Double evolutsional artificial bee colony algorithm for multiple traveling salesman problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xue Ming Hao

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The double evolutional artificial bee colony algorithm (DEABC is proposed for solving the single depot multiple traveling salesman problem (MTSP. The proposed DEABC algorithm, which takes advantage of the strength of the upgraded operators, is characterized by its guidance in exploitation search and diversity in exploration search. The double evolutional process for exploitation search is composed of two phases of half stochastic optimal search, and the diversity generating operator for exploration search is used for solutions which cannot be improved after limited times. The computational results demonstrated the superiority of our algorithm over previous state-of-the-art methods.

Application of artificial seeds in rapid multiplication of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ajl user 3

2011-11-09

Nov 9, 2011 ... In this study, a method which produces artificial seeds of Pseudostellaria heterophylla was presented. The micro-tubers ... traditional herb used for hundreds of years in China to .... One of the advantages of artificial seed production is that it is not ... neration system, relative cost of a specific application for.

A Hybrid Fuzzy Time Series Approach Based on Fuzzy Clustering and Artificial Neural Network with Single Multiplicative Neuron Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ozge Cagcag Yolcu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Particularly in recent years, artificial intelligence optimization techniques have been used to make fuzzy time series approaches more systematic and improve forecasting performance. Besides, some fuzzy clustering methods and artificial neural networks with different structures are used in the fuzzification of observations and determination of fuzzy relationships, respectively. In approaches considering the membership values, the membership values are determined subjectively or fuzzy outputs of the system are obtained by considering that there is a relation between membership values in identification of relation. This necessitates defuzzification step and increases the model error. In this study, membership values were obtained more systematically by using Gustafson-Kessel fuzzy clustering technique. The use of artificial neural network with single multiplicative neuron model in identification of fuzzy relation eliminated the architecture selection problem as well as the necessity for defuzzification step by constituting target values from real observations of time series. The training of artificial neural network with single multiplicative neuron model which is used for identification of fuzzy relation step is carried out with particle swarm optimization. The proposed method is implemented using various time series and the results are compared with those of previous studies to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method.

Gain Enhanced On-Chip Folded Dipole Antenna Utilizing Artificial Magnetic Conductor at 94 GHz

KAUST Repository

Nafe, Mahmoud; Syed, Ahad; Shamim, Atif

2017-01-01

On-chip antennas suffer from low gain values and distorted radiation patterns due to lossy and high permittivity Si substrate. An ideal solution would be to isolate the lossy Si substrate from the antenna through a Perfect Electric Conductor (PEC) ground plane, however the typical CMOS stack up which has multiple metal layers embedded in a thin oxide layer does not permit this. In this work, an Artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) reflecting surface has been utilized to isolate the Si substrate from the antenna. Contrary to the previous reports, the AMC structure is completely embedded in the thin oxide layer with the ground plane above the Si substrate. In this approach, the AMC surface acts for the first time as both a reflector and a silicon shield. As a result the antenna radiation pattern is not distorted and its gain is improved by 8 dB. The fabricated prototype demonstrates good impedance and radiation characteristics.

Gain Enhanced On-Chip Folded Dipole Antenna Utilizing Artificial Magnetic Conductor at 94 GHz

KAUST Repository

Nafe, Mahmoud

2017-09-05

On-chip antennas suffer from low gain values and distorted radiation patterns due to lossy and high permittivity Si substrate. An ideal solution would be to isolate the lossy Si substrate from the antenna through a Perfect Electric Conductor (PEC) ground plane, however the typical CMOS stack up which has multiple metal layers embedded in a thin oxide layer does not permit this. In this work, an Artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) reflecting surface has been utilized to isolate the Si substrate from the antenna. Contrary to the previous reports, the AMC structure is completely embedded in the thin oxide layer with the ground plane above the Si substrate. In this approach, the AMC surface acts for the first time as both a reflector and a silicon shield. As a result the antenna radiation pattern is not distorted and its gain is improved by 8 dB. The fabricated prototype demonstrates good impedance and radiation characteristics.

