showed the best results in both field experiments and was selected for fungicide sensitivity tests and mass production. This isolate was identified as Trichoderma atroviride by sequencing fragments of the ITS region of the rDNA and tef-1α of the RNA polymerase. Trichoderma atroviride was as effective as the fungicide Azoxystrobin, which is recommended for controlling black Sigatoka. This biocontrol agent has potential to control the disease and may be scaled-up for field applications on rice-based solid fermentation

Dutch elm disease control: performance and costs

Science.gov (United States)

William N., Jr. Cannon; David P. Worley

1980-01-01

Municipal programs to suppress Dutch elm disease have had highly variable results. Performance as measured by tree mortality was unrelated to control strategies. Costs for control programs were 37 to 76 percent less than costs without control programs in the 15-year time-span of the study. Only those municipalities that conducted a high-performance program could be...

How light, temperature, and measurement and growth [CO2] interactively control isoprene emission in hybrid aspen.

Science.gov (United States)

Niinemets, Ülo; Sun, Zhihong

2015-02-01

Plant isoprene emissions have been modelled assuming independent controls by light, temperature and atmospheric [CO2]. However, the isoprene emission rate is ultimately controlled by the pool size of its immediate substrate, dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMADP), and isoprene synthase activity, implying that the environmental controls might interact. In addition, acclimation to growth [CO2] can shift the share of the control by DMADP pool size and isoprene synthase activity, and thereby alter the environmental sensitivity. Environmental controls of isoprene emission were studied in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × Populus tremuloides) saplings acclimated either to ambient [CO2] of 380 μmol mol(-1) or elevated [CO2] of 780 μmol mol(-1). The data demonstrated strong interactive effects of environmental drivers and growth [CO2] on isoprene emissions. Light enhancement of isoprene emission was the greatest at intermediate temperatures and was greater in elevated-[CO2]-grown plants, indicating greater enhancement of the DMADP supply. The optimum temperature for isoprene emission was higher at lower light, suggesting activation of alternative DMADP sinks at higher light. In addition, [CO2] inhibition of isoprene emission was lost at a higher temperature with particularly strong effects in elevated-[CO2]-grown plants. Nevertheless, DMADP pool size was still predicted to more strongly control isoprene emission at higher temperatures in elevated-[CO2]-grown plants. We argue that interactive environmental controls and acclimation to growth [CO2] should be incorporated in future isoprene emission models at the level of DMADP pool size. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Discrete events simulation of a route with traffic lights through automated control in real time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo César Teixeira Baptista

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the integration and communication in real-time of a discrete event simulation model with an automatic control system. The simulation model of an intersection with roads having traffic lights was built in the Arena environment. The integration and communication have been made via network, and the control system was operated by a programmable logic controller. Scenarios were simulated for the free, regular and congested traffic situations. The results showed the average number of vehicles that entered in the system and that were retained and also the total average time of the crossing of the vehicles on the road. In general, the model allowed evaluating the behavior of the traffic in each of the ways and the commands from the controller to activation and deactivation of the traffic lights.

The effect of light touch on balance control during overground walking in healthy young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Oates, A R; Unger, J; Arnold, C M; Fung, J; Lanovaz, J L

2017-12-01

Balance control is essential for safe walking. Adding haptic input through light touch may improve walking balance; however, evidence is limited. This research investigated the effect of added haptic input through light touch in healthy young adults during challenging walking conditions. Sixteen individuals walked normally, in tandem, and on a compliant, low-lying balance beam with and without light touch on a railing. Three-dimensional kinematic data were captured to compute stride velocity (m/s), relative time spent in double support (%DS), a medial-lateral margin of stability (MOS ML ) and its variance (MOS ML CV), as well as a symmetry index (SI) for the MOS ML . Muscle activity was evaluated by integrating electromyography signals for the soleus, tibialis anterior, and gluteus medius muscles bilaterally. Adding haptic input decreased stride velocity, increased the %DS, had no effect on the MOS ML magnitude, decreased the MOS ML CV, had no effect on the SI, and increased activity of most muscles examined during normal walking. During tandem walking, stride velocity and the MOS ML CV decreased, while %DS, MOS ML magnitude, SI, and muscle activity did not change with light touch. When walking on a low-lying, compliant balance beam, light touch had no effect on walking velocity, MOS ML magnitude, or muscle activity; however, the %DS increased and the MOS ML CV and SI decreased when lightly touching a railing while walking on the balance beam. The decreases in the MOS ML CV with light touch across all walking conditions suggest that adding haptic input through light touch on a railing may improve balance control during walking through reduced variability.

Toxoplasma gondii exposure and Parkinson's disease: a case–control study

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Méndez-Hernández, Edna Madai; Salas-Pacheco, José Manuel; Ruano-Calderón, Luis Ángel; Hernández-Tinoco, Jesús; Arias-Carrión, Oscar; Sánchez-Anguiano, Luis Francisco; Castellanos-Juárez, Francisco Xavier; Sandoval-Carrillo, Ada Agustina; Liesenfeld, Oliver; Ramos-Nevárez, Agar

2017-01-01

Objectives To determine the association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and Parkinson's disease and to investigate whether T. gondii seropositivity is associated with the general characteristics of patients with Parkinson's disease. Design Case–control study. Setting Cases and controls were enrolled in Durango City, Mexico. Participants 65 patients with Parkinson's disease and 195 age- and gender-matched control subjects without Parkinson's disease. Primary and secondary outcome measures Serum samples of participants were analysed for anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies by commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassays. Prevalence of T. gondii DNA was determined in seropositive subjects using PCR. The association between clinical data and infection was examined by bivariate analysis. Results Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in 6/65 cases (9.2%) and in 21/195 controls (10.8%) (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.32 to 2.18; p=0.81). The frequency of high (>150 IU/mL) antibody levels was similar among cases and controls (p=0.34). None of the anti-T. gondii IgG positive cases and four of the anti-T. gondii IgG positive controls had anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies (p=0.54). The prevalence of T. gondii DNA was comparable in seropositive cases and controls (16.7% and 25%, respectively; p=1.0). Seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was associated with a young age onset of disease (p=0.03), high Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale scores (p=0.04) and depression (p=0.02). Seropositivity to T. gondii infection was lower in patients treated with pramipexole than in patients without this treatment (p=0.01). However, none of the associations remained significant after Bonferroni correction. Conclusions The results do not support an association between T. gondii infection and Parkinson's disease. However, T. gondii infection might have an influence on certain symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Further research to elucidate the role of T. gondii exposure on Parkinson's disease

Health locus of control in patients with graves-basedow disease and hashimoto disease and their acceptance of illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Basinska, Malgorzata Anna; Andruszkiewicz, Anna

2012-01-01

Adaptation to a chronic somatic disease depends on a variety of factors, including belief in health locus of control. Correlation between health locus of control and illness acceptance in patients with Graves-Basedow and Hashimoto diseases as well as correlation between health locus of control, illness acceptance, sex, and age. THREE METHODS WERE APPLIED: Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale by K.A. Wallston, B.S. Wallston and R. DeVellis; the Acceptance of Illness Scale by B.J. Felton, T.A. Revenson, and G.A. Hinrichsena; and a personal questionnaire. Two groups were subject to the research: 68 patients with Graves-Basedow disease and 54 patients with Hashimoto disease. Patients with Graves-Basedow disease, women above all, have their health locus of control in other persons (P = 0,001) and are less inclined to accept their illness (P = 0,005) when compared to patients with Hashimoto disease. A statistically significant correlation occurred between the age of patients and external (i.e., in other persons) health locus of control. Beliefs in health locus of control and type of illness in female patient group are predictors of illness acceptance (P = 0,0009).

Electrical - light current remote monitoring, control and automation. [Coal mine, United Kingdom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collingwood, C H

1981-06-01

A brief discussion is given of the application of control monitoring and automation techniques to coal mining in the United Kingdom, especially of the use of microprocessors, for the purpose of enhancing safety and productivity. Lighting systems for the coal mine is similarly discussed.

Day-light-controlled artificial lighting a potential energy saver": right interior light by sky luninance trracking

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rutten, A.J.F.; Mills, Evan

1991-01-01

The energy consumption in office buildings can considerably be cut, if daylight is used as task lighting. A conservative estimate - starting from existing knowledge and calculation methods - gives a potential saving of 460 GWh a year or 46 % of the electricity costs for artificial lighting in Dutch

Dual task and postural control in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larissa Pires de Andrade

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Patients with neurodegenerative diseases are required to use cognitive resources while maintaining postural control. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a frontal cognitive task on postural control in patients with Alzheimer, Parkinson and controls. Thirty-eight participants were instructed to stand upright on a force platform in two experimental conditions: single and dual task. Participants with Parkinson's disease presented an increase in the coefficient of variation greater than 100% in the dual task as compared to the single task for center of pressure (COP area and COP path. In addition, patients with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease had a higher number of errors during the execution of the cognitive task when compared to the group of elderly without neurodegenerative diseases. The motor cortex, which is engaged in postural control, does not seem to compete with frontal brain regions in the performance of the cognitive task. However, patients with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease presented worsened performance in cognitive task.

Control and eradication of endemic infectious diseases in cattle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Houe, Hans; Nielsen, Liza Rosenbaum; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose

"Control and eradication of endemic infectious diseases in cattle" provides the key elements that should be addressed in the establishment of bovine disease control and eradication programmes. The book aims to reach a broad group of readers, including: students; professionals in veterinary practice...... "disease profiling", which is governed by the characteristics of the agent and its interaction with the host and environment. This profile, along with due consideration of the socioeconomic circumstances, can be used to determine how best to address the problem....

Premorbid Personality Characteristics in Alzheimer’s Disease: An Exploratory Case–Control Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Malinchoc

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Linking data from a case–control study of Alzheimer’s disease with data from a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI outpatient study, we identified 13 Alzheimer's disease cases and 16 controls for case–control comparison. The mean time between personality testing and onset of Alzheimer's disease (or corresponding age for controls was 13 years in cases and 14 years in controls. Alzheimer's disease cases, but not the controls, had scores significantly greater than the normative reference on MMPI scales measuring Social Introversion (p = 0.05, and Pessimism (p = 0.01. When compared to controls, Alzheimer's disease cases had significantly greater scores on the Social Introversion scale (p = 0.03. Despite the small sample size and some design limitations of this exploratory study, our findings may suggest that subjects who score higher on these personality scales have a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Management of pelvic inflammatory disease by primary care physicians. A comparison with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Hessol, N A; Priddy, F H; Bolan, G; Baumrind, N; Vittinghoff, E; Reingold, A L; Padian, N S

1996-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published recommendations for clinicians on the management of pelvic inflammatory disease, but it is unknown if providers are aware of the guidelines or follow them. To compare pelvic inflammatory disease screening, diagnosis, treatment, and reporting practices among primary care physicians with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for pelvic inflammatory disease. A weighted random sample of California primary care physicians surveyed in November 1992 and January 1993. Of the 1,165 physicians surveyed, 553 (48%) returned completed questionnaires. Among respondents, 302 (55%) reported having treated a case of pelvic inflammatory disease during the last 12 months, and of these, 52% answered that they were unsure of or do not follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for pelvic inflammatory disease. Pediatricians and those with more years since residency were less likely to deviate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for pelvic inflammatory disease, and family practitioners were more likely to deviate from the guidelines. Pelvic inflammatory disease is commonly encountered by primary care physicians in California. Training and experience were important predictors of compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations; however, substantial divergence from the guidelines occurs.

Foodborne disease control: a transnational challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Käferstein, F K; Motarjemi, Y; Bettcher, D W

1997-01-01

In the globalized political economy of the late 20th century, increasing social, political, and economic interdependence is occurring as a result of the rapid movement of people, images, values, and financial transactions across national borders. Another consequence of the increase in transnational trade, travel, and migration is the greater risk of cross-border transmission of infectious diseases. As the world becomes more interconnected, diseases spread more rapidly and effectively. With more than one million people crossing international borders every day, and with the globalization of food production, manufacturing, and marketing, the risk of infectious disease transmission is greater. Economic globalization has also increased the need for governmental budget austerity, and consequent national preparedness has been eroded. The emergence of new infectious diseases, as well as the reemergence of old ones, thus represents a crucial transnational policy issue. These problems cannot be resolved by national governments alone; they require international cooperation. This article analyzes the role of foodborne disease surveillance programs, nationally and internationally, in the control of foodborne diseases.

Cost-Effective Control of Infectious Disease Outbreaks Accounting for Societal Reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Fast, Shannon M; González, Marta C; Markuzon, Natasha

2015-01-01

Studies of cost-effective disease prevention have typically focused on the tradeoff between the cost of disease transmission and the cost of applying control measures. We present a novel approach that also accounts for the cost of social disruptions resulting from the spread of disease. These disruptions, which we call social response, can include heightened anxiety, strain on healthcare infrastructure, economic losses, or violence. The spread of disease and social response are simulated under several different intervention strategies. The modeled social response depends upon the perceived risk of the disease, the extent of disease spread, and the media involvement. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we estimate the total number of infections and total social response for each strategy. We then identify the strategy that minimizes the expected total cost of the disease, which includes the cost of the disease itself, the cost of control measures, and the cost of social response. The model-based simulations suggest that the least-cost disease control strategy depends upon the perceived risk of the disease, as well as media intervention. The most cost-effective solution for diseases with low perceived risk was to implement moderate control measures. For diseases with higher perceived severity, such as SARS or Ebola, the most cost-effective strategy shifted toward intervening earlier in the outbreak, with greater resources. When intervention elicited increased media involvement, it remained important to control high severity diseases quickly. For moderate severity diseases, however, it became most cost-effective to implement no intervention and allow the disease to run its course. Our simulation results imply that, when diseases are perceived as severe, the costs of social response have a significant influence on selecting the most cost-effective strategy.

Cost-Effective Control of Infectious Disease Outbreaks Accounting for Societal Reaction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shannon M Fast

Full Text Available Studies of cost-effective disease prevention have typically focused on the tradeoff between the cost of disease transmission and the cost of applying control measures. We present a novel approach that also accounts for the cost of social disruptions resulting from the spread of disease. These disruptions, which we call social response, can include heightened anxiety, strain on healthcare infrastructure, economic losses, or violence.The spread of disease and social response are simulated under several different intervention strategies. The modeled social response depends upon the perceived risk of the disease, the extent of disease spread, and the media involvement. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we estimate the total number of infections and total social response for each strategy. We then identify the strategy that minimizes the expected total cost of the disease, which includes the cost of the disease itself, the cost of control measures, and the cost of social response.The model-based simulations suggest that the least-cost disease control strategy depends upon the perceived risk of the disease, as well as media intervention. The most cost-effective solution for diseases with low perceived risk was to implement moderate control measures. For diseases with higher perceived severity, such as SARS or Ebola, the most cost-effective strategy shifted toward intervening earlier in the outbreak, with greater resources. When intervention elicited increased media involvement, it remained important to control high severity diseases quickly. For moderate severity diseases, however, it became most cost-effective to implement no intervention and allow the disease to run its course. Our simulation results imply that, when diseases are perceived as severe, the costs of social response have a significant influence on selecting the most cost-effective strategy.

One world health: socioeconomic burden and parasitic disease control priorities.