Daily Suspended Sediment Discharge Prediction Using Multiple Linear Regression and Artificial Neural Network

Science.gov (United States)

Uca; Toriman, Ekhwan; Jaafar, Othman; Maru, Rosmini; Arfan, Amal; Saleh Ahmar, Ansari

2018-01-01

Prediction of suspended sediment discharge in a catchments area is very important because it can be used to evaluation the erosion hazard, management of its water resources, water quality, hydrology project management (dams, reservoirs, and irrigation) and to determine the extent of the damage that occurred in the catchments. Multiple Linear Regression analysis and artificial neural network can be used to predict the amount of daily suspended sediment discharge. Regression analysis using the least square method, whereas artificial neural networks using Radial Basis Function (RBF) and feedforward multilayer perceptron with three learning algorithms namely Levenberg-Marquardt (LM), Scaled Conjugate Descent (SCD) and Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno Quasi-Newton (BFGS). The number neuron of hidden layer is three to sixteen, while in output layer only one neuron because only one output target. The mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), coefficient of determination (R2 ) and coefficient of efficiency (CE) of the multiple linear regression (MLRg) value Model 2 (6 input variable independent) has the lowest the value of MAE and RMSE (0.0000002 and 13.6039) and highest R2 and CE (0.9971 and 0.9971). When compared between LM, SCG and RBF, the BFGS model structure 3-7-1 is the better and more accurate to prediction suspended sediment discharge in Jenderam catchment. The performance value in testing process, MAE and RMSE (13.5769 and 17.9011) is smallest, meanwhile R2 and CE (0.9999 and 0.9998) is the highest if it compared with the another BFGS Quasi-Newton model (6-3-1, 9-10-1 and 12-12-1). Based on the performance statistics value, MLRg, LM, SCG, BFGS and RBF suitable and accurately for prediction by modeling the non-linear complex behavior of suspended sediment responses to rainfall, water depth and discharge. The comparison between artificial neural network (ANN) and MLRg, the MLRg Model 2 accurately for to prediction suspended sediment discharge (kg

MEMS flexible artificial basilar membrane fabricated from piezoelectric aluminum nitride on an SU-8 substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Jongmoon; Choi, Hongsoo; Jang, Jeong Hun

2017-01-01

In this paper, we present a flexible artificial basilar membrane (FABM) that mimics the passive mechanical frequency selectivity of the basilar membrane. The FABM is composed of a cantilever array made of piezoelectric aluminum nitride (AlN) on an SU-8 substrate. We analyzed the orientations of the AlN crystals using scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. The AIN crystals are oriented in the c -axis (0 0 2) plane and effective piezoelectric coefficient was measured as 3.52 pm V −1 . To characterize the frequency selectivity of the FABM, mechanical displacements were measured using a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer. When electrical and acoustic stimuli were applied, the measured resonance frequencies were in the ranges of 663.0–2369 Hz and 659.4–2375 Hz, respectively. These results demonstrate that the mechanical frequency selectivity of this piezoelectric FABM is close to the human communication frequency range (300–3000 Hz), which is a vital feature of potential auditory prostheses. (paper)

Growth of InGaN multiple quantum wells and GaN eplilayer on GaN substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sung-Nam; Paek, H.S.; Son, J.K.; Sakong, T.; Yoon, E.; Nam, O.H.; Park, Y.

2006-01-01

We investigated that the surface morphology of GaN epilayers was significantly affected by the surface tilt orientation of GaN substrate. Surface morphologies of GaN epilayers on GaN substrates show three types: mirror, wavy, and hillock. These surface morphologies are dependent on the surface orientation of GaN substrates. It is found that the hillock morphology of GaN epilayer was formed on the GaN substrate with surface tilt orientation less than 0.1 o . As the surface tilt angle increased to 0.35 o , the surface morphology varied from hillock to wavy morphology. Above a surface tilt angle of 0.4 o , surface morphology changed to the mirror-like type morphology. Additionally, these three types of GaN surface morphology also affected the optical quality of GaN epilayers as well as InGaN multiple quantum wells on GaN substrates by non-uniform In incorporation on the different surface morphologies of GaN epilayers

Comparison of multiple linear regression and artificial neural network in developing the objective functions of the orthopaedic screws.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Ching-Chi; Lin, Jinn; Chao, Ching-Kong

2011-12-01

Optimizing the orthopaedic screws can greatly improve their biomechanical performances. However, a methodical design optimization approach requires a long time to search the best design. Thus, the surrogate objective functions of the orthopaedic screws should be accurately developed. To our knowledge, there is no study to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the surrogate methods in developing the objective functions of the orthopaedic screws. Three-dimensional finite element models for both the tibial locking screws and the spinal pedicle screws were constructed and analyzed. Then, the learning data were prepared according to the arrangement of the Taguchi orthogonal array, and the verification data were selected with use of a randomized selection. Finally, the surrogate objective functions were developed by using either the multiple linear regression or the artificial neural network. The applicability and accuracy of those surrogate methods were evaluated and discussed. The multiple linear regression method could successfully construct the objective function of the tibial locking screws, but it failed to develop the objective function of the spinal pedicle screws. The artificial neural network method showed a greater capacity of prediction in developing the objective functions for the tibial locking screws and the spinal pedicle screws than the multiple linear regression method. The artificial neural network method may be a useful option for developing the objective functions of the orthopaedic screws with a greater structural complexity. The surrogate objective functions of the orthopaedic screws could effectively decrease the time and effort required for the design optimization process. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fluid-driven origami-inspired artificial muscles