Science.gov (United States)

Torgerson, Paul R

2013-08-01

Parasitic diseases present a considerable socio-economic impact to society. Zoonotic parasites can result in a considerable burden of disease in people and substantive economic losses to livestock populations. Ameliorating the effects of these diseases may consist of attempts at eradicating specific diseases at a global level, eliminating them at a national or local level or controlling them to minimise incidence. Alternatively with some parasitic zoonoses it may only be possible to treat human and animal cases as they arise. The choice of approach will be determined by the potential effectiveness of a disease control programme, its cost and the cost effectiveness or cost benefit of undertaking the intervention. Furthermore human disease burden is being increasingly measured by egalitarian non-financial measures which are difficult to apply to livestock. This adds additional challenges to the assessment of socio-economic burdens of zoonotic diseases. Using examples from the group of neglected zoonotic diseases, information regarding the socio-economic effects is reviewed together with how this information is used in decision making with regard to disease control and treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extreme control of light in metamaterials: Complete and loss-free stopping of light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsakmakidis, Kosmas L.; Hess, Ortwin

2012-01-01

We present an overview of recent advances within the field of slow- and stopped-light in metamaterial and plasmonic waveguides. We start by elucidating the mechanisms by which these configurations can enable complete stopping of light. Decoherence mechanisms may destroy the zero-group-velocity condition for real-frequency/complex-wavevector modes, but we show that metamaterial and nanoplasmonic waveguides also support complex-frequency/real-wavevector modes that uphold the light-stopping condition. A further point of focus is how, by using gain, dissipative losses can be overcome in the slow- and stopped-light regimes. To this end, on the basis of full-wave finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations and analytic transfer-matrix calculations, we show that the incorporation of thin layers made of an active medium, placed adjacently to the core layer of a negative-refractive-index waveguide, can fully remove dissipative losses - in a slow- or stopped-light regime where the effective index of the guided lightwave remains negative.

Advanced and controlled drug delivery systems in clinical disease management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwers, JRBJ

1996-01-01

Advanced and controlled drug delivery systems are important for clinical disease management. In this review the most important new systems which have reached clinical application are highlighted. Microbiologically controlled drug delivery is important for gastrointestinal diseases like ulcerative

Impulse control disorders and depression in Finnish patients with Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Joutsa, Juho; Martikainen, Kirsti; Vahlberg, Tero; Voon, Valerie; Kaasinen, Valtteri

2012-02-01

Impulse control disorders occur frequently in patients with Parkinson's disease. However, the frequencies have been investigated mainly in patients from secondary or tertiary care centers, and thus, the prevalence rates in general community are not known. Our objective was to study the prevalence rates of impulse control disorders and related factors in a large, non-selected sample of Parkinson's disease patients. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among Parkinson's disease patients from Finnish Parkinson Association [n = 575; 365 men, 240 women, median age 64 (range 43-90) years]. Problem and pathological gambling were estimated with the South Oaks Gambling Screen, risk for impulse control disorders with the validated Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease, and depression with the Beck Depression Inventory. The frequency of pathological gambling was 7.0%. The overall frequency of a positive screen for an impulse control disorder was 34.8%, and 12.5% of the patients screened positive for multiple disorders. Depressive symptoms were statistically the most important factor in explaining variance in impulse control disorder risk, even more than sex, age, age of disease onset, alcohol use, or medication. The high proportion of patients screened positive for impulse control disorders in a non-selected sample emphasize the importance of routine screening of these disorders in Parkinson's disease. Pathological gambling prevalence in Parkinson's disease is seven times higher than in the general population in Finland. The results underline the importance of depression in impulse control disorders associated with Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Light and architecture. Daylight - artificial light - energy; Licht und Architektur. Tageslicht - Kunstlicht - Energie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wambsganss, M. (ed.) [ip5 ingenieurpartnerschaft, Karlsruhe (Germany)]|[Fachhochschule Rosenheim (Germany)

2007-07-01

The symposium intends to provide scientific and technical fundamentals for room lighting with daylight. Daylight deflection systems and artificial light control systems were analyzed for this purpose, and a catalogue of criteria was established. Planners were given tools for projecting daylight control systems. Builder-owners received the fundamentals for economic assessment of combined daylight and artificial light illumination systems, while industrial producers obtained information for further development to maturity and for marketing of daylight-dependent artificial light control systems. (GL)

Glass-based confined structures enabling light control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiappini, Andrea; Normani, Simone; Chiasera, Alessandro [IFN–CNR CSMFO Lab., and FBK Photonics Unit via alla Cascata 56/C Povo, 38123 Trento (Italy); Lukowiak, Anna [Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research PAS, Okolna St. 2, 50-422 Wroclaw (Poland); Vasilchenko, Iustyna [IFN–CNR CSMFO Lab., and FBK Photonics Unit via alla Cascata 56/C Povo, 38123 Trento (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trento, via Sommarive 14 Povo, 38123Trento (Italy); Ristic, Davor [Institut Ruđer Bošković, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb (Croatia); Boulard, Brigitte [IMMM, CNRS Equipe Fluorures, Université du Maine, Av. Messiaen, 72085 Le Mans cedex 9 (France); Dorosz, Dominik [Department of Power Engineering, Photonics and Lighting Technology, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska Street 45D, 15-351 Bialystok (Poland); Scotognella, Francesco [Center for Nano Science and Technology@PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Giovanni Pascoli, 70/3, 20133, Milan (Italy); Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Fisica and Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie CNR, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy); Vaccari, Alessandro [FBK -CMM, ARES Unit, 38123 Trento (Italy); Taccheo, Stefano [College of Engineering, Swansea University, Singleton Park, SA2 8PP, Swansea (United Kingdom); Pelli, Stefano; Righini, Giancarlo C. [IFAC - CNR, MiPLab., 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro di Studi e Ricerche “Enrico Fermi”, Piazza del Viminale 1, 00184 Roma (Italy); Conti, Gualtiero Nunzi [IFAC - CNR, MiPLab., 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Ramponi, Roberta [Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Fisica and Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie CNR, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy); and others

2015-04-24

When a luminescent ion is confined in a system characterized by one or more specific properties such as spatial size, geometrical dimension and shape, refractive index, local crystal field, cut-off vibrational energy and so on, it's possible to control its emission. The control of branching ratios as a function of the composition, the luminescence enhancement induced by a photonic crystal, or the laser action in a microresonator, are well known examples of light control. Photonic glass-based structures are extremely viable systems to exploit the above mentioned properties and in our research team we have successfully fabricated luminescent photonic structures by different techniques, including sol-gel, rf sputtering, drawing, melting, and physical vapour deposition. Here we will discuss some of them with the aim to make the reader aware of the chemical-physical properties related to each specific system. We will demonstrate that glass ceramic waveguides in some cases present superior spectroscopic properties in respect to the parent glass, that compositional properties can play a positive role in reducing luminescence quenching and in developing novel planar waveguides and fibers, that colloids allow to obtain high internal quantum efficiency and that photonic crystals, microcavities and microresonators can enable the handling of the rare earth luminescence. Finally, the pros and cons of the systems and of the different techniques employed for their fabrication will be discussed and some perspectives concerning the glass photonics will be proposed looking at both possible applications and investigation of physical properties.

Glass-based confined structures enabling light control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiappini, Andrea; Normani, Simone; Chiasera, Alessandro; Lukowiak, Anna; Vasilchenko, Iustyna; Ristic, Davor; Boulard, Brigitte; Dorosz, Dominik; Scotognella, Francesco; Vaccari, Alessandro; Taccheo, Stefano; Pelli, Stefano; Righini, Giancarlo C.; Conti, Gualtiero Nunzi; Ramponi, Roberta

2015-01-01

When a luminescent ion is confined in a system characterized by one or more specific properties such as spatial size, geometrical dimension and shape, refractive index, local crystal field, cut-off vibrational energy and so on, it's possible to control its emission. The control of branching ratios as a function of the composition, the luminescence enhancement induced by a photonic crystal, or the laser action in a microresonator, are well known examples of light control. Photonic glass-based structures are extremely viable systems to exploit the above mentioned properties and in our research team we have successfully fabricated luminescent photonic structures by different techniques, including sol-gel, rf sputtering, drawing, melting, and physical vapour deposition. Here we will discuss some of them with the aim to make the reader aware of the chemical-physical properties related to each specific system. We will demonstrate that glass ceramic waveguides in some cases present superior spectroscopic properties in respect to the parent glass, that compositional properties can play a positive role in reducing luminescence quenching and in developing novel planar waveguides and fibers, that colloids allow to obtain high internal quantum efficiency and that photonic crystals, microcavities and microresonators can enable the handling of the rare earth luminescence. Finally, the pros and cons of the systems and of the different techniques employed for their fabrication will be discussed and some perspectives concerning the glass photonics will be proposed looking at both possible applications and investigation of physical properties

Dopamine agonists and risk: impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Voon, Valerie; Gao, Jennifer; Brezing, Christina; Symmonds, Mkael; Ekanayake, Vindhya; Fernandez, Hubert; Dolan, Raymond J; Hallett, Mark

2011-05-01

Impulse control disorders are common in Parkinson's disease, occurring in 13.6% of patients. Using a pharmacological manipulation and a novel risk taking task while performing functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated the relationship between dopamine agonists and risk taking in patients with Parkinson's disease with and without impulse control disorders. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, subjects chose between two choices of equal expected value: a 'Sure' choice and a 'Gamble' choice of moderate risk. To commence each trial, in the 'Gain' condition, individuals started at $0 and in the 'Loss' condition individuals started at -$50 below the 'Sure' amount. The difference between the maximum and minimum outcomes from each gamble (i.e. range) was used as an index of risk ('Gamble Risk'). Sixteen healthy volunteers were behaviourally tested. Fourteen impulse control disorder (problem gambling or compulsive shopping) and 14 matched Parkinson's disease controls were tested ON and OFF dopamine agonists. Patients with impulse control disorder made more risky choices in the 'Gain' relative to the 'Loss' condition along with decreased orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate activity, with the opposite observed in Parkinson's disease controls. In patients with impulse control disorder, dopamine agonists were associated with enhanced sensitivity to risk along with decreased ventral striatal activity again with the opposite in Parkinson's disease controls. Patients with impulse control disorder appear to have a bias towards risky choices independent of the effect of loss aversion. Dopamine agonists enhance sensitivity to risk in patients with impulse control disorder possibly by impairing risk evaluation in the striatum. Our results provide a potential explanation of why dopamine agonists may lead to an unconscious bias towards risk in susceptible individuals.

75 FR 27797 - Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-18

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP): Prevention of Suicidal Behavior..., discussion, and evaluation of applications received in response to ``Prevention of Suicidal Behavior through...

Synchronization in chains of light-controlled oscillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avila, G M RamIrez; Guisset, J L; Deneubourg, J L

2005-01-01

Using light-controlled oscillators (LCOs) and a mathematical model of them introduced in [1], we have analyzed a population of LCOs arranged in chains with nonperiodic (linear configuration) and periodic (ring configuration) boundary conditions in which we have solved numerically the corresponding equations for a broad interval of coupling strength values and for chains between 2 and 25 LCOs. We have considered three different situations, viz. identical LCOs, identical LCOs with simplifications (LCOs considered as integrate-and-fire (IF) oscillators), and finally nonidentical LCOs. We study synchronization under two criteria: the first takes into account the simultaneity of flashing events (phase difference criterion), and the second considers period-locking as a criterion for synchronization. For each case, we have identified regions of synchronization in the plane coupling strength versus number of oscillators. We observe different behaviors depending on the values of these variables

Light Beam Generation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2007-01-01

The invention relates to a method and a system for synthesizing a set of controllable light beams by provision of a system for synthesizing a set of light beams, comprising a spatially modulated light source for generation of electromagnetic radiation with a set of replicas of a predetermined......(x-xs, y-ys), a Fourier transforming lens for Fourier transforming the electromagnetic radiation, a first spatial light modulator for phase shifting the Fourier transformed electromagnetic radiation with the phase -F(u, v) of S*, S* is the complex conjugate of the Fourier transformed symbol s, a Fourier...... transforming lens for Inverse Fourier transforming the spatially modulated radiation, whereby a set of light beams are formed propagating through the inverse Fourier plane (x', y') at desired positions (x's, y's), and a controller for controlling the position of a replica of the symbol, s, for movement...

Concepts Concerning 'Disease\\' Causation, Control, and the current ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

There is an ethical necessity that doctors understand the complex social, political, environmental and economic dynamics involved in infectious disease outbreaks. This article discusses some important concepts concerning 'disease' causation and control with specific reference to the current cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe ...

[The control of infectious diseases in The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steenbergen, J.E. van; Timen, A.

2005-01-01

Municipal health services (MHSs) carry out the control and prevention of communicable diseases, under the authority of the municipal councils. Mayors have the authority to enforce measures aimed at individuals, such as isolation and quarantine. The mandatory notification of infectious diseases by

Wake and light therapy for moderate-to-severe depression - a randomized controlled trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kragh, M; Martiny, K; Videbech, P

2017-01-01

Objective: To examine the efficacy of using wake and light therapy as a supplement to standard treatment of hospitalized patients with depression. Method: In this randomized, controlled study, 64 patients with moderate-to-severe depression were allocated to standard treatment or to the intervention......, which additionally consisted of three wake therapy sessions in one week, 30-min daily light treatment and sleep time stabilization over the entire nine-week study period. Results: Patients in the wake therapy group had a significant decrease in depressive symptoms in week one as measured by HAM-D17, 17...

Modelling and control of a light-duty hybrid electric truck

OpenAIRE

Park, Jong-Kyu

2006-01-01

This study is concentrated on modelling and developing the controller for the light-duty hybrid electric truck. The hybrid electric vehicle has advantages in fuel economy. However, there have been relatively few studies on commercial HEVs, whilst a considerable number of studies on the hybrid electric system have been conducted in the field of passenger cars. So the current status and the methodologies to develop the LD hybrid electric truck model have been studied through the ...