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuguang; Vogt, Daniel M.; Rus, Daniela; Wood, Robert J.

2017-12-01

Artificial muscles hold promise for safe and powerful actuation for myriad common machines and robots. However, the design, fabrication, and implementation of artificial muscles are often limited by their material costs, operating principle, scalability, and single-degree-of-freedom contractile actuation motions. Here we propose an architecture for fluid-driven origami-inspired artificial muscles. This concept requires only a compressible skeleton, a flexible skin, and a fluid medium. A mechanical model is developed to explain the interaction of the three components. A fabrication method is introduced to rapidly manufacture low-cost artificial muscles using various materials and at multiple scales. The artificial muscles can be programed to achieve multiaxial motions including contraction, bending, and torsion. These motions can be aggregated into systems with multiple degrees of freedom, which are able to produce controllable motions at different rates. Our artificial muscles can be driven by fluids at negative pressures (relative to ambient). This feature makes actuation safer than most other fluidic artificial muscles that operate with positive pressures. Experiments reveal that these muscles can contract over 90% of their initial lengths, generate stresses of ˜600 kPa, and produce peak power densities over 2 kW/kg—all equal to, or in excess of, natural muscle. This architecture for artificial muscles opens the door to rapid design and low-cost fabrication of actuation systems for numerous applications at multiple scales, ranging from miniature medical devices to wearable robotic exoskeletons to large deployable structures for space exploration.

Complex laterally ordered InGaAs and InAs quantum dots by guided self-organized anisotropic strain engineering on artificially patterned GaAs (3 1 1)B substrates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Selçuk, E.; Hamhuis, G.J.; Nötzel, R.

2009-01-01

Self-organized anisotropic strain engineering is combined with growth on artificially patterned GaAs (3 1 1)B substrates to realize complex lateral ordering of InGaAs and InAs quantum dots (QDs) guided by steps and facets generated along the pattern sidewalls. Depending on the pattern design, size,

Fluid-driven origami-inspired artificial muscles.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuguang; Vogt, Daniel M; Rus, Daniela; Wood, Robert J

2017-12-12

Artificial muscles hold promise for safe and powerful actuation for myriad common machines and robots. However, the design, fabrication, and implementation of artificial muscles are often limited by their material costs, operating principle, scalability, and single-degree-of-freedom contractile actuation motions. Here we propose an architecture for fluid-driven origami-inspired artificial muscles. This concept requires only a compressible skeleton, a flexible skin, and a fluid medium. A mechanical model is developed to explain the interaction of the three components. A fabrication method is introduced to rapidly manufacture low-cost artificial muscles using various materials and at multiple scales. The artificial muscles can be programed to achieve multiaxial motions including contraction, bending, and torsion. These motions can be aggregated into systems with multiple degrees of freedom, which are able to produce controllable motions at different rates. Our artificial muscles can be driven by fluids at negative pressures (relative to ambient). This feature makes actuation safer than most other fluidic artificial muscles that operate with positive pressures. Experiments reveal that these muscles can contract over 90% of their initial lengths, generate stresses of ∼600 kPa, and produce peak power densities over 2 kW/kg-all equal to, or in excess of, natural muscle. This architecture for artificial muscles opens the door to rapid design and low-cost fabrication of actuation systems for numerous applications at multiple scales, ranging from miniature medical devices to wearable robotic exoskeletons to large deployable structures for space exploration. Copyright © 2017 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Multiple simultaneous fault diagnosis via hierarchical and single artificial neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eslamloueyan, R.; Shahrokhi, M.; Bozorgmehri, R.

2003-01-01

Process fault diagnosis involves interpreting the current status of the plant given sensor reading and process knowledge. There has been considerable work done in this area with a variety of approaches being proposed for process fault diagnosis. Neural networks have been used to solve process fault diagnosis problems in chemical process, as they are well suited for recognizing multi-dimensional nonlinear patterns. In this work, the use of Hierarchical Artificial Neural Networks in diagnosing the multi-faults of a chemical process are discussed and compared with that of Single Artificial Neural Networks. The lower efficiency of Hierarchical Artificial Neural Networks , in comparison to Single Artificial Neural Networks, in process fault diagnosis is elaborated and analyzed. Also, the concept of a multi-level selection switch is presented and developed to improve the performance of hierarchical artificial neural networks. Simulation results indicate that application of multi-level selection switch increase the performance of the hierarchical artificial neural networks considerably

Quality of the Fosso della Casaccia: analysis of the macroinvertebrates colonizing artificial substrates; Stato di qualita` del fosso della Casaccia: analisi dei macroinvertebrati che colonizzano substrati artificiali

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prato, S.; Morgana, J.G.; Antonelli, D.; Folletto, A. [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Rome (Italy). Dipt. Ambiente

1999-01-01

Aim of this work is to analyse the environmental quality of a small stream, the Fosso della Casaccia, flowing near Research Centre of ENEA (Rome, Central Italy). The study was carried out comparing zoo benthic communities of two sampling sites, chosen upstream and downstream the sewage of the Research Centre. Macro invertebrates were sampled using artificial substrates and standard hand net. Taxa number and distribution along along the watercourse were compared. Moreover, biotic index values (I.B.E.=Indice Biotico Esteso) were calculated using data on macro invertebrates collected with both sampling methodologies. Artificial substrates were also useful in establishing colonization patterns at each sampling site, and bio masses of individuals belonging to different trophic groups. The results show the greater sampling effectiveness of artificial substrates, confirming their usefulness for establishing the environmental quality. [Italiano] Il presente lavoro prende in considerazione la qualita` ambientale del Fosso della Casaccia, un piccolo corso d`acqua che scorre in prossimita` del Centro di Ricerche ENEA Casaccia (Italia Centrale). Lo studio e` stato realizzato in base al confronto fra le comunita` zoobentoniche di due stazioni sperimentali situate a monte e a valle dello scarico di acque reflue del centro. Il campionamento dei macroinvertebrati e` stato effettuato utilizzando due diversi metodi di raccolta: i substrati artificiali e il retino immanicato standard. Gli organismi sono stati classificati in unita` sistematiche, e si e` analizzata la loro distribuzione lungo il corso d`acqua. Inoltre sono stati calcolati i valori degli indici biotici I.B.E. (Indice Biotico Esteso) utilizzando i dati ottenuti con le due metodologie di campionamento. L`uso di substrati artificiali in ogni stazione di campionamento e` stato utile anche per stabilire il tipo di colonizzazione, l`abbondanza e le biomasse degli individui appartenenti ai vari gruppi trofici. I nostri

Multiple growths of epitaxial lift-off solar cells from a single InP substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kyusang; Shiu, Kuen-Ting; Zimmerman, Jeramy D.; Forrest, Stephen R.; Renshaw, Christopher K.

2010-01-01

We demonstrate multiple growths of flexible, thin-film indium tin oxide-InP Schottky-barrier solar cells on a single InP wafer via epitaxial lift-off (ELO). Layers that protect the InP parent wafer surface during the ELO process are subsequently removed by selective wet-chemical etching, with the active solar cell layers transferred to a thin, flexible plastic host substrate by cold welding at room temperature. The first- and second-growth solar cells exhibit no performance degradation under simulated Atmospheric Mass 1.5 Global (AM 1.5G) illumination, and have a power conversion efficiency of η p =14.4±0.4% and η p =14.8±0.2%, respectively. The current-voltage characteristics for the solar cells and atomic force microscope images of the substrate indicate that the parent wafer is undamaged, and is suitable for reuse after ELO and the protection-layer removal processes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction observation, and three-dimensional surface profiling show a surface that is comparable or improved to the original epiready wafer following ELO. Wafer reuse over multiple cycles suggests that high-efficiency; single-crystal thin-film solar cells may provide a practical path to low-cost solar-to-electrical energy conversion.