Computer numerical control (CNC) lithography: light-motion synchronized UV-LED lithography for 3D microfabrication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jungkwun; Allen, Mark G; Yoon, Yong-Kyu

2016-01-01

This paper presents a computer-numerical-controlled ultraviolet light-emitting diode (CNC UV-LED) lithography scheme for three-dimensional (3D) microfabrication. The CNC lithography scheme utilizes sequential multi-angled UV light exposures along with a synchronized switchable UV light source to create arbitrary 3D light traces, which are transferred into the photosensitive resist. The system comprises a switchable, movable UV-LED array as a light source, a motorized tilt-rotational sample holder, and a computer-control unit. System operation is such that the tilt-rotational sample holder moves in a pre-programmed routine, and the UV-LED is illuminated only at desired positions of the sample holder during the desired time period, enabling the formation of complex 3D microstructures. This facilitates easy fabrication of complex 3D structures, which otherwise would have required multiple manual exposure steps as in the previous multidirectional 3D UV lithography approach. Since it is batch processed, processing time is far less than that of the 3D printing approach at the expense of some reduction in the degree of achievable 3D structure complexity. In order to produce uniform light intensity from the arrayed LED light source, the UV-LED array stage has been kept rotating during exposure. UV-LED 3D fabrication capability was demonstrated through a plurality of complex structures such as V-shaped micropillars, micropanels, a micro-‘hi’ structure, a micro-‘cat’s claw,’ a micro-‘horn,’ a micro-‘calla lily,’ a micro-‘cowboy’s hat,’ and a micro-‘table napkin’ array. (paper)

Evaluation of a nurse-led disease management programme for chronic kidney disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Frances Kam Yuet; Chow, Susan Ka Yee; Chan, Tony Moon Fai

2010-03-01

Patients with end stage renal failure require dialysis and strict adherence to treatment plans to sustain life. However, non-adherence is a common and serious problem among patients with chronic kidney disease. There is a scarcity of studies in examining the effects of disease management programmes on patients with chronic kidney disease. This paper examines whether the study group receiving the disease management programme have better improvement than the control group, comparing outcomes at baseline (O1), at 7 weeks at the completion of the programme (O2) and at 13 weeks (O3). This is a randomized controlled trial. The outcome measures were non-adherence in diet, fluid, dialysis and medication, quality of life, satisfaction, symptom control, complication control and health service utilisation. There was no significant difference between the control and study group for the baseline measures, except for sleep. Significant differences (padherence, sleep, symptom, staff encouragement, overall health and satisfaction. Sustained effects at O3 were noted in the outcome measures of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) non-adherence degree, sleep, symptom, and effect of kidney disease. Many studies exploring chronic disease management have neglected the group with end stage renal failure and this study fills this gap. This study has employed an innovative model of skill mix using specialist and general nurses and demonstrated patient improvement in diet non-adherence, CAPD non-adherence, aspects of quality of life and satisfaction with care. Redesigning chronic disease management programmes helps to optimize the use of different levels of skills and resources to bring about positive outcomes. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Velocity control in Parkinson's disease: a quantitative analysis of isochrony in scribbling movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Viviani, Paolo; Burkhard, Pierre R; Chiuvé, Sabina Catalano; Corradi-Dell'Acqua, Corrado; Vindras, Philippe

2009-04-01

An experiment was conducted to contrast the motor performance of three groups (N = 20) of participants: (1) patients with confirmed Parkinson Disease (PD) diagnose; (2) age-matched controls; (3) young adults. The task consisted of scribbling freely for 10 s within circular frames of different sizes. Comparison among groups focused on the relation between the figural elements of the trace (overall size and trace length) and the velocity of the drawing movements. Results were analysed within the framework of previous work on normal individuals showing that instantaneous velocity of drawing movements depends jointly on trace curvature (Two-thirds Power Law) and trace extent (Isochrony principle). The motor behaviour of PD patients exhibited all classical symptoms of the disease (reduced average velocity, reduced fluency, micrographia). At a coarse level of analysis both isochrony and the dependence of velocity on curvature, which are supposed to reflect cortical mechanisms, were spared in PD patients. Instead, significant differences with respects to the control groups emerged from an in-depth analysis of the velocity control suggesting that patients did not scale average velocity as effectively as controls. We factored out velocity control by distinguishing the influence of the broad context in which movement is planned--i.e. the size of the limiting frames--from the influence of the local context--i.e. the linear extent of the unit of motor action being executed. The balance between the two factors was found to be distinctively different in PD patients and controls. This difference is discussed in the light of current theorizing on the role of cortical and sub-cortical mechanisms in the aetiology of PD. We argue that the results are congruent with the notion that cortical mechanisms are responsible for generating a parametric template of the desired movement and the BG specify the actual spatio-temporal parameters through a multiplicative gain factor acting on both

Biological Control of Plant Disease Caused by Bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Triwidodo Arwiyanto

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Bacterial diseases in plants are difficult to control. The emphasis is on preventing the spread of the bacteria rather than curing the diseased plant. Integrated management measures for bacterial plant pathogens should be applied for successfull control. Biological control is one of the control measures viz. through the use of microorganisms to suppress the growth and development of bacterial plant pathogen and ultimately reduce the possibility of disease onset. The study of biological control of bacterial plant pathogen was just began compared with of fungal plant pathogen. The ecological nature of diverse bacterial plant pathogens has led scientists to apply different approach in the investigation of its biological control. The complex process of entrance to its host plant for certain soil-borne bacterial plant pathogens need special techniques and combination of more than one biological control agent. Problem and progress in controlling bacterial plant pathogens biologically will be discussed in more detail in the paper and some commercial products of biological control agents (biopesticides will be introduced.     Penyakit tumbuhan karena bakteri sulit dikendalikan. Penekanan pengendalian adalah pada pencegahan penyebaran bakteri patogen dan bukan pada penyembuhan tanaman yang sudah sakit. Untuk suksesnya pengendalian bakteri patogen tumbuhan diperlukan cara pengelolaan yang terpadu. Pengendalian secara biologi merupakan salah satu cara pengendalian dengan menggunakan mikroorganisme untuk menekan pertumbuhan dan perkembangan bakteri patogen tumbuhan dengan tujuan akhir menurunkan kemungkinan timbulnya penyakit. Sifat ekologi bakteri patogen tumbuhan yang berbeda-beda mengharuskan pendekatan yang berbeda pula dalam pengendaliannya secara biologi. Masalah dan perkembangan dalam pengendalian bakteri patogen tumbuhan secara biologi didiskusikan secara detail dalam makalah ini.

Inverse Doppler shift and control field as coherence generators for the stability in superluminal light

Science.gov (United States)

Ghafoor, Fazal; Bacha, Bakht Amin; Khan, Salman

2015-05-01

A gain-based four-level atomic medium for the stability in superluminal light propagation using control field and inverse Doppler shift as coherence generators is studied. In regimes of weak and strong control field, a broadband and multiple controllable transparency windows are, respectively, identified with significantly enhanced group indices. The observed Doppler effect for the class of high atomic velocity of the medium is counterintuitive in comparison to the effect of the class of low atomic velocity. The intensity of each of the two pump fields is kept less than the optimum limit reported in [M. D. Stenner and D. J. Gauthier, Phys. Rev. A 67, 063801 (2003), 10.1103/PhysRevA.67.063801] for stability in the superluminal light pulse. Consequently, superluminal stable domains with the generated coherence are explored.

A CDMA system implementation with dimming control for visible light communication

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Danyang; Wang, Jianping; Jin, Jianli; Lu, Huimin; Feng, Lifang

2018-04-01

Visible light communication (VLC), using solid-state lightings to transmit information, has become a complement technology to wireless radio communication. As a realistic multiple access scheme for VLC system, code division multiple access (CDMA) has attracted more and more attentions in recent years. In this paper, we address and implement an improved CDMA scheme for VLC system. The simulation results reveal that the improved CDMA scheme not only supports multi-users' transmission but also maintains dimming value at about 50% and enhances the system efficiency. It can also realize the flexible dimming control by adjusting some parameters of system structure, which rarely affects the system BER performance. A real-time experimental VLC system with improved CDMA scheme is performed based on field programmable gate array (FPGA), reaching a good BER performance.

Sleep Disruption and Daytime Sleepiness Correlating with Disease Severity and Insulin Resistance in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Comparison with Healthy Controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernsmeier, Christine; Weisskopf, Diego M; Pflueger, Marlon O; Mosimann, Jan; Campana, Benedetta; Terracciano, Luigi; Beglinger, Christoph; Heim, Markus H; Cajochen, Christian

2015-01-01

Sleep disturbance is associated with the development of obesity, diabetes and hepatic steatosis in murine models. Hepatic triglyceride accumulation oscillates in a circadian rhythm regulated by clock genes, light-dark cycle and feeding time in mice. The role of the sleep-wake cycle in the pathogenesis of human non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is indeterminate. We sought to detail sleep characteristics, daytime sleepiness and meal times in relation to disease severity in patients with NAFLD. Basic Sleep duration and latency, daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale), Pittsburgh sleep quality index, positive and negative affect scale, Munich Chronotype Questionnaire and an eating habit questionnaire were assessed in 46 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 22 healthy controls, and correlated with biochemical and histological parameters. In NAFLD compared to healthy controls, time to fall asleep was vastly prolonged (26.9 vs. 9.8 min., p = 0.0176) and sleep duration was shortened (6.3 vs. 7.2 hours, p = 0.0149). Sleep quality was poor (Pittsburgh sleep quality index 8.2 vs. 4.7, p = 0.0074) and correlated with changes in affect. Meal frequency was shifted towards night-times (p = 0.001). In NAFLD but not controls, daytime sleepiness significantly correlated with liver enzymes (ALAT [r = 0.44, p = 0.0029], ASAT [r = 0.46, p = 0.0017]) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR [r = 0.5, p = 0.0009]) independent of cirrhosis. In patients with fibrosis, daytime sleepiness correlated with the degree of fibrosis (r = 0.364, p = 0.019). In NAFLD sleep duration was shortened, sleep onset was delayed and sleep quality poor. Food-intake was shifted towards the night. Daytime sleepiness was positively linked to biochemical and histologic surrogates of disease severity. The data may indicate a role for sleep-wake cycle regulation and timing of food-intake in the pathogenesis of human NAFLD as suggested from murine models.

Magnetic light cloaking control in the marine planktonic copepod Sapphirina

Science.gov (United States)

Kashiwagi, H.; Mizukawa, Y.; Iwasaka, M.; Ohtsuka, S.

2017-05-01

We investigated the light cloaking behavior of the marine planktonic copepod Sapphirina under a magnetic field. Optical interferences in the multi-laminated guanine crystal layer beneath the dorsal body surface create a brilliant structural color, which can be almost entirely removed by changing the light reflection. In the investigation, we immersed segments of Sapphirina in seawater contained in an optical chamber. When the derived Sapphirina segments were attached to the container surface, they were inert to magnetic fields up to 300 mT. However, when the back plate segments were attached to the substrate at a point, with most of the plate floating in the seawater, the plate rotated oppositely to the applied magnetic field. In addition, the brilliant parts of the Sapphirina back plate rotated backward and forward by changing the magnetic field directions. Our experiment suggests a new model of an optical micro-electro-mechanical system that is controllable by magnetic fields.

Control of Pierce's Disease by Phage.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayukh Das

Full Text Available Pierce's Disease (PD of grapevines, caused by Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa (Xf, is a limiting factor in the cultivation of grapevines in the US. There are presently no effective control methods to prevent or treat PD. The therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy of a phage cocktail composed of four virulent (lytic phages was evaluated for control of PD. Xf levels in grapevines were significantly reduced in therapeutically or prophylactically treated grapevines. PD symptoms ceased to progress one week post-therapeutic treatment and symptoms were not observed in prophylactically treated grapevines. Cocktail phage levels increased in grapevines in the presence of the host. No in planta phage-resistant Xf isolates were obtained. Moreover, Xf mutants selected for phage resistance in vitro did not cause PD symptoms. Our results indicate that phages have great potential for biocontrol of PD and other economically important diseases caused by Xylella.

Prognostic value of depressed midwall systolic function in cardiac light-chain amyloidosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Perlini, Stefano; Salinaro, Francesco; Musca, Francesco; Mussinelli, Roberta; Boldrini, Michele; Raimondi, Ambra; Milani, Paolo; Foli, Andrea; Cappelli, Francesco; Perfetto, Federico; Palladini, Giovanni; Rapezzi, Claudio; Merlini, Giampaolo

2014-05-01

Cardiac amyloidosis represents an archetypal form of restrictive heart disease, characterized by profound diastolic dysfunction. As ejection fraction is preserved until the late stage of the disease, the majority of patients do fulfill the definition of diastolic heart failure, that is, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In another clinical model of HFpEF, that is, pressure-overload hypertrophy, depressed midwall fractional shortening (mFS) has been shown to be a powerful prognostic factor. To assess the potential prognostic role of mFS in cardiac light-chain amyloidosis with preserved ejection fraction, we enrolled 221 consecutive untreated patients, in whom a first diagnosis of cardiac light-chain amyloidosis was concluded between 2008 and 2010. HFpEF was present in 181 patients. Patients in whom cardiac involvement was excluded served as controls (n = 121). Prognosis was assessed after a median follow-up of 561 days. When compared with light-chain amyloidosis patients without myocardial involvement, cardiac light-chain amyloidosis was characterized by increased wall thickness (P model. In cardiac light-chain amyloidosis with normal ejection fraction, depressed circumferential mFS, a marker of myocardial contractile dysfunction, is a powerful predictor of survival.

Hyperspectral Image-Based Night-Time Vehicle Light Detection Using Spectral Normalization and Distance Mapper for Intelligent Headlight Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heekang Kim

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a vehicle light detection method using a hyperspectral camera instead of a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD or Complementary metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS camera for adaptive car headlamp control. To apply Intelligent Headlight Control (IHC, the vehicle headlights need to be detected. Headlights are comprised from a variety of lighting sources, such as Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs, High-intensity discharge (HID, and halogen lamps. In addition, rear lamps are made of LED and halogen lamp. This paper refers to the recent research in IHC. Some problems exist in the detection of headlights, such as erroneous detection of street lights or sign lights and the reflection plate of ego-car from CCD or CMOS images. To solve these problems, this study uses hyperspectral images because they have hundreds of bands and provide more information than a CCD or CMOS camera. Recent methods to detect headlights used the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM, Spectral Correlation Mapper (SCM, and Euclidean Distance Mapper (EDM. The experimental results highlight the feasibility of the proposed method in three types of lights (LED, HID, and halogen.

Alzheimer disease : presenilin springs a leak

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gandy, S.; Doeven, M.K.; Poolman, B.

2006-01-01

Presenilins are thought to contribute to Alzheimer disease through a protein cleavage reaction that produces neurotoxic amyloid-beta peptides. A new function for presenilins now comes to light - controlling the leakage of calcium out of the endoplasmic reticulum. Is this a serious challenge to the

The Effect of NIR Light and the Light-Activated Antimicrobial Agent on Wound Pathogenic Biofilms; Implication for Nonpharmacologic Chronic Wound Treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Omar, Ghada Said Mohammed

2015-01-01

to the increase of lifestyle diseases, as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. The presence of bacterial biofilms is considered an important factor responsible for wounds chronicity. Therefore, this study investigates the efficacy of near-infrared (NIR) laser in vitro, in disrupting wound pathogenic...... biofilms. Metoder / Methods Biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were grown in a 96-well microtiter plate for 18-22 h. The study included 4 arms: (a) control; (b) 200 µg/mL Indocyanin green (ICG) kept in the dark, (c) NIR laser alone; (d) NIR laser combined with 200 µg/mL. ICG....... The biofilms were exposed to different light doses from the 808 nm NIR laser at a fluence rate of 0.3 W/cm2. Crystal violate assay and viable count were used to detect the effect. (Foreløbige) resultater / (Preliminary) Results A light dose of 90 J/cm2 killed approximately 99.9% of P. aeruginosa bacterial...

Controlling microwave signals by means of slow and fast light effects in SOA-EA structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sales, Salvador; Öhman, Filip; Capmany, José

2007-01-01

We present a novel scheme for the control of microwave signals in the optical domain. We propose the use of alternating amplifying and absorbing sections to implement phase control by using fast and slow light effects in semiconductors. The potential benefits from the proposed semiconductor optic...

Considering behaviour to ensure the success of a disease control strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

McQuaid, Christopher Finn; Gilligan, Christopher Aidan; van den Bosch, Frank

2017-12-01

The success or failure of a disease control strategy can be significantly affected by the behaviour of individual agents involved, influencing the effectiveness of disease control, its cost and sustainability. This behaviour has rarely been considered in agricultural systems, where there is significant opportunity for impact. Efforts to increase the adoption of control while decreasing oscillations in adoption and yield, particularly through the administration of subsidies, could increase the effectiveness of interventions. We study individual behaviour for the deployment of clean seed systems to control cassava brown streak disease in East Africa, noting that high disease pressure is important to stimulate grower demand of the control strategy. We show that it is not necessary to invest heavily in formal promotional or educational campaigns, as word-of-mouth is often sufficient to endorse the system. At the same time, for improved planting material to have an impact on increasing yields, it needs to be of a sufficient standard to restrict epidemic spread significantly. Finally, even a simple subsidy of clean planting material may be effective in disease control, as well as reducing oscillations in adoption, as long as it reaches a range of different users every season.

Intrusive versus domiciliated triatomines and the challenge of adapting vector control practices against Chagas disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Etienne Waleckx

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Chagas disease prevention remains mostly based on triatomine vector control to reduce or eliminate house infestation with these bugs. The level of adaptation of triatomines to human housing is a key part of vector competence and needs to be precisely evaluated to allow for the design of effective vector control strategies. In this review, we examine how the domiciliation/intrusion level of different triatomine species/populations has been defined and measured and discuss how these concepts may be improved for a better understanding of their ecology and evolution, as well as for the design of more effective control strategies against a large variety of triatomine species. We suggest that a major limitation of current criteria for classifying triatomines into sylvatic, intrusive, domiciliary and domestic species is that these are essentially qualitative and do not rely on quantitative variables measuring population sustainability and fitness in their different habitats. However, such assessments may be derived from further analysis and modelling of field data. Such approaches can shed new light on the domiciliation process of triatomines and may represent a key tool for decision-making and the design of vector control interventions.