Artificial Material Integrated Ultra-wideband Tapered Slot Antenna for Gain Enhancement with Band Notch Characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Singha

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The gain of the ultra-wideband tapered slot antenna (TSA is enhanced by using broadband artificial material with band notch characteristics. The proposed artificial material unit cell is designed by fabricating non-resonant three S-shaped parallel metallic line on single side of the dielectric substrate which provides a longer current path compared to the parallel-line structure. The proposed S-shaped structure is printed on the top side of the tapered slot antenna in the extended substrate periodically. The effective refractive index of the artificial material is lower than antenna substrate and phase velocity in the region of artificial material is much higher than the other region. Therefore, the proposed artificial material acts like a beam focusing lens. The band notch at 5.5 GHz is achieved by creating a split ring resonator (SRR slot near the balun. The basic and artificial material loaded TSAs are fabricated and the measurement results show that the gain of the basic antenna has been increased by 1.6 dBi. At the same time, the proposed antenna achieves a VSWR below 2 from 3 to 11 GHz except at 5.5 GHz with a notch band from 5.1 to 5.8 GHz for band rejection of wireless local area network (WLAN application.

A theoretical study on Love wave sensors in a structure with multiple viscoelastic layers on a piezoelectric substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Jiansheng

2014-01-01

A theoretical method is used to analyze the performance of Love wave sensors with multiple viscoelastic guiding layers on a piezoelectric substrate. The method is based upon the theoretical model for multi-elastic-layer piezoelectric Love waves and the Maxwell–Weichert model for viscoelastic materials. The relationship between sensor performance and the characteristics of Love waves is discussed. Numerical calculation is completed for a Love wave delay line consisting of a viscoelastic SU-8 layer, an elastic SiO 2 layer, an ST-90°X quartz substrate and two interdigital transducers (IDTs) with a period of 40 μm deposited on the substrate surface. The calculated results prove that a Love wave sensor with such a two-layer structure can achieve better performance than a Love wave sensor with only one (visco)elastic or elastic guiding layer. Some interesting abnormal phenomena, such as an oscillation in mass velocity sensitivity (S mv ), are predicted at the area where tail-raising occurs in the propagation velocity. The method and the numerical results presented in this work may help in the development of a high-performing Love wave sensor with multiple layers. (papers)

Ciliated protozoa of two antarctic lakes: analysis by quantitative protargol staining and examination of artificial substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Kepner, R. L. Jr; Wharton, R. A. Jr; Coats, D. W.; Wharton RA, J. r. (Principal Investigator)

1999-01-01

Planktonic and artificial substrate-associated ciliates have been identified in two perennially ice-covered antarctic lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Abundances estimated by quantitative protargol staining ranged from < 5 to 31690 cells l-1, levels that are comparable to those previously obtained using other methods. Nineteen ciliate taxa were identified from these lakes, with the most frequently encountered genera being Plagiocampa, Askenasia, Monodinium, Sphaerophrya and Vorticella. The taxonomic findings compare favorably with those of previous investigators; however four previously unreported genera were observed in both Lakes Fryxell and Hoare. The variability in the depth distributions of ciliates in Lake Fryxell is explained in terms of lake physicochemical properties and ciliate prey distributions, while factors related to temporal succession in the Lake Hoare assemblage remain unexplained. Local marine or temperate zone freshwater habitats are a more likely source than the surrounding dry valleys soils for present ciliate colonists in these lakes. Although the taxonomic uncertainties require further examination, our results suggest that ciliate populations in these antarctic lakes undergo significant fluctuations and are more diverse than was previously recognized.

Artificial heart for humanoid robot

Science.gov (United States)

Potnuru, Akshay; Wu, Lianjun; Tadesse, Yonas

2014-03-01

A soft robotic device inspired by the pumping action of a biological heart is presented in this study. Developing artificial heart to a humanoid robot enables us to make a better biomedical device for ultimate use in humans. As technology continues to become more advanced, the methods in which we implement high performance and biomimetic artificial organs is getting nearer each day. In this paper, we present the design and development of a soft artificial heart that can be used in a humanoid robot and simulate the functions of a human heart using shape memory alloy technology. The robotic heart is designed to pump a blood-like fluid to parts of the robot such as the face to simulate someone blushing or when someone is angry by the use of elastomeric substrates and certain features for the transport of fluids.

A signal-substrate match in the substrate-borne component of a multimodal courtship display

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damian O. ELIAS, Andrew C. MASON, Eileen A. HEBETS

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The environment can impose strong limitations on the efficacy of signal transmission. In particular, for vibratory communication, the signaling environment is often extremely heterogeneous at very small scales. Nevertheless, natural selection is expected to select for signals well-suited to effective transmission. Here, we test for substrate-dependent signal efficacy in the wolf spider Schizocosa stridulans Stratton 1991. We first explore the transmission characteristics of this important signaling modality by playing recorded substrate-borne signals through three different substrates (leaf litter, pine litter, and red clay and measuring the propagated signal. We found that the substrate-borne signal of S. stridulans attenuates the least on leaf litter, the substrate upon which the species is naturally found. Next, by assessing mating success with artificially muted and non-muted males across different signaling substrates (leaf litter, pine litter, and sand, we explored the relationship between substrate-borne signaling and substrate for mating success. We found that muted males were unsuccessful in obtaining copulations regardless of substrate, while mating success was dependent on the signaling substrate for non-muted males. For non-muted males, more males copulated on leaf litter than any other substrate. Taken together, these results confirm the importance of substrate-borne signaling in S. stridulans and suggest a match between signal properties and signal efficacy – leaf litter transmits the signal most effectively and males are most successful in obtaining copulations on leaf litter [Current Zoology 56 (3: 370–378, 2010].

The use of artificial neural network analysis and multiple regression for trap quality evaluation: a case study of the Northern Kuqa Depression of Tarim Basin in western China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guangren Shi; Xingxi Zhou; Guangya Zhang; Xiaofeng Shi; Honghui Li [Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing (China)

2004-03-01

Artificial neural network analysis is found to be far superior to multiple regression when applied to the evaluation of trap quality in the Northern Kuqa Depression, a gas-rich depression of Tarim Basin in western China. This is because this technique can correlate the complex and non-linear relationship between trap quality and related geological factors, whereas multiple regression can only describe a linear relationship. However, multiple regression can work as an auxiliary tool, as it is suited to high-speed calculations and can indicate the degree of dependence between the trap quality and its related geological factors which artificial neural network analysis cannot. For illustration, we have investigated 30 traps in the Northern Kuqa Depression. For each of the traps, the values of 14 selected geological factors were all known. While geologists were also able to assign individual trap quality values to 27 traps, they were less certain about the values for the other three traps. Multiple regression and artificial neural network analysis were, therefore, respectively used to ascertain these values. Data for the 27 traps were used as known sample data, while the three traps were used as prediction candidates. Predictions from artificial neural network analysis are found to agree with exploration results: where simulation predicted high trap quality, commercial quality flows were afterwards found, and where low trap quality is indicated, no such discoveries have yet been made. On the other hand, multiple regression results indicate the order of dependence of the trap quality on geological factors, which reconciles with what geologists have commonly recognized. We can conclude, therefore, that the application of artificial neural network analysis with the aid of multiple regression to trap evaluation in the Northern Kuqa Depression has been quite successful. To ensure the precision of the above mentioned geological factors and their related parameters for each

Artificial Self-Sufficient P450 in Reversed Micelles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teruyuki Nagamune

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Cytochrome P450s are heme-containing monooxygenases that require electron transfer proteins for their catalytic activities. They prefer hydrophobic compounds as substrates and it is, therefore, desirable to perform their reactions in non-aqueous media. Reversed micelles can stably encapsulate proteins in nano-scaled water pools in organic solvents. However, in the reversed micellar system, when multiple proteins are involved in a reaction they can be separated into different micelles and it is then difficult to transfer electrons between proteins. We show here that an artificial self-sufficient cytochrome P450, which is an enzymatically crosslinked fusion protein composed of P450 and electron transfer proteins, showed micelle-size dependent catalytic activity in a reversed micellar system. Furthermore, the presence of thermostable alcohol dehydrogenase promoted the P450-catalyzed reaction due to cofactor regeneration.

Multiple-failure signal validation in nuclear power plants using artificial neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fantoni, P.F.; Mazzola, A.

1996-01-01

The possibility of using a neural network to validate process signals during normal and abnormal plant conditions is explored. In boiling water reactor plants, signal validation is used to generate reliable thermal limits calculation and to supply reliable inputs to other computerized systems that support the operator during accident scenarios. The way that autoassociative neural networks can promptly detect faulty process signal measurements and produce a best estimate of the actual process values even in multifailure situations is shown. A method was developed to train the network for multiple sensor-failure detection, based on a random failure simulation algorithm. Noise was artificially added to the input to evaluate the network's ability to respond in a very low signal-to-noise ratio environment. Training and test data sets were simulated by the real-time transient simulator code APROS

Intracellular Microreactors as Artificial Organelles to Conduct Multiple Enzymatic Reactions Simultaneously

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gallardo, Maria Godoy; Labay, Cédric Pierre; Jansman, Michelle M. T.

2017-01-01

The creation of artificial organelles is a new paradigm in medical therapy that aims to substitute for missing cellular function by replenishing a specific cellular task. Artificial organelles tackle the challenge of mimicking metabolism, which is the set of chemical reactions that occur within a...