Controlling light with plasmonic multilayers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Orlov, Alexey A.; Zhukovsky, Sergei; Iorsh, Ivan V.

2014-01-01

metamaterials and describe their use for light manipulation at the nanoscale. While demonstrating the recently emphasized hallmark effect of hyperbolic dispersion, we put special emphasis to the comparison between multilayered hyperbolic metamaterials and more broadly defined plasmonic-multilayer metamaterials...

Genetic manipulation of endosymbionts to control vector and vector borne diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jay Prakash Gupta

Full Text Available Vector borne diseases (VBD are on the rise because of failure of the existing methods of control of vector and vector borne diseases and the climate change. A steep rise of VBDs are due to several factors like selection of insecticide resistant vector population, drug resistant parasite population and lack of effective vaccines against the VBDs. Environmental pollution, public health hazard and insecticide resistant vector population indicate that the insecticides are no longer a sustainable control method of vector and vector-borne diseases. Amongst the various alternative control strategies, symbiont based approach utilizing endosymbionts of arthropod vectors could be explored to control the vector and vector borne diseases. The endosymbiont population of arthropod vectors could be exploited in different ways viz., as a chemotherapeutic target, vaccine target for the control of vectors. Expression of molecules with antiparasitic activity by genetically transformed symbiotic bacteria of disease-transmitting arthropods may serve as a powerful approach to control certain arthropod-borne diseases. Genetic transformation of symbiotic bacteria of the arthropod vector to alter the vector’s ability to transmit pathogen is an alternative means of blocking the transmission of VBDs. In Indian scenario, where dengue, chikungunya, malaria and filariosis are prevalent, paratransgenic based approach can be used effectively. [Vet World 2012; 5(9.000: 571-576

EFFECT OF CONVENTIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS ON POSTHARVEST DISEASE CONTROL IN AVOCADOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Herman Fischer

2018-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Postharvest diseases constitute a serious problem for avocado commercialization. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of conventional and alternative products in controlling diseases affecting ‘Hass’ avocados in the field and in the postharvest by carrying out physicochemical characterization of fruits subjected to postharvest treatments. In the field, besides the management adopted by the farmer, seven products were sprayed three times during fruiting for evaluation. Postharvest products were diluted in water or in oxidized polyethylene wax and shellac. Water treatments with potassium phosphite, Soil-Set®, chlorine dioxide, thyme essential oil, sodium bicarbonate, lemon grass essential oil and thiabendazole reduced the incidence of diseased fruits, and anthracnose, the main disease, was controlled with sodium bicarbonate, lemon grass essential oil and thiabendazole. Greater soluble solids content was found for control (water, chlorine dioxide, acibenzolar-S-methyl and thiabendazole. For the products that reduced anthracnose, there was no correlation between the disease and the physicochemical parameters, evidencing that the disease control is not associated with delayed ripening. For wax treatments, diseases were not controlled, and the fruits presented lower titratable acidity with thyme essential oil, sodium bicarbonate, control (wax, acibenzolar-S-methyl and lemon grass essential oil. Control and thyme essential oil were highlighted for maintaining the green coloration of the fruit skin for the shortest period. Under field conditions, azoxystrobin, thiabendazole, difenoconazole+azoxystrobin and acibenzolar-S-methyl+azoxystrobin reduced the occurrence of diseased fruits, while anthracnose control was only obtained with azoxystrobin.

Dynamic generation and coherent control of beating stationary light pulses by a microwave coupling field in five-level cold atoms

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Qian-Qian; Zhang, Yan; Cui, Cui-Li; Meng, Shao-Ying; Fang, You-Wei; Tian, Xue-Dong

2018-04-01

We propose an efficient scheme for generating and controlling beating stationary light pulses in a five-level atomic sample driven into electromagnetically induced transparency condition. This scheme relies on an asymmetrical procedure of light storage and retrieval tuned by two counter-propagating control fields where an additional coupling field, such as the microwave field, is introduced in the retrieval stage. A quantum probe field, incident upon such an atomic sample, is first transformed into spin coherence excitation of the atoms and then retrieved as beating stationary light pulses exhibiting a series of maxima and minima in intensity due to the alternative constructive and destructive interference. It is convenient to control the beating stationary light pulses just by manipulating the intensity and detuning of the additional microwave field. This interesting phenomenon involves in fact the coherent manipulation of dark-state polaritons and could be explored to achieve the efficient temporal splitting of stationary light pulses and accurate measurement of the microwave intensity.

Preventing Zika disease with novel vector control approaches ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Preventing Zika disease with novel vector control approaches. The highest numbers of dengue cases in Latin America in the last few years have occurred in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. These countries have also faced outbreaks of chikungunya (2014-2015) and Zika (2015-2016). All three diseases are transmitted by the ...

25 CFR 168.15 - Control of livestock diseases and parasites.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Control of livestock diseases and parasites. 168.15... REGULATIONS FOR THE HOPI PARTITIONED LANDS AREA § 168.15 Control of livestock diseases and parasites. Whenever... parasites or have been exposed thereto, such livestock must be treated and the movement thereof restricted...

Attraction of Chagas disease vectors (Triatominae) to artificial light sources in the canopy of primary Amazon rainforest.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Marcelo C M; Barrett, Toby V; Santos, Walter S; Abad-Franch, Fernando; Rafael, José A

2010-12-01

Adult triatomines occasionally fly into artificially lit premises in Amazonia. This can result in Trypanosoma cruzi transmission to humans either by direct contact or via foodstuff contamination, but the frequency of such behaviour has not been quantified. To address this issue, a light-trap was set 45 m above ground in primary rainforest near Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil and operated monthly for three consecutive nights over the course of one year (432 trap-hours). The most commonly caught reduviids were triatomines, including 38 Panstrongylus geniculatus, nine Panstrongylus lignarius, three Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus, five Rhodnius robustus, two Rhodnius pictipes, one Rhodnius amazonicus and 17 Eratyrus mucronatus. Males were collected more frequently than females. The only month without any catches was May. Attraction of most of the known local T. cruzi vectors to artificial light sources is common and year-round in the Amazon rainforest, implying that they may often invade premises built near forest edges and thus become involved in disease transmission. Consequently, effective Chagas disease prevention in Amazonia will require integrating entomological surveillance with the currently used epidemiological surveillance.

Attraction of Chagas disease vectors (Triatominae to artificial light sources in the canopy of primary Amazon rainforest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo CM Castro

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Adult triatomines occasionally fly into artificially lit premises in Amazonia. This can result in Trypanosoma cruzi transmission to humans either by direct contact or via foodstuff contamination, but the frequency of such behaviour has not been quantified. To address this issue, a light-trap was set 45 m above ground in primary rainforest near Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil and operated monthly for three consecutive nights over the course of one year (432 trap-hours. The most commonly caught reduviids were triatomines, including 38 Panstrongylus geniculatus, nine Panstrongylus lignarius, three Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus, five Rhodnius robustus, two Rhodnius pictipes, one Rhodnius amazonicus and 17 Eratyrus mucronatus. Males were collected more frequently than females. The only month without any catches was May. Attraction of most of the known local T. cruzi vectors to artificial light sources is common and year-round in the Amazon rainforest, implying that they may often invade premises built near forest edges and thus become involved in disease transmission. Consequently, effective Chagas disease prevention in Amazonia will require integrating entomological surveillance with the currently used epidemiological surveillance.

Flight control and landing precision in the nocturnal bee Megalopta is robust to large changes in light intensity

OpenAIRE

Baird, Emily; Fernandez, Diana C.; Wcislo, William T.; Warrant, Eric J.

2015-01-01

Like their diurnal relatives, Megalopta genalis use visual information to control flight. Unlike their diurnal relatives, however, they do this at extremely low light intensities. Although Megalopta has developed optical specializations to increase visual sensitivity, theoretical studies suggest that this enhanced sensitivity does not enable them to capture enough light to use visual information to reliably control flight in the rainforest at night. It has been proposed that Megalopta gain ex...

Bright infrared quantum-dot light-emitting diodes through inter-dot spacing control

KAUST Repository

Sun, Liangfeng; Choi, Joshua J.; Stachnik, David; Bartnik, Adam C.; Hyun, Byung-Ryool; Malliaras, George G.; Hanrath, Tobias; Wise, Frank W.

2012-01-01

Infrared light-emitting diodes are currently fabricated from direct-gap semiconductors using epitaxy, which makes them expensive and difficult to integrate with other materials. Light-emitting diodes based on colloidal semiconductor quantum dots, on the other hand, can be solution-processed at low cost, and can be directly integrated with silicon. However, so far, exciton dissociation and recombination have not been well controlled in these devices, and this has limited their performance. Here, by tuning the distance between adjacent PbS quantum dots, we fabricate thin-film quantum-dot light-emitting diodes that operate at infrared wavelengths with radiances (6.4 W sr '1 m '2) eight times higher and external quantum efficiencies (2.0%) two times higher than the highest values previously reported. The distance between adjacent dots is tuned over a range of 1.3 nm by varying the lengths of the linker molecules from three to eight CH 2 groups, which allows us to achieve the optimum balance between charge injection and radiative exciton recombination. The electroluminescent powers of the best devices are comparable to those produced by commercial InGaAsP light-emitting diodes. By varying the size of the quantum dots, we can tune the emission wavelengths between 800 and 1,850 nm.© 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

Bright infrared quantum-dot light-emitting diodes through inter-dot spacing control.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Liangfeng; Choi, Joshua J; Stachnik, David; Bartnik, Adam C; Hyun, Byung-Ryool; Malliaras, George G; Hanrath, Tobias; Wise, Frank W

2012-05-06

Infrared light-emitting diodes are currently fabricated from direct-gap semiconductors using epitaxy, which makes them expensive and difficult to integrate with other materials. Light-emitting diodes based on colloidal semiconductor quantum dots, on the other hand, can be solution-processed at low cost, and can be directly integrated with silicon. However, so far, exciton dissociation and recombination have not been well controlled in these devices, and this has limited their performance. Here, by tuning the distance between adjacent PbS quantum dots, we fabricate thin-film quantum-dot light-emitting diodes that operate at infrared wavelengths with radiances (6.4 W sr(-1) m(-2)) eight times higher and external quantum efficiencies (2.0%) two times higher than the highest values previously reported. The distance between adjacent dots is tuned over a range of 1.3 nm by varying the lengths of the linker molecules from three to eight CH(2) groups, which allows us to achieve the optimum balance between charge injection and radiative exciton recombination. The electroluminescent powers of the best devices are comparable to those produced by commercial InGaAsP light-emitting diodes. By varying the size of the quantum dots, we can tune the emission wavelengths between 800 and 1,850 nm.

Bright infrared quantum-dot light-emitting diodes through inter-dot spacing control

KAUST Repository

Sun, Liangfeng

2012-05-06

Infrared light-emitting diodes are currently fabricated from direct-gap semiconductors using epitaxy, which makes them expensive and difficult to integrate with other materials. Light-emitting diodes based on colloidal semiconductor quantum dots, on the other hand, can be solution-processed at low cost, and can be directly integrated with silicon. However, so far, exciton dissociation and recombination have not been well controlled in these devices, and this has limited their performance. Here, by tuning the distance between adjacent PbS quantum dots, we fabricate thin-film quantum-dot light-emitting diodes that operate at infrared wavelengths with radiances (6.4 W sr \\'1 m \\'2) eight times higher and external quantum efficiencies (2.0%) two times higher than the highest values previously reported. The distance between adjacent dots is tuned over a range of 1.3 nm by varying the lengths of the linker molecules from three to eight CH 2 groups, which allows us to achieve the optimum balance between charge injection and radiative exciton recombination. The electroluminescent powers of the best devices are comparable to those produced by commercial InGaAsP light-emitting diodes. By varying the size of the quantum dots, we can tune the emission wavelengths between 800 and 1,850 nm.© 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

Teleosts Genomics: Progress and Prospects in Disease Prevention and Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Munang'andu, Hetron Mweemba; Galindo-Villegas, Jorge; David, Lior

2018-04-04

Genome wide studies based on conventional molecular tools and upcoming omics technologies are beginning to gain functional applications in the control and prevention of diseases in teleosts fish. Herein, we provide insights into current progress and prospects in the use genomics studies for the control and prevention of fish diseases. Metagenomics has emerged to be an important tool used to identify emerging infectious diseases for the timely design of rational disease control strategies, determining microbial compositions in different aquatic environments used for fish farming and the use of host microbiota to monitor the health status of fish. Expounding the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as therapeutic agents against different pathogens as well as elucidating their role in tissue regeneration is another vital aspect of genomics studies that had taken precedent in recent years. In vaccine development, prospects made include the identification of highly immunogenic proteins for use in recombinant vaccine designs as well as identifying gene signatures that correlate with protective immunity for use as benchmarks in optimizing vaccine efficacy. Progress in quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping is beginning to yield considerable success in identifying resistant traits against some of the highly infectious diseases that have previously ravaged the aquaculture industry. Altogether, the synopsis put forth shows that genomics studies are beginning to yield positive contribution in the prevention and control of fish diseases in aquaculture.

Teleosts Genomics: Progress and Prospects in Disease Prevention and Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hetron Mweemba Munang’andu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Genome wide studies based on conventional molecular tools and upcoming omics technologies are beginning to gain functional applications in the control and prevention of diseases in teleosts fish. Herein, we provide insights into current progress and prospects in the use genomics studies for the control and prevention of fish diseases. Metagenomics has emerged to be an important tool used to identify emerging infectious diseases for the timely design of rational disease control strategies, determining microbial compositions in different aquatic environments used for fish farming and the use of host microbiota to monitor the health status of fish. Expounding the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs as therapeutic agents against different pathogens as well as elucidating their role in tissue regeneration is another vital aspect of genomics studies that had taken precedent in recent years. In vaccine development, prospects made include the identification of highly immunogenic proteins for use in recombinant vaccine designs as well as identifying gene signatures that correlate with protective immunity for use as benchmarks in optimizing vaccine efficacy. Progress in quantitative trait loci (QTL mapping is beginning to yield considerable success in identifying resistant traits against some of the highly infectious diseases that have previously ravaged the aquaculture industry. Altogether, the synopsis put forth shows that genomics studies are beginning to yield positive contribution in the prevention and control of fish diseases in aquaculture.

Luminescence- and nanoparticle-mediated increase of light absorption by photoreceptor cells: Converting UV light to visible light

OpenAIRE

Li, Lei; Sahi, Sunil K.; Peng, Mingying; Lee, Eric B.; Ma, Lun; Wojtowicz, Jennifer L.; Malin, John H.; Chen, Wei

2016-01-01

We developed new optic devices ? singly-doped luminescence glasses and nanoparticle-coated lenses that convert UV light to visible light ? for improvement of visual system functions. Tb3+ or Eu3+ singly-doped borate glasses or CdS-quantum dot (CdS-QD) coated lenses efficiently convert UV light to 542?nm or 613?nm wavelength narrow-band green or red light, or wide-spectrum white light, and thereby provide extra visible light to the eye. In zebrafish (wild-type larvae and adult control animals,...

Controlling solar light and heat in a forest by managing shadow sources

Science.gov (United States)

Howard G. Halverson; James L. Smith

1974-01-01

Control of solar light and heat to develop the proper growth environment is a desirable goal in forest management. The amount of sunlight and heat reaching the surface is affected by shadows cast by nearby objects, including trees. In timbered areas, the type of forest management practiced can help develop desired microclimates. The results depend on the size and...