A Characterization of the Utility of Using Artificial Intelligence to Test Two Artificial Intelligence Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy Straub

2013-05-01

Full Text Available An artificial intelligence system, designed for operations in a real-world environment faces a nearly infinite set of possible performance scenarios. Designers and developers, thus, face the challenge of validating proper performance across both foreseen and unforeseen conditions, particularly when the artificial intelligence is controlling a robot that will be operating in close proximity, or may represent a danger, to humans. While the manual creation of test cases allows limited testing (perhaps ensuring that a set of foreseeable conditions trigger an appropriate response, this may be insufficient to fully characterize and validate safe system performance. An approach to validating the performance of an artificial intelligence system using a simple artificial intelligence test case producer (AITCP is presented. The AITCP allows the creation and simulation of prospective operating scenarios at a rate far exceeding that possible by human testers. Four scenarios for testing an autonomous navigation control system are presented: single actor in two-dimensional space, multiple actors in two-dimensional space, single actor in three-dimensional space, and multiple actors in three-dimensional space. The utility of using the AITCP is compared to that of human testers in each of these scenarios.

Development of an alternative artificial soil for earthworm toxicity testing in tropical countries.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Silva, M.; van Gestel, C.A.M.

2009-01-01

The standard soil invertebrate toxicity tests developed by OECD and ISO use an artificial soil as the test substrate, which contains sphagnum peat as a component. This type of peat is not widely available. Investigation of possible alternative substrates using locally available materials therefore

Impact of artificial rearing systems on the developmental and reproductive fitness of the predatory bug, Orius laevigatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonte, Maarten; De Clercq, Patrick

2010-01-01

This study investigated the effect of several substrate types and moisture sources on the developmental and reproductive fitness of the zoophytophagous predator Orius laevigatus (Fieber) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) when fed a factitious prey (i.e. unnatural prey) Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) eggs, or a meridic artificial diet based on hen's egg yolk. O. laevigatus is known to feed on plants as an alternative food source and to oviposit in plants. E. kuehniella eggs were superior to the artificial diet. Supplementary feeding on plant materials did not compensate for the nutritional shortcomings of the artificial diet. Survival rates showed that oviposition substrates such as bean pods or lipophilic surfaces such as wax paper and plastic were more suitable for rearing O. laevigatus than household paper. The use of green bean pods as a plant substrate did not have a beneficial effect on O. laevigatus. The results indicated that O. laevigatus can successfully complete its nymphal development and realize its full reproductive potential in the absence of plant material. However, plant materials would still be required for oviposition, unless a reliable and cost-effective artificial oviposition substrate were made available. The omission of plant materials from the rearing procedures may reduce production cost of this species and other heteropteran predators.

Artificial Intelligence Techniques and Methodology

OpenAIRE

Carbonell, Jaime G.; Sleeman, Derek

1982-01-01

Two closely related aspects of artificial intelligence that have received comparatively little attention in the recent literature are research methodology, and the analysis of computational techniques that span multiple application areas. We believe both issues to be increasingly significant as Artificial Intelligence matures into a science and spins off major application efforts. It is imperative to analyze the repertoire of AI methods with respect to past experience, utility in new domains,...

Multiple Linear Regression Analysis Indicates Association of P-Glycoprotein Substrate or Inhibitor Character with Bitterness Intensity, Measured with a Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Yano, Kentaro; Mita, Suzune; Morimoto, Kaori; Haraguchi, Tamami; Arakawa, Hiroshi; Yoshida, Miyako; Yamashita, Fumiyoshi; Uchida, Takahiro; Ogihara, Takuo

2015-09-01

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) regulates absorption of many drugs in the gastrointestinal tract and their accumulation in tumor tissues, but the basis of substrate recognition by P-gp remains unclear. Bitter-tasting phenylthiocarbamide, which stimulates taste receptor 2 member 38 (T2R38), increases P-gp activity and is a substrate of P-gp. This led us to hypothesize that bitterness intensity might be a predictor of P-gp-inhibitor/substrate status. Here, we measured the bitterness intensity of a panel of P-gp substrates and nonsubstrates with various taste sensors, and used multiple linear regression analysis to examine the relationship between P-gp-inhibitor/substrate status and various physical properties, including intensity of bitter taste measured with the taste sensor. We calculated the first principal component analysis score (PC1) as the representative value of bitterness, as all taste sensor's outputs shared significant correlation. The P-gp substrates showed remarkably greater mean bitterness intensity than non-P-gp substrates. We found that Km value of P-gp substrates were correlated with molecular weight, log P, and PC1 value, and the coefficient of determination (R(2) ) of the linear regression equation was 0.63. This relationship might be useful as an aid to predict P-gp substrate status at an early stage of drug discovery. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Low-voltage protonic/electronic hybrid indium zinc oxide synaptic transistors on paper substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Guodong; Wan, Changjin; Wan, Qing; Zhou, Jumei; Zhu, Liqiang