Drug-induced impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Reiff, J; Jost, W H

2011-05-01

Dopamine replacement treatment with excessive or aberrant dopamine receptor stimulation can cause behavioral disturbances in Parkinson's disease, comprising dopamine dysregulation syndrome, punding, and impulse control disorders. Common impulse control disorders are compulsive buying, pathological gambling, binge eating, hypersexuality, and compulsive reckless driving.

Major parasitic diseases of poverty in mainland China: perspectives for better control.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jin-Lei; Li, Ting-Ting; Huang, Si-Yang; Cong, Wei; Zhu, Xing-Quan

2016-08-01

Significant progress has been made in the prevention, control, and elimination of human parasitic diseases in China in the past 60 years. However, parasitic diseases of poverty remain major causes of morbidity and mortality, and inflict enormous economic costs on societies.In this article, we review the prevalence rates, geographical distributions, epidemic characteristics, risk factors, and clinical manifestations of parasitic diseases of poverty listed in the first issue of the journal Infectious Diseases of Poverty on 25 October 2012. We also address the challenges facing control of parasitic diseases of poverty and provide suggestions for better control.

Postural control and freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlenstedt, Christian; Muthuraman, Muthuraman; Witt, Karsten; Weisser, Burkhard; Fasano, Alfonso; Deuschl, Günther

2016-03-01

The relationship between freezing of gait (FOG) and postural instability in Parkinson's disease (PD) is unclear. We analyzed the impact of FOG on postural control. 31 PD patients with FOG (PD+FOG), 27 PD patients without FOG (PD-FOG) and 22 healthy control (HC) were assessed in the ON state. Postural control was measured with the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale and with center of pressure (COP) analysis during quiet stance and maximal voluntary forward/backward leaning. The groups were balanced concerning age, disease duration and disease severity. PD+FOG performed significantly worse in the FAB scale (21.8 ± 5.8) compared to PD-FOG (25.6 ± 5.0) and HC (34.9 ± 2.4) (mean ± SD, p postural control asymmetry. PD+FOG have reduced postural control compared to PD-FOG and HC. Our results show a relationship between the anterior-posterior COP position during quiet stance and FOG. The COP shift towards posterior in PD+FOG leads to a restricted precondition to generate forward progression during gait initiation. This may contribute to the occurrence of FOG or might be a compensatory strategy to avoid forward falls. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact and cost-effectiveness of snail control to achieve disease control targets for schistosomiasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Nathan C; Gurarie, David; Yoon, Nara; Coulibaly, Jean T; Bendavid, Eran; Andrews, Jason R; King, Charles H

2018-01-23

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that affects over 240 million people globally. To improve population-level disease control, there is growing interest in adding chemical-based snail control interventions to interrupt the lifecycle of Schistosoma in its snail host to reduce parasite transmission. However, this approach is not widely implemented, and given environmental concerns, the optimal conditions for when snail control is appropriate are unclear. We assessed the potential impact and cost-effectiveness of various snail control strategies. We extended previously published dynamic, age-structured transmission and cost-effectiveness models to simulate mass drug administration (MDA) and focal snail control interventions against Schistosoma haematobium across a range of low-prevalence (5-20%) and high-prevalence (25-50%) rural Kenyan communities. We simulated strategies over a 10-year period of MDA targeting school children or entire communities, snail control, and combined strategies. We measured incremental cost-effectiveness in 2016 US dollars per disability-adjusted life year and defined a strategy as optimally cost-effective when maximizing health gains (averted disability-adjusted life years) with an incremental cost-effectiveness below a Kenya-specific economic threshold. In both low- and high-prevalence settings, community-wide MDA with additional snail control reduced total disability by an additional 40% compared with school-based MDA alone. The optimally cost-effective scenario included the addition of snail control to MDA in over 95% of simulations. These results support inclusion of snail control in global guidelines and national schistosomiasis control strategies for optimal disease control, especially in settings with high prevalence, "hot spots" of transmission, and noncompliance to MDA. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

CONTROL DE MALEZA EN DISTRITOS DE RIEGO CON EQUIPOS LIGEROS WEED CONTROL IN IRRIGATION DISTRICTS WITH LIGHT WEIGHT EQUIPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Ramón Lomelí Villanueva

2010-12-01

Full Text Available En México el control mecánico de maleza, tradicionalmente se realizaba con maquinaria inadecuada lo cual provocaba daños en los taludes y modificaciones de la sección hidráulica. Para resolver este problema, actualmente se utilizan los equipos ligeros que permiten el desarrollo de una cubierta vegetal, que no interfiere con el flujo del agua y su sistema radical retiene el suelo, lo cual reduce la erosión y mantiene en condiciones estables los taludes. El presente trabajo aborda los aspectos relativos a características y criterios para la selección de los implementos y la secuencia para su utilización. El costo de las operaciones para el control de maleza en canales, drenes y caminos se ha reducido un 39,21% con respecto a utilizar maquinaria inadecuada. La versatilidad de los equipos ligeros permite emplear el implemento más adecuado para cada tipo de maleza. En México, el inventario actual es de 263 equipos ligeros que tienen un potencial de aplicación para el control de la maleza, en la totalidad de los caminos, el 90% de canales y el 70% de drenes de los Distritos de Riego.In Mexico, the mechanical weed control was traditionally carried out with inadequate equipment which caused damage to the slopes and changes in the hydraulic section. In order to solve this problem, light weight equipment is currently being used to allow the development of a vegetation cover to retain soil with no interference with water flow, reducing erosion and maintaining stable conditions in the slopes. This paper addresses aspects related to characteristics and criteria for selecting and sequencing tools for use. The costs of weed control in irrigation channels, drains and roads have been reduced 39.21% compared to using inadequate equipment. The versatility of light weight equipment allows the use of the most appropriate implement for each weed. In Mexico, the current inventory includes 263 light weight devices with which a potential weed control of 90

Light-controlled relaxation of the rat penile corpus cavernosum using NOBL-1, a novel nitric oxide releaser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuji Hotta

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To investigate whether relaxation of the rat penile corpus cavernosum could be controlled with NOBL-1, a novel, lightcontrollable nitric oxide (NO releaser. Materials and Methods: Fifteen-week-old male Wistar-ST rats were used. The penile corpus cavernosum was prepared and used in an isometric tension study. After noradrenaline (10−5 M achieved precontraction, the penile corpus cavernosum was irradiated by light (470–500 nm with and without NOBL-1 (10−6 M. In addition, we noted rats’ responses to light with vardenafil (10−6 M, a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5 inhibitor. Next, responses to light in the presence of a guanylate cyclase inhibitor, ODQ (1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (10−5 M, were measured. All measurements were performed in pretreated L-NAME (10−4 M conditions to inhibit endogenous NO production. Results: Corpus cavernosal smooth muscle, precontracted with noradrenaline, was unchanged by light irradiation in the absence of NOBL-1. However, in the presence of NOBL-1, corpus cavernosal smooth muscle, precontracted with noradrenaline, relaxed in response to light irradiation. After blue light irradiation ceased, tension returned. In addition, the light response was obviously enhanced in the presence of a PDE-5 inhibitor. Conclusions: This study showed that rat corpus cavernosal smooth muscle relaxation can be light-controlled using NOBL-1, a novel, light sensitive NO releaser. Though further in vivo studies are needed to investigate possible usefulness, NOBL-1 may be prove to be a useful tool for erectile dysfunction therapy, specifically in the field of penile rehabilitation.

Reducing selection bias in case-control studies from rare disease registries.

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, J Alexander; Taylor, John S; Hangartner, Thomas N; Weinreb, Neal J; Mistry, Pramod K; Khan, Aneal

2011-09-12

In clinical research of rare diseases, where small patient numbers and disease heterogeneity limit study design options, registries are a valuable resource for demographic and outcome information. However, in contrast to prospective, randomized clinical trials, the observational design of registries is prone to introduce selection bias and negatively impact the validity of data analyses. The objective of the study was to demonstrate the utility of case-control matching and the risk-set method in order to control bias in data from a rare disease registry. Data from the International Collaborative Gaucher Group (ICGG) Gaucher Registry were used as an example. A case-control matching analysis using the risk-set method was conducted to identify two groups of patients with type 1 Gaucher disease in the ICGG Gaucher Registry: patients with avascular osteonecrosis (AVN) and those without AVN. The frequency distributions of gender, decade of birth, treatment status, and splenectomy status were presented for cases and controls before and after matching. Odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) were calculated for each variable before and after matching. The application of case-control matching methodology results in cohorts of cases (i.e., patients with AVN) and controls (i.e., patients without AVN) who have comparable distributions for four common parameters used in subject selection: gender, year of birth (age), treatment status, and splenectomy status. Matching resulted in odds ratios of approximately 1.00, indicating no bias. We demonstrated bias in case-control selection in subjects from a prototype rare disease registry and used case-control matching to minimize this bias. Therefore, this approach appears useful to study cohorts of heterogeneous patients in rare disease registries.

The association between periodontal disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a case control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Öztekin, Görkem; Baser, Ulku; Kucukcoskun, Meric; Tanrikulu-Kucuk, Sevda; Ademoglu, Evin; Isik, Gulden; Ozkan, Gulcihan; Yalcin, Funda; Kiyan, Esen

2014-08-01

Although there are studies evaluating the effects of periodontal health on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the effects of COPD - a systemic disease, on periodontal tissue is unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of COPD on periodontal tissues by comparing COPD patients and controls. Fifty-two COPD patients and 38 non-COPD controls were included in this case-control study. Number of teeth, plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing, clinical attachment level and probing depth were included in the periodontal examination. In addition to clinical evaluations, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-1 beta (IL-lb) and prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2), and serum hs-CRP levels were measured in COPD patients and the controls. The number of teeth was significantly lower while PI and GI were significantly higher in COPD patients when compared to the controls. As well as serum hs-CRP levels, the GCF levels of hs-CRP, IL-1b and PGE2 were significantly higher in COPD patients than the controls. Our results demonstrated that COPD may be associated with periodontal disease as manifested by lower number of teeth and higher levels of inflammatory mediators especially CRP in GCF. This finding may be a reflection of systemic effects of COPD on periodontal tissues. Poor oral health behavior of COPD patients have to be considered in larger size group studies in the future.

Light-responsive smart surface with controllable wettability and excellent stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yin-Ning; Li, Jin-Jin; Zhang, Qing; Luo, Zheng-Hong

2014-10-21

Novel fluorinated gradient copolymer was designed for smart surface with light-responsive controllable wettability and excellent stability. The switchable mechanism and physicochemical characteristics of the as-prepared surface decorated by designed polymeric material were investigated by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrum, scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Thanks to the functional film and surface roughening, etched silicon surface fabricated by copolymer involving spiropyran (Sp) moieties possesses a fairly large variation range of WCA (28.1°) and achieves the transformation between hydrophilicity (95.2° 109.2°) relative to blank sample (109.2°). The synthetic strategy and developed smart surface offer a promising application in coating with controllable wettability, which bridge the gap between chemical structure and material properties.

Effects of light irradiation control on the quality preservation of spinach [Spinacia oleracea] during postharvest storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, H.; Saito, T.; Shiga, T.

2008-01-01

We examined the effects of the light irradiation on the quality changes of green leafy vegetables after harvest, and clarified the quality preservation method of spinach by the light irradiation with the modified atmosphere effects by the film packaging. Spinach packaged in the sealed film was irradiated at the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 4 micromol/square m/s and 10 micromol/square m/s as almost same intensity level as light compensation point by the white fluorescent lamp, white light-emitting diode (LED) and the monochromatic LED's of wavelength at 470nm, 591nm, 626nm and 660nm respectively. The concentration of CO2 in the sealed film was proved to decrease according to the light irradiation regardless of the different wavelength of light, and this showed that the effects of present modified atmosphere packaging is lost by light irradiation. The increase of weight loss by light irradiation was controlled by the film packaging, and then the commercial value was excellently maintained. Light irradiation after harvest contributed to keeping high L-ascorbic acid contents of the spinach. However the light irradiation of different wavelength was not found to influence the change of L-ascorbic acid contents. (author)

Immunological aspects of light radiation sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellman, K.B.; Schuller, G.B.

1981-01-01

The immune system comprises one aspect of the host's defense mechanism against potentially harmful agents. It has become recognized as an important factor in light radiation sensitivity and light-mediated disease. The interaction of light radiation with the immune system has formed the basis for the evolving discipline of photoimmunology. A description of the multicomponent immune system, its modification by light radiation, and a discussion of how photoimmunological studies may provide data important for understanding the mechanisms involved in photosensitivity are presented in this review. Photosensitivity may be either acquired or may be genetic in nature. Acquired photosensitivity involves an individual's reaction to either light alone or light in conjunction with topically or systemically administered photosenitizing agents. The outcome of such a reaction can be benign or severe, depending on a number of factors. Genetic photosensitivity includes the reactions to light radiation of individuals carrying the genetic information for inherited diseases such as Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) and Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). Factors associated with these conditions can lead to enhanced sensitivity to radiation-related diseases, such as cancer. In addition, there are conditions which cannot be readily placed in either of the categories just described but, nevertheless, have been correlated with immune system dysfunction. These include photoallergy, photosensitivity associated with autoimmunity, and light-induced skin cancer. Immunological studies have provided information which may aid in elucidating the problem of photosensitivity and in the development of suitable radioprotective measures

Biological Control of Diseases of Vegetables Grown Hydroponically in Thailand: Challenge and Opportunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanjanamaneesathian, Mana

2015-01-01

In Thailand, yield loss due to plant diseases in vegetables grown hydroponically is very high as a result of the growers` lack of knowledge for controlling diseases and their un- willingness to invest in setting-up the proper hydroponic system from the beginning. Severe root rot disease caused by Pythium spp. is frequent and can be anticipated in the hot climate in Thailand. This review focuses on the diseases in temperate lettuces which have been produced hydroponically and have been attacked by plant pathogens, particularly Pythium spp. Biological control of vegetable diseases grown hydroponically has been investigated in Thailand. Research is being carried out to identify effective strains of the antagonists, formulating the applicable products and delivering them appropriately to control the disease. Products of Bacillus subtilis, Chaetomium globosom and Trichoderma harzianum have been recommended for use to control diseases in vegetables grown hydroponically. Control efficacy of these products is varied as the biological products have been used by the growers in the paradigm of using chemical fungicide for disease control in hydroponic production system, overlooking the intrinsic characteristics of the biological control products. The recent patent, which minimizes the effects of sunlight and heat on the nutrient solution without the use of an external energy for cooling the nutrient, should be applied in producing hydroponic vegetables to mitigate poor plant growth and root rot disease outbreak in Thailand.

Impulse control disorders are associated with multiple psychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaakkola, Elina; Kaasinen, Valtteri; Siri, Chiara; Martikainen, Kirsti; Cilia, Roberto; Niemelä, Solja; Joutsa, Juho

2014-01-01

Impulse control disorders can have serious adverse consequences to the life of a patient with Parkinson's disease. Although impulse control disorders are common, a possible psychiatric comorbidity has not been fully characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychiatric symptoms exhibited by Parkinson's disease patients with impulse control disorders. The study was conducted as a postal survey to patients in the registry of the Finnish Parkinson Association. A total of 290 Parkinson's disease patients were evaluated for impulse control disorders using the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease. Psychiatric symptoms were systematically screened using the Symptom Checklist 90. We found that 108 of the evaluated patients had one or more impulse control disorders. Patients with impulse control disorders had markedly higher scores for symptoms of psychoticism (Bonferroni corrected p disorder (p impulse control disorders. Impulse control disorders were shown to be independently associated with these symptoms. Patients with multiple impulse control disorders had higher scores for depression and obsessive-compulsive symptoms when compared with patients that exhibited only one impulse control disorder. COUNCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the previous observations that impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease are linked with multiple psychiatric symptoms, including psychoticism, interpersonal sensitivity, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and depression. Clinicians treating these patients should acknowledge the concomitant psychiatric symptoms.

The landscape lighting book

CERN Document Server

Moyer, Janet Lennox

2013-01-01

This richly illustrated, up-to-date guide offers practical coverage of all aspects of lighting design. Written by an award-winning, internationally known lighting designer, it covers lighting practices, materials, and their design applications and offers guidelines for preparing lighting drawings, control and transfer charts, symbol lists, and other technical specifications. This edition provides a new focus on the use of LEDs, as well as new and expanded coverage of renderings, Mesopic Vision, and the latest controls approaches and systems.

Tourette's disease with impulse control disorder

OpenAIRE

Raj, Rajnish; Sidhu, Balwant Singh

2011-01-01

We report a case of Tourette's disease (TD) with impulse control disorder which is rare;these type of patients are prone to rage attack and explosive outbursts in the childhood and adolescence which can be detrimental. Hence, a case is reported to understand the phenomenology of its co-morbidity in TD.

Light storage via slow-light four-wave mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Yun-Fei; Wang, Hai-Hua; Wei, Xiao-Gang; Li, Ai-Jun; Kang, Zhi-Hui; Wu, Jin-Hui; Zhang, Han-Zhuang; Xu, Huai-Liang; Gao, Jin-Yue

2012-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate a light storage via slow-light four-wave mixing in a solid-state medium with a four-level double lambda scheme. Using slow light based on electromagnetically induced transparency, we obtain a slowed four-wave mixing signal pulse together with the slowed probe pulse. During the propagation of light pulses, the storage and retrieval of both the slowed four-wave mixing pulse and the slowed probe pulse are studied by manipulating the intensities of the control fields. -- Highlights: ► A light storage via slow-light four-wave mixing is observed in a solid. ► The probe pulse is slowed under electromagnetically induced transparency. ► A slowed four-wave mixing pulse is obtained by slow light. ► The storage of slowed double pulses is studied.

Dynamic control of traffic lights

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haijema, Rene; Hendrix, Eligius M.T.; Wal, van der Jan

2017-01-01

Traffic lights are put in place to dynamically change priority between traffic participants. Commonly, the duration of green intervals and the grouping, and ordering in which traffic flows are served are pre-fixed. In this chapter, the problem of minimizing vehicle delay at isolated intersections is

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and Infection Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lynn Johnston

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Over the past year, several situations have occurred in Canada in which patients who had recently undergone a surgical procedure were subsequently diagnosed with confirmed or suspected Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD. This raised concerns over contamination of surgical instruments: which instruments might have been contaminated from direct exposure to tissues; can instruments become cross-contaminated by exposure to other contaminated instruments; what assessment is necessary to determine cross-contamination; and what should be done with instruments that have been contaminated. Additionally, should there be a patient traceback in the face of potential but unproven exposure? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers to most of the above questions. Australia, the United Kingdom and the World Health Organization have developed guidelines for the infection control management of patients with CJD, as well as instruments and devices that come into contact with them and their tissues (1-3. Health Canada's draft CJD infection control guidelines, withdrawn from the Health Canada Web site until safety concerns regarding sodium hydroxide can be addressed, closely mirrored recommendations made in those documents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for CJD are under revision. However, a recent American publication made recommendations on what procedures should be used for reprocessing items that have been in contact with the prion protein (PrP (4. These recommendations differ substantially from the draft Canadian guidelines. This article reviews current knowledge about CJD, and highlights some of the infection control concerns and controversies.

Bioeconomic modelling of foot and mouth disease and its control in Ethiopia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jemberu, W.T.

2016-01-01

Keywords: Control, cost-benefit, economic impact, epidemiology, Ethiopia, Foot and mouth disease, intention, modelling, production system.

Bioeconomic Modelling of Foot and Mouth Disease and Its control in Ethiopia

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a

Exploring direct 3D interaction for full horizontal parallax light field displays using leap motion controller.

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikarla, Vamsi Kiran; Sodnik, Jaka; Szolgay, Peter; Jakus, Grega

2015-04-14

This paper reports on the design and evaluation of direct 3D gesture interaction with a full horizontal parallax light field display. A light field display defines a visual scene using directional light beams emitted from multiple light sources as if they are emitted from scene points. Each scene point is rendered individually resulting in more realistic and accurate 3D visualization compared to other 3D displaying technologies. We propose an interaction setup combining the visualization of objects within the Field Of View (FOV) of a light field display and their selection through freehand gesture tracked by the Leap Motion Controller. The accuracy and usefulness of the proposed interaction setup was also evaluated in a user study with test subjects. The results of the study revealed high user preference for free hand interaction with light field display as well as relatively low cognitive demand of this technique. Further, our results also revealed some limitations and adjustments of the proposed setup to be addressed in future work.

Trapping of Rift Valley Fever (RVF vectors using Light Emitting Diode (LED CDC traps in two arboviral disease hot spots in Kenya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tchouassi David P

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mosquitoes’ response to artificial lights including color has been exploited in trap designs for improved sampling of mosquito vectors. Earlier studies suggest that mosquitoes are attracted to specific wavelengths of light and thus the need to refine techniques to increase mosquito captures following the development of super-bright light-emitting diodes (LEDs which emit narrow wavelengths of light or very specific colors. Therefore, we investigated if LEDs can be effective substitutes for incandescent lamps used in CDC light traps for mosquito surveillance, and if so, determine the best color for attraction of important Rift Valley Fever (RFV vectors. Methods The efficiency of selected colored LED CDC light traps (red, green, blue, violet, combination of blue-green-red (BGR to sample RVF vectors was evaluated relative to incandescent light (as control in a CDC light trap in two RVF hotspots (Marigat and Ijara districts in Kenya. In field experiments, traps were baited with dry ice and captures evaluated for Aedes tricholabis, Ae. mcintoshi, Ae. ochraceus, Mansonia uniformis, Mn. africana and Culex pipiens, following Latin square design with days as replicates. Daily mosquito counts per treatment were analyzed using a generalized linear model with Negative Binomial error structure and log link using R. The incidence rate ratios (IRR that mosquito species chose other treatments instead of the control, were estimated. Results Seasonal preference of Ae.mcintoshi and Ae. ochraceus at Ijara was evident with a bias towards BGR and blue traps respectively in one trapping period but this pattern waned during another period at same site with significantly low numbers recorded in all colored traps except blue relative to the control. Overall results showed that higher captures of all species were recorded in control traps compared to the other LED traps (IRR  Conclusion Based on our trapping design and color, none of the LEDs

Testing, Performance and Reliability Evaluation of Charge Controllers for Solar Photovoltaic Home Lighting System in India

OpenAIRE

Adarsh Kumar; ChandraShekhar Sharma; Dr. Rajesh Kumar; Avinashkumar haldkar

2016-01-01

:Charge controller is the most important part of a Solar Photovoltaic Home LightingSystem (SPVHLS) which controls the charging ofbattery from photovoltaic (PV) module and discharging of battery through load. This paper analyzes testresults of fourteen charge controllers (CC) available in Indiaaccording to the Ministry of New and RenewableEnergy (MNRE) specification. The different parameters of charge controllers to be tested arebattery high voltage disconnect (HVD), lo...

Reducing selection bias in case-control studies from rare disease registries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mistry Pramod K

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In clinical research of rare diseases, where small patient numbers and disease heterogeneity limit study design options, registries are a valuable resource for demographic and outcome information. However, in contrast to prospective, randomized clinical trials, the observational design of registries is prone to introduce selection bias and negatively impact the validity of data analyses. The objective of the study was to demonstrate the utility of case-control matching and the risk-set method in order to control bias in data from a rare disease registry. Data from the International Collaborative Gaucher Group (ICGG Gaucher Registry were used as an example. Methods A case-control matching analysis using the risk-set method was conducted to identify two groups of patients with type 1 Gaucher disease in the ICGG Gaucher Registry: patients with avascular osteonecrosis (AVN and those without AVN. The frequency distributions of gender, decade of birth, treatment status, and splenectomy status were presented for cases and controls before and after matching. Odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each variable before and after matching. Results The application of case-control matching methodology results in cohorts of cases (i.e., patients with AVN and controls (i.e., patients without AVN who have comparable distributions for four common parameters used in subject selection: gender, year of birth (age, treatment status, and splenectomy status. Matching resulted in odds ratios of approximately 1.00, indicating no bias. Conclusions We demonstrated bias in case-control selection in subjects from a prototype rare disease registry and used case-control matching to minimize this bias. Therefore, this approach appears useful to study cohorts of heterogeneous patients in rare disease registries.

Nosocomial infection control in healthcare settings: Protection against emerging infectious diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Chuanxi; Wang, Shengyong

2016-04-12

The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak in Korea in 2015 may be attributable to poor nosocomial infection control procedures implemented. Strict infection control measures were taken in the hospital where an imported case with MERS was treated in southern China and 53 health care workers were confirmed to be MERS-CoV negative. Infection control in healthcare settings, in which patients with emerging infectious diseases such as MERS, Ebola virus disease, and the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are diagnosed and treated, are often imperfect. When it comes to emerging or unknown infectious diseases, before the imported case was finally identified or community transmission was reported, cases have often occurred in clusters in healthcare settings. Nosocomial infection control measures should be further strengthened among the workers and inpatients in designated healthcare settings that accommodate suspected cases suffering from emerging or unknown infectious diseases.

Controlling sugarcane diseases in Florida: a challenge in constant evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Diseases are limiting factors for the sugarcane crop in almost any sugarcane growing location. More than 40 diseases have been recorded in Florida, with bown rust, orange rust and yellow leaf currently impacting on sugarcane production. Ideally, these diseases should be controlled using resistant ...

Controlling sugarcane diseases in Florida: a challenge in constant evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Diseases are limiting factors for the sugarcane crop in almost any sugarcane growing location. More than 40 diseases have been recorded in Florida, with brown rust, orange rust and yellow leaf currently impacting on sugarcane production. Ideally, these diseases should be controlled using resistant c...

Adaptive Lighting Design – Staged Experiences of Light

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Kjell Yngve; Søndergaard, Karin

in ways that meaningfully adapt. In the two installations, two different aspects are at play. In White Cube, the light colours are balanced. In White Box, the light follows the movements of the people in the space. In situations with several people occupying the same space, social relations become......Adaptive Lighting Design – Staged Experiences of Light The two installations, White Cube and White Box, enable experience-based studies as a form of perceptual activity, wherein lighting conditions are examined in a dialectical exchange between the system and the people participating. Adaptive...... lighting is based on a partial automation of the possibilities to adjust the colour tone and brightness levels of light in order to adapt to people’s needs and desires. Software can be seen to bear a communicative aesthetic, where the relation of user situations and the design intentions are controlled...

Energy efficient lighting and controls at North Lanarkshire Council: Good practice case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-11-15

The Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex is an important local facility for the people of Bellshill, North Lanarkshire. The sports and leisure complex, a North Lanarkshire Council property, offers a combination of indoor and outdoor sporting facilities including a floodlit synthetic football pitch and a comprehensive mix of swimming, sauna, gym and sports hall facilities. The electrical demand imposed by lighting for any business can be very significant, constituting up to 30% of the electrical power consumption. At the Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex a combination of new efficient light fittings and controls has improved lighting levels, reduced overall energy consumption by nearly 10% and provided substantial cost savings. The Carbon Trust has assisted the Council by identifying and prioritising energy saving opportunities and providing a prioritised implementation plan. This partnership arrangement and the Council's access to UK Pound 930,000 of 'spend to save' funding, provided by the Scottish Executive, has allowed the rapid implementation of energy efficiency measures. (GB)

Impulse control disorders and levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease: an update.

Science.gov (United States)

Voon, Valerie; Napier, T Celeste; Frank, Michael J; Sgambato-Faure, Veronique; Grace, Anthony A; Rodriguez-Oroz, Maria; Obeso, Jose; Bezard, Erwan; Fernagut, Pierre-Olivier

2017-03-01

Dopaminergic medications used in the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease are associated with motor and non-motor behavioural side-effects, such as dyskinesias and impulse control disorders also known as behavioural addictions. Levodopa-induced dyskinesias occur in up to 80% of patients with Parkinson's after a few years of chronic treatment. Impulse control disorders, including gambling disorder, binge eating disorder, compulsive sexual behaviour, and compulsive shopping occur in about 17% of patients with Parkinson's disease on dopamine agonists. These behaviours reflect the interactions of the dopaminergic medications with the individual's susceptibility, and the underlying neurobiology of Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonian rodent models show enhanced reinforcing effects of chronic dopaminergic medication, and a potential role for individual susceptibility. In patients with Parkinson's disease and impulse control disorders, impairments are observed across subtypes of decisional impulsivity, possibly reflecting uncertainty and the relative balance of rewards and losses. Impairments appear to be more specific to decisional than motor impulsivity, which might reflect differences in ventral and dorsal striatal engagement. Emerging evidence suggests impulse control disorder subtypes have dissociable correlates, which indicate that individual susceptibility predisposes towards the expression of different behavioural subtypes and neurobiological substrates. Therapeutic interventions to treat patients with Parkinson's disease and impulse control disorders have shown efficacy in randomised controlled trials. Large-scale studies are warranted to identify individual risk factors and novel therapeutic targets for these diseases. Mechanisms underlying impulse control disorders and dyskinesias could provide crucial insights into other behavioural symptoms in Parkinson's disease and addictions in the general population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

Biological control of banana black Sigatoka disease with Trichoderma

OpenAIRE

Poholl Adan Sagratzki Cavero; Rogério Eiji Hanada; Luadir Gasparotto; Rosalee Albuquerque Coelho Neto; Jorge Teodoro de Souza

2015-01-01

Black Sigatoka disease caused by Mycosphaerella fijiensis is the most severe banana disease worldwide. The pathogen is in an invasive phase in Brazil and is already present in most States of the country. The potential of 29 isolates of Trichoderma spp. was studied for the control of black Sigatoka disease under field conditions. Four isolates were able to significantly reduce disease severity and were further tested in a second field experiment. Isolate 2.047 showed the best results in both f...

'Locus of control', health-related quality of life, emotional distress and disability in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizza, Federica; Gison, Annalisa; Bonassi, Stefano; Dall'Armi, Valentina; Tonto, Francesca; Giaquinto, Salvatore

2017-06-01

This cross-sectional study evaluated locus of control and its subscales in Parkinson's disease. A total of 50 consecutive Parkinson's disease participants and 50 healthy volunteers (control group) were enrolled. External locus of control was significantly higher in Parkinson's disease participants, whereas internal locus of control had no significant differences. External locus of control and internal locus of control were correlated in control group, but not in Parkinson's disease. In Parkinson's disease participants, external locus of control was negatively associated with health-related quality of life as well as positively associated with emotional distress and disease severity (but not with disability). After adjusting to confound variables, the associations remained. On the other hand, internal locus of control was negatively associated with depression.

Molecular characterization of foot-and-mouth disease virus: implications for disease control in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Loth, L; Osmani, M G; Kalam, M A; Chakraborty, R K; Wadsworth, J; Knowles, N J; Hammond, J M; Benigno, C

2011-06-01

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in Bangladesh, and to implement an effective FMD control programme, it is essential to understand the complex epidemiology of the disease. Here, we report on the characterization of FMD virus (FMDV) recovered from FMD outbreaks in Bangladesh in late 2009. All isolated viruses belonged to the FMDV serotype O. The phylogenetic reconstruction showed that all isolates belonged to the Middle East-South Asia (ME-SA) topotype, but fell into two distinct sublineages, one named Ind-2001 (the other has not been named). Within both sublineages, the 2009 Bangladesh isolates were most closely related to viruses from Nepal collected during 2008 and 2009. Additionally, both sublineages contained older viruses from India collected in 2000 and 2001. In South Asia, there is extensive cross-border cattle movement from Nepal and India to Bangladesh. Both these findings have implications for the control of FMD in Bangladesh. Because of the porous borders, a regional FMD control strategy should be developed. Further, animal identification and monitoring animal movements are necessary to identify the cross-border movements and market chain interactions of ruminants, leading to improved border and movement controls. Additionally, a vaccination strategy should be developed with the initial objective of protecting small-scale dairy herds from disease. For any successful FMD control programme, long-term Government commitment and adequate resources are necessary. A sustainable programme will also need farmer education, commitment and financial contributions. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Global aspirations, local realities: the role of social science research in controlling neglected tropical diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Bardosh, Kevin

2014-01-01

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are both drivers and manifestations of poverty and social inequality. Increased advocacy efforts since the mid-2000s have led to ambitious new control and elimination targets set for 2020 by the World Health Organisation. While these global aspirations represent significant policy momentum, there are multifaceted challenges in controlling infectious diseases in resource-poor local contexts that need to be acknowledged, understood and engaged. However a number of recent publications have emphasised the "neglected" status of applied social science research on NTDs. In light of the 2020 targets, this paper explores the social science/NTD literature and unpacks some of the ways in which social inquiry can help support effective and sustainable interventions. Five priority areas are discussed, including on policy processes, health systems capacity, compliance and resistance to interventions, education and behaviour change, and community participation. The paper shows that despite the multifaceted value of having anthropological and sociological perspectives integrated into NTD programmes, contemporary efforts underutilise this potential. This is reflective of the dominance of top-down information flows and technocratic approaches in global health. To counter this tendency, social research needs to be more than an afterthought; integrating social inquiry into the planning, monitoring and evaluating process will help ensure that flexibility and adaptability to local realities are built into interventions. More emphasis on social science perspectives can also help link NTD control to broader social determinants of health, especially important given the major social and economic inequalities that continue to underpin transmission in endemic countries.

Interaction of post harvest disease control treatments and gamma irradiation on mangoes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, G.I.; Cooke, A.W. (Department of Primary Industries, Indooroopilly (Australia)); Boag, T.S. (Riverina-Murray Inst. of Higher Education, Wagga Wagga (Australia). School of Agriculture); Izard, M. (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights (Australia)); Panitz, M. (Committee of Direction of Fruit Marketing, Brisbane Markets (Australia)); Sangchote, S. (Kasetsart Univ., Bangkok (Thailand))

1990-04-01

The effects of gamma irradiation and disease control treatments on disease severity and post harvest quality of several mango cultivars were investigated. In mangoes cv. Kensington Pride, irradiation doses ranging from 300-1200 Gy reduced disease, but the level of control was not commercially acceptable. Hot benomyl immediately followed by irradiation provided effective control of anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) and stem end rot (Dothiorella dominicana) during short-term storage (15 days at 20degC). The effects of the two treatments were additive. Satisfactory disease control was achieved during long-term controlled atmosphere storage when mangoes were treated with hot benomyl followed by prochloraz and then irradiated. Effects of fungicide treatment and irradiation were additive. Fungicide, or irradiation treatments alone, were unsatisfactory. Irradiation of cv. Kensington Pride at doses in excess of 600 Gy caused unacceptable surface damage. (author).

Interaction of post harvest disease control treatments and gamma irradiation on mangoes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, G.I.; Cooke, A.W.; Boag, T.S.; Panitz, M.; Sangchote, S.

1990-01-01

The effects of gamma irradiation and disease control treatments on disease severity and post harvest quality of several mango cultivars were investigated. In mangoes cv. Kensington Pride, irradiation doses ranging from 300-1200 Gy reduced disease, but the level of control was not commercially acceptable. Hot benomyl immediately followed by irradiation provided effective control of anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) and stem end rot (Dothiorella dominicana) during short-term storage (15 days at 20degC). The effects of the two treatments were additive. Satisfactory disease control was achieved during long-term controlled atmosphere storage when mangoes were treated with hot benomyl followed by prochloraz and then irradiated. Effects of fungicide treatment and irradiation were additive. Fungicide, or irradiation treatments alone, were unsatisfactory. Irradiation of cv. Kensington Pride at doses in excess of 600 Gy caused unacceptable surface damage. (author)

Understanding disease control: influence of epidemiological and economic factors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Oleś

Full Text Available We present a model of disease transmission on a regular and small world network and compare different control options. Comparison is based on a total cost of epidemic, including cost of palliative treatment of ill individuals and preventive cost aimed at vaccination or culling of susceptible individuals. Disease is characterized by pre-symptomatic phase, which makes detection and control difficult. Three general strategies emerge: global preventive treatment, local treatment within a neighborhood of certain size and only palliative treatment with no prevention. While the choice between the strategies depends on a relative cost of palliative and preventive treatment, the details of the local strategy and, in particular, the size of the optimal treatment neighborhood depend on the epidemiological factors. The required extent of prevention is proportional to the size of the infection neighborhood, but depends on time till detection and time till treatment in a non-nonlinear (power law. The optimal size of control neighborhood is also highly sensitive to the relative cost, particularly for inefficient detection and control application. These results have important consequences for design of prevention strategies aiming at emerging diseases for which parameters are not nessecerly known in advance.

Study of system dynamics model and control of a high-power LED lighting luminaire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, B.-J.; Hsu, P.-C.; Wu, M.-S.; Tang, C.-W.

2007-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to design a current control system which is robust to the system dynamics uncertainty and the disturbance of ambient temperature to assure a stable optical output property of LED. The system dynamics model of the LED lighting system was first derived. A 96 W high-power LED luminaire was designed and built in the present study. The linearly perturbed system dynamics model for the LED luminaire is derived experimentally. The dynamics model of LED lighting system is of a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) system with two inputs (applied voltage and ambient temperature) and two outputs (forward current and heat conducting body temperature). A step response test method was employed to the 96 W LED luminaire to identify the system dynamics model. It is found that the current model is just a constant gain (resistance) and the disturbance model is of first order, both changing with operating conditions (voltage and ambient temperature). A feedback control system using PI algorithm was designed using the results of the system dynamics model. The control system was implemented on a PIC microprocessor. Experimental results show that the control system can stably and accurately control the LED current to a constant value at the variation of ambient temperature up to 40 o C. The control system is shown to have a robust property with respect to the plant uncertainty and the ambient temperature disturbance

[Trends of asthma control, disease management and perception in China].

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, J T; Wang, W Q; Zhou, X; Yin, K S; Liu, C T; Wang, C Z; Huang, M; Chen, P; Yuan, Y D; Cai, S X; Wu, C G; Li, J; Lin, Q C; Zhou, J Y; Liu, H G; Gu, Y H; Huang, X G; Sun, D J; Yang, X H; Yang, L; Huo, J M; Chen, Z C; Zhou, W; Jiang, P; Tang, H P; Liu, R Y; Zhang, W; Chen, Y Q; Huang, Y J; Liu, X J; Dai, L M; Ye, X W; Hu, C P; Zhang, J; Xu, J Y

2018-03-12

Objective: To evaluate the changes of asthma control, disease management and perception in recent years in China. Methods: We conducted 2 multi-center, cross-sectional surveys. Outpatient asthmatic patients from 10 cities in mainland China (2007-2008) and 30 central cities from 30 provinces in China (except Tibet)(2015-2016) were recruited respectively. Data of asthma control, disease management and perception from the 2 surveys were compared for 10 cities which took part in both of the 2 surveys. Chi-square test was used for comparison between groups. Results: The asthma control level improved from 28.7%(839/2 928) in 2007-2008 to 39.2%(533/1 361) in 2015-2016( P control asthma when asthma symptoms deteriorated in 2015-2016, which was higher than the result of 2007-2008(31.8%, 803/2 524)( P control and disease perception in China improved significantly in recent years, while the rate of PFM usage showed no significant improvement. Asthma action plan including PFM monitoring and asthma self-management should be further promoted nationwide.

[Project summarize of "reestablishing disease prevention and control system of China"].

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Mo; Yu, Jingjin; Yu, Mingzhu; Duan, Yong

2005-01-01

This paper introduced the project of "reestablishing the disease control and prevention system of China" in brief, including background, objectives, funding resources, researching objects and sampling methods. This project which funded by National Outstanding Younger Fund and the research fund of MOH aimed at nailing down the key problem existed in disease control and prevention system of China, demonstrating the reasons and mechanism of key problem, developing feasible policy idea and strategy. This paper also introduced some issues concerning the reestablishing of the disease control and prevention system of China: the definition of public function, the standard of human resource allocation and the standard of financing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 8 provinces, 80 cities and 80 counties have been sampled to provide information that project needed. In addition, this project also cited some data which come from the early study, in which 3 provinces, 12 counties, 49 towns, 179 villages and 9781 rural families have been sampled and investigated.

Daytime Cognitive Performance in Response to Sunlight or Fluorescent Light Controlling for Sleep Duration

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Jhanic; Zamos, Adela; Rao, Rohit; Flynn-Evans, Erin

2015-01-01

Light is the primary synchronizer of the human circadian rhythm and also has acute alerting effects. Our study involves and comparing the alertness, performance and sleep of participants in the NASA Ames Sustainability Base, which uses sunlight as its primary light source, to in a traditional office building which uses overhead florescent lighting and varying exposure to natural light. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of natural lighting as a primary light source improves daytime cognitive function and promotes nighttime sleep. Participants from the Sustainability Base will be matched by gender and age to individuals working in other NASA buildings. In a prior study we found no differences in performance between those working in the Sustainability Base and those working in other buildings. Unexpectedly, we found that the average sleep duration among participants in both buildings was short, which likely obscured our ability to detect a difference the effect of light exposure on alertness. Given that such sleep deprivation has negative effects on cognitive performance, in this iteration of the study we are asking the participants to maintain a regular schedule with eight hours in bed each night in order to control for the effect of self-selected sleep restriction. Over the course of one week, we will ask the participants to wear actiwatches continuously, complete a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and digit symbol substitution task (DSST) three times per day, and keep daily sleepwork diaries. We hope that this study will provide data to support the idea that natural lighting and green architectural design are optimal to enhance healthy nighttime sleep patterns and daytime cognitive performance.

Spectral quality affects disease development of three pathogens on hydroponically grown plants

Science.gov (United States)

Schuerger, A. C.; Brown, C. S.; Sager, J. C. (Principal Investigator)

1997-01-01

Plants were grown under light-emitting diode (LED) arrays with various spectra to determine the effects of light quality on the development of diseases caused by tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) on pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), powdery mildew [Sphaerotheca fuliginea (Schlectend:Fr.) Pollaci] on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), and bacterial wilt (Pseudomonas solanacearum Smith) on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). One LED (660) array supplied 99% red light at 660 nm (25 nm bandwidth at half-peak height) and 1% far-red light between 700 to 800 nm. A second LED (660/735) array supplied 83% red light at 660 nm and 17% far-red light at 735 nm (25 nm bandwidth at half-peak height). A third LED (660/BF) array supplied 98% red light at 660 nm, 1% blue light (BF) between 350 to 550 nm, and 1% far-red light between 700 to 800 nm. Control plants were grown under broad-spectrum metal halide (MH) lamps. Plants were grown at a mean photon flux (300 to 800 nm) of 330 micromoles m-2 s-1 under a 12-h day/night photoperiod. Spectral quality affected each pathosystem differently. In the ToMV/pepper pathosystem, disease symptoms developed slower and were less severe in plants grown under light sources that contained blue and UV-A wavelengths (MH and 660/BF treatments) compared to plants grown under light sources that lacked blue and UV-A wavelengths (660 and 660/735 LED arrays). In contrast, the number of colonies per leaf was highest and the mean colony diameters of S. fuliginea on cucumber plants were largest on leaves grown under the MH lamp (highest amount of blue and UV-A light) and least on leaves grown under the 660 LED array (no blue or UV-A light). The addition of far-red irradiation to the primary light source in the 660/735 LED array increased the colony counts per leaf in the S. fuliginea/cucumber pathosystem compared to the red-only (660) LED array. In the P. solanacearum/tomato pathosystem, disease symptoms were less severe in plants grown under the 660 LED array, but the

Radiological control aspects of the fabrication of the Light Water Breeder Reactor core (LWBR Development Program)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, B.G.

1979-05-01

A description is presented of the radiological control aspects of the fabrication of the Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) core. Included are the radiological control criteria applied for the design and use of fabrication facilities, the controls and limits imposed to minimize radiaion exposure to personnel, and an evaluation of the applied radiological program in meeting the program objectives. The goal of the LWBR program is to develop the technology to breed in light water reactors so that nuclear fuel may be used significantly more efficiently in these reactors. This technology is being developed by designing and fabricating a breeder reactor core, utilizing thoria (ThO 2 ) and binary thoria--urania (ThO 2 - 233 UO 2 ) fuel, to be operated in the existing pressurized water reactor plant owned by the Department of Energy at Shippingport, Pennsylvania

Leptospira Exposure and Patients with Liver Diseases: A Case-Control Seroprevalence Study

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Sánchez-Anguiano, Luis Francisco; Hernández-Tinoco, Jesús; Ramos-Nevárez, Agar; Margarita Cerrillo-Soto, Sandra; Alberto Guido-Arreola, Carlos

2016-01-01

The seroepidemiology of Leptospira infection in patients suffering from liver disease has been poorly studied. Information about risk factors associated with infection in liver disease patients may help in the optimal planning of preventive measures. We sought to determine the association of Leptospira IgG seroprevalence and patients with liver diseases, and to determine the characteristics of the patients with Leptospira exposure. We performed a case-control study of 75 patients suffering from liver diseases and 150 age- and gender-matched control subjects. Diagnoses of liver disease included liver cirrhosis, steatosis, chronic hepatitis, acute hepatitis, and amoebic liver abscess. Sera of participants were analyzed for the presence of anti- Leptospira IgG antibodies using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay. Anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies were found in 17 (22.7%) of 75 patients and in 15 (10.0%) of 150 control subjects (OR = 2.32; 95% CI: 1.09-4.94; P=0.03). This is the first age- and gender-matched case control study about Leptospira seroprevalence in patients with liver diseases. Results indicate that Leptospira infection is associated with chronic and acute liver diseases. Results warrants for additional studies on the role of Leptospira exposure in chronic liver disease. PMID:27493589

Enhancement of mosquito trapping efficiency by using pulse width modulated light emitting diodes

OpenAIRE

Liu, Yu-Nan; Liu, Yu-Jen; Chen, Yi-Chian; Ma, Hsin-Yi; Lee, Hsiao-Yi

2017-01-01

In this study, a light-driving bug zapper is presented for well controlling the diseases brought by insects, such as mosquitoes. In order to have the device efficient to trap the insect pests in off-grid areas, pulse width modulated light emitting diodes (PWM-LED) combined with a solar power module are proposed and implemented. With specific PWM electric signals to drive the LED, it is found that no matter what the ability of catching insects or the consumed power efficiency can be enhanced t...

Bacillus velezensis CC09: A Potential 'Vaccine' for Controlling Wheat Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Xingxing; Zhang, Wanling; Cai, Xunchao; Zhu, Tong; Xue, Yarong; Liu, Changhong

2018-04-11

Biocontrol bacteria that can act like a "vaccine", stimulating plant resistance to pathogenic diseases, are still not fully elucidated. In this study, an endophytic bacterium, Bacillus velezensis CC09, labeled with green fluorescent protein, was tested for its colonization, migration, and expression of genes encoding iturin A synthetase within wheat tissues and organs as well as for protective effects against wheat take-all and spot blotch diseases. The results showed that strain CC09 not only formed biofilm on the root surface but was also widely distributed in almost every tissue, including the epidermis, cortex, and xylem vessels, and even migrated to stems and leaves, resulting in 66.67% disease-control efficacy (DCE) of take-all and 21.64% DCE of spot blotch. Moreover, the gene cluster encoding iturin A synthase under the control of the p itu promoter is expressed in B. velezensis CC09 in wheat tissues, which indicates that iturin A might contribute to the in-vivo antifungal activity and leads to the disease control. All these data suggested that strain CC09 can act like a 'vaccine' in the control of wheat diseases, with a single treatment inoculated on roots through multiple mechanisms.

Disease management program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Kathryn L; Dewan, Naresh; Bloomfield, Hanna E; Grill, Joseph; Schult, Tamara M; Nelson, David B; Kumari, Sarita; Thomas, Mel; Geist, Lois J; Beaner, Caroline; Caldwell, Michael; Niewoehner, Dennis E

2010-10-01

The effect of disease management for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not well established. To determine whether a simplified disease management program reduces hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits due to COPD. We performed a randomized, adjudicator-blinded, controlled, 1-year trial at five Veterans Affairs medical centers of 743 patients with severe COPD and one or more of the following during the previous year: hospital admission or ED visit for COPD, chronic home oxygen use, or course of systemic corticosteroids for COPD. Control group patients received usual care. Intervention group patients received a single 1- to 1.5-hour education session, an action plan for self-treatment of exacerbations, and monthly follow-up calls from a case manager. We determined the combined number of COPD-related hospitalizations and ED visits per patient. Secondary outcomes included hospitalizations and ED visits for all causes, respiratory medication use, mortality, and change in Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire. After 1 year, the mean cumulative frequency of COPD-related hospitalizations and ED visits was 0.82 per patient in usual care and 0.48 per patient in disease management (difference, 0.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.15-0.52; P management reduced hospitalizations for cardiac or pulmonary conditions other than COPD by 49%, hospitalizations for all causes by 28%, and ED visits for all causes by 27% (P management program reduced hospitalizations and ED visits for COPD. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00126776).

Electromagnetically Induced Transparency and Absorption of A Monochromatic Light Controlled by a Radio Frequency Field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai Xun-Ming

2015-01-01

Electromagnetically induced transparency and absorption of a monochromatic light controlled by a radio frequency field in the cold multi-Zeeman-sublevel atoms are theoretically investigated. These Zeeman sublevels are coupled by a radio frequency (RF) field. Both electromagnetically induced transparency and electromagnetically induced absorption can be obtained by tuning the frequency of RF field for both the linear polarization and elliptical polarization monochromatic lights. When the transfer of coherence via spontaneous emission from the excited state to the ground state is considered, electromagnetically induced absorption can be changed into electromagnetically induced transparency with the change of intensity of radio field. The transparency windows controlled by the RF field can have potential applications in the magnetic-field measurement and quantum information processing. (electromagnetism, optics, acoustics, heat transfer, classical mechanics, and fluid dynamics)

Exploring Direct 3D Interaction for Full Horizontal Parallax Light Field Displays Using Leap Motion Controller

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vamsi Kiran Adhikarla

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on the design and evaluation of direct 3D gesture interaction with a full horizontal parallax light field display. A light field display defines a visual scene using directional light beams emitted from multiple light sources as if they are emitted from scene points. Each scene point is rendered individually resulting in more realistic and accurate 3D visualization compared to other 3D displaying technologies. We propose an interaction setup combining the visualization of objects within the Field Of View (FOV of a light field display and their selection through freehand gesture tracked by the Leap Motion Controller. The accuracy and usefulness of the proposed interaction setup was also evaluated in a user study with test subjects. The results of the study revealed high user preference for free hand interaction with light field display as well as relatively low cognitive demand of this technique. Further, our results also revealed some limitations and adjustments of the proposed setup to be addressed in future work.

Self-managed eHealth Disease Monitoring in Children and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlsen, Katrine; Jakobsen, Christian; Houen, Gunnar; Kallemose, Thomas; Paerregaard, Anders; Riis, Lene B; Munkholm, Pia; Wewer, Vibeke

2017-03-01

To evaluate the impact of eHealth on disease activity, the need for hospital contacts, and medical adherence in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Furthermore, to assess eHealth's influence on school attendance and quality of life (QoL). Patients with IBD, 10 to 17 years attending a public university hospital, were prospectively randomized to a 2-year open label case-controlled eHealth intervention. The eHealth-group used the web-application young.constant-care.com (YCC) on a monthly basis and in case of flare-ups, and were seen at one annual preplanned outpatient visit. The control-group continued standard visits every third month. Every 3 months, both groups had blood and fecal calprotectin tested and the following were assessed: escalation in medication, disease activity, hospital contacts, medical adherence, school absence, and QoL. Fifty-three patients in nonbiological treatment were included (27 eHealth/26 control). We found no differences between the groups regarding escalation in treatment and disease activity (symptoms, fecal calprotectin, and blood). The number of total outpatient visits (mean: eHealth 3.26, SEM 0.51; control 7.31, SEM 0.69; P eHealth 1.6, SEM 0.5; control 16.5, SEM 4.4; P eHealth-group. No differences in medical adherence and QoL were found. Adherence to YCC was 81% (384 of the 475 expected entries). None of the patients or parents felt unsafe using the eHealth system. The use of eHealth in children and adolescents with IBD is feasible, does not lead to impaired disease control, and can be managed by the patients without risk of increased disease activity.

Imaging the onset kinetics of the swarming transition using light-controlled bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Yi; Tai, Yishu; Zhang, Kechun; Cheng, Xiang

Active fluids are a novel class of nonequilibrium soft materials, which are composed of a large number of self-propelled particles. These particles collectively form coherent structures at high densities, as illustrated vividly by the striking patterns of flocking birds, schooling fishes and swarming bacteria. Although the disorder-swarming transition of active fluids has been extensively studied, its very nature is still under heated debate. Here, using an engineered E. coli strain, whose locomotion can be reversibly controlled by light, we experimentally study the onset of the swarming transition of active fluids and explore its kinetic pathway. Particularly, we trigger bacterial swarming using a blue light and image the emergence of the collective structure in concentrated bacterial suspensions. We find a discontinuous jump in the order parameter of the transition and observe a hysteresis in the formation of swarming, which indicate the discontinuous nature. We further investigate the microscopic dynamics in the context of nucleation-and-growth processes and measure the incubation time and the size distribution of nuclei. Our study sheds light on the phase transition of active fluids and the emergent properties of many-body nonequilibrium systems.

50 CFR 35.7 - Control of wildfires, insects, pest plants, and disease.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Control of wildfires, insects, pest plants... MANAGEMENT General Rules § 35.7 Control of wildfires, insects, pest plants, and disease. To the extent necessary, the Director shall prescribe measures to control wildfires, insects, pest plants, and disease to...

75 FR 76987 - Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-10

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP): Epidemiologic and Ecologic...), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the aforementioned meeting: Time and...

Dopamine agonists and risk: impulse control disorders in Parkinson's; disease

OpenAIRE

Voon, Valerie; Gao, Jennifer; Brezing, Christina; Symmonds, Mkael; Ekanayake, Vindhya; Fernandez, Hubert; Dolan, Raymond J.; Hallett, Mark

2011-01-01

Impulse control disorders are common in Parkinson's; disease, occurring in 13.6% of patients. Using a pharmacological manipulation and a novel risk taking task while performing functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated the relationship between dopamine agonists and risk taking in patients with Parkinson's; disease with and without impulse control disorders. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, subjects chose between two choices of equal expected value: a ‘Sure’ choice an...

Ultraviolet light and cutaneous lupus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bijl, Marc; Kallenberg, Cees G. M.

2006-01-01

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light is one of the major factors known to trigger cutaneous disease activity in (systemic) lupus erythematosus patients. UV light, UVB in particular, is a potent inducer of apoptosis. Currently, disturbed clearance of apoptotic cells is one of the concepts explaining

Investigating the Role of International Law in Controlling Communicable Diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aliasghar Kheirkhah

2017-02-01

Full Text Available International law globally plays a key role in the surveillance and control of communicable diseases. Throughout the nineteenth century, international law played a dominant role in harmonizing the inconsistent national quarantine regulations of European nation states; facilitating the exchange of epidemiological information on infectious diseases; establishing international health organizations; and standardization of surveillance. Today, due to changed forms of infectious diseases and individuals' lifestyles as well as individuals' proximity caused by increased air travels, communicable diseases are in an international and cross-border form. In this regard, binding regulations and inconsistent rules adopted in international multilateral institutions like the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization can be of great use in surveillance and control of communicable diseases. With the globalization of public health, international law can be used as an essential tool in monitoring global health and reducing human vulnerability and mortality.

Size variability of the unit building block of peripheral light-harvesting antennas as a strategy for effective functioning of antennas of variable size that is controlled in vivo by light intensity.

Science.gov (United States)

Taisova, A S; Yakovlev, A G; Fetisova, Z G

2014-03-01

This work continuous a series of studies devoted to discovering principles of organization of natural antennas in photosynthetic microorganisms that generate in vivo large and highly effective light-harvesting structures. The largest antenna is observed in green photosynthesizing bacteria, which are able to grow over a wide range of light intensities and adapt to low intensities by increasing of size of peripheral BChl c/d/e antenna. However, increasing antenna size must inevitably cause structural changes needed to maintain high efficiency of its functioning. Our model calculations have demonstrated that aggregation of the light-harvesting antenna pigments represents one of the universal structural factors that optimize functioning of any antenna and manage antenna efficiency. If the degree of aggregation of antenna pigments is a variable parameter, then efficiency of the antenna increases with increasing size of a single aggregate of the antenna. This means that change in degree of pigment aggregation controlled by light-harvesting antenna size is biologically expedient. We showed in our previous work on the oligomeric chlorosomal BChl c superantenna of green bacteria of the Chloroflexaceae family that this principle of optimization of variable antenna structure, whose size is controlled by light intensity during growth of bacteria, is actually realized in vivo. Studies of this phenomenon are continued in the present work, expanding the number of studied biological materials and investigating optical linear and nonlinear spectra of chlorosomes having different structures. We show for oligomeric chlorosomal superantennas of green bacteria (from two different families, Chloroflexaceae and Oscillochloridaceae) that a single BChl c aggregate is of small size, and the degree of BChl c aggregation is a variable parameter, which is controlled by the size of the entire BChl c superantenna, and the latter, in turn, is controlled by light intensity in the course of cell

Light Controls Cytokinin Signaling via Transcriptional Regulation of Constitutively Active Sensor Histidine Kinase CKI1.

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Dobisova, Tereza; Hrdinova, Vendula; Cuesta, Candela; Michlickova, Sarka; Urbankova, Ivana; Hejatkova, Romana; Zadnikova, Petra; Pernisova, Marketa; Benkova, Eva; Hejatko, Jan

2017-05-01

In plants, the multistep phosphorelay (MSP) pathway mediates a range of regulatory processes, including those activated by cytokinins. The cross talk between cytokinin response and light has been known for a long time. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between light and cytokinin signaling remains elusive. In the screen for upstream regulators we identified a LONG PALE HYPOCOTYL ( LPH ) gene whose activity is indispensable for spatiotemporally correct expression of CYTOKININ INDEPENDENT1 ( CKI1 ), encoding the constitutively active sensor His kinase that activates MSP signaling. lph is a new allele of HEME OXYGENASE1 ( HY1 ) that encodes the key protein in the biosynthesis of phytochromobilin, a cofactor of photoconvertible phytochromes. Our analysis confirmed the light-dependent regulation of the CKI1 expression pattern. We show that CKI1 expression is under the control of phytochrome A (phyA), functioning as a dual (both positive and negative) regulator of CKI1 expression, presumably via the phyA-regulated transcription factors (TF) PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR3 and CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED1. Changes in CKI1 expression observed in lph / hy1 - 7 and phy mutants correlate with misregulation of MSP signaling, changed cytokinin sensitivity, and developmental aberrations that were previously shown to be associated with cytokinin and/or CKI1 action. Besides that, we demonstrate a novel role of phyA-dependent CKI1 expression in the hypocotyl elongation and hook development during skotomorphogenesis. Based on these results, we propose that the light-dependent regulation of CKI1 provides a plausible mechanistic link underlying the well-known interaction between light- and cytokinin-controlled plant development. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Sleep Disruption and Daytime Sleepiness Correlating with Disease Severity and Insulin Resistance in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Comparison with Healthy Controls.

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Christine Bernsmeier

Full Text Available Sleep disturbance is associated with the development of obesity, diabetes and hepatic steatosis in murine models. Hepatic triglyceride accumulation oscillates in a circadian rhythm regulated by clock genes, light-dark cycle and feeding time in mice. The role of the sleep-wake cycle in the pathogenesis of human non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is indeterminate. We sought to detail sleep characteristics, daytime sleepiness and meal times in relation to disease severity in patients with NAFLD.Basic Sleep duration and latency, daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale, Pittsburgh sleep quality index, positive and negative affect scale, Munich Chronotype Questionnaire and an eating habit questionnaire were assessed in 46 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 22 healthy controls, and correlated with biochemical and histological parameters.In NAFLD compared to healthy controls, time to fall asleep was vastly prolonged (26.9 vs. 9.8 min., p = 0.0176 and sleep duration was shortened (6.3 vs. 7.2 hours, p = 0.0149. Sleep quality was poor (Pittsburgh sleep quality index 8.2 vs. 4.7, p = 0.0074 and correlated with changes in affect. Meal frequency was shifted towards night-times (p = 0.001. In NAFLD but not controls, daytime sleepiness significantly correlated with liver enzymes (ALAT [r = 0.44, p = 0.0029], ASAT [r = 0.46, p = 0.0017] and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR [r = 0.5, p = 0.0009] independent of cirrhosis. In patients with fibrosis, daytime sleepiness correlated with the degree of fibrosis (r = 0.364, p = 0.019.In NAFLD sleep duration was shortened, sleep onset was delayed and sleep quality poor. Food-intake was shifted towards the night. Daytime sleepiness was positively linked to biochemical and histologic surrogates of disease severity. The data may indicate a role for sleep-wake cycle regulation and timing of food-intake in the pathogenesis of human NAFLD as suggested from murine models.

The role of nutrition in integrated programs to control neglected tropical diseases

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Hall Andrew

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract There are strong and direct relationships between undernutrition and the disease caused by infectious organisms, including the diverse pathogens labeled as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs. Undernutrition increases the risk of infection, the severity of disease and the risk that children will die, while the physical damage, loss of appetite, and host responses during chronic infection can contribute substantially to undernutrition. These relationships are often synergistic. This opinion article examines the role of nutrition in controlling NTDs and makes the point that mass drug treatment - the major strategy currently proposed to control several diseases - is crucial to controlling disease and transmission, but is only the start of the process of physical recovery. Without adequate energy and nutrients to repair damaged tissues or recover lost growth and development, the benefits of treatment may not be evident quickly; the effects of control programs may be not appreciated by beneficiaries; while vulnerability to reinfection and disease may not be reduced. There is substantial potential for nutritional interventions to be added to large-scale programs to deliver drug treatments and thereby contribute, within a broad strategy of public health interventions and behavior change activities, to controlling and preventing NTDs in populations, and to restoring their health.

76 FR 4911 - Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel: Occupational...

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2011-01-27

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel: Occupational Safety and Health...)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), the Centers for Disease Control and...