2014-01-01

Low-voltage (1.5 V) indium zinc oxide (IZO)-based electric-double-layer (EDL) thin-film transistors (TFTs) gated by nanogranular proton conducting SiO 2 electrolyte films are fabricated on paper substrates. Both enhancement-mode and depletion-mode operation are obtained by tuning the thickness of the IZO channel layer. Furthermore, such flexible IZO protonic/electronic hybrid EDL TFTs can be used as artificial synapses, and synaptic stimulation response and short-term synaptic plasticity function are demonstrated. The protonic/electronic hybrid EDL TFTs on paper substrates proposed here are promising for low-power flexible paper electronics, artificial synapses and bioelectronics. (paper)

Multiple Substrate Usage of Coxiella burnetii to Feed a Bipartite Metabolic Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ina Häuslein

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The human pathogen Coxiella burnetii causes Q-fever and is classified as a category B bio-weapon. Exploiting the development of the axenic growth medium ACCM-2, we have now used 13C-labeling experiments and isotopolog profiling to investigate the highly diverse metabolic network of C. burnetii. To this aim, C. burnetii RSA 439 NMII was cultured in ACCM-2 containing 5 mM of either [U-13C3]serine, [U-13C6]glucose, or [U-13C3]glycerol until the late-logarithmic phase. GC/MS-based isotopolog profiling of protein-derived amino acids, methanol-soluble polar metabolites, fatty acids, and cell wall components (e.g., diaminopimelate and sugars from the labeled bacteria revealed differential incorporation rates and isotopolog profiles. These data served to decipher the diverse usages of the labeled substrates and the relative carbon fluxes into the core metabolism of the pathogen. Whereas, de novo biosynthesis from any of these substrates could not be found for histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline and valine, the other amino acids and metabolites under study acquired 13C-label at specific rates depending on the nature of the tracer compound. Glucose was directly used for cell wall biosynthesis, but was also converted into pyruvate (and its downstream metabolites through the glycolytic pathway or into erythrose 4-phosphate (e.g., for the biosynthesis of tyrosine via the non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway. Glycerol efficiently served as a gluconeogenetic substrate and could also be used via phosphoenolpyruvate and diaminopimelate as a major carbon source for cell wall biosynthesis. In contrast, exogenous serine was mainly utilized in downstream metabolic processes, e.g., via acetyl-CoA in a complete citrate cycle with fluxes in the oxidative direction and as a carbon feed for fatty acid biosynthesis. In summary, the data reflect multiple and differential substrate usages by C. burnetii in a bipartite-type metabolic network

Artificial limb representation in amputees

OpenAIRE

van den Heiligenberg, FMZ; Orlov, T; Macdonald, SN; Duff, EP; Henderson Slater, JDE; Beckmann, CF; Johansen-Berg, H; Culham, JC; Makin, TR

2018-01-01

The human brain contains multiple hand-selective areas, in both the sensorimotor and visual systems. Could our brain repurpose neural resources, originally developed for supporting hand function, to represent and control artificial limbs? We studied individuals with congenital or acquired hand-loss (hereafter one-handers) using functional MRI. We show that the more one-handers use an artificial limb (prosthesis) in their everyday life, the stronger visual hand-selective areas in the lateral o...

[Influence of nutritional substrates on the development of Diaphania hyalinata L. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)].

Science.gov (United States)

Pratissoli, Dirceu; Polanczyk, Ricardo A; Holtz, Anderson M; Tamanhoni, Tiago; Celestino, Flávio N; Borges Filho, Raul da C

2008-01-01

The aim of this research was to evaluate the biological behaviour of melonworm at different natural and artificial diets. Squash cultivar jacaré, cucumber, summer squash and an artificial diets developed by Hensley & Hammond for the sugarcane borer were tried. The research was carried out in the Laboratório de Entomologia do Centro de Ciências Agrárias of the Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, in climatized room at 25 +/- 1 masculineC, relative humidity of 70 +/- 10% and 14h photofase. The caterpillars fed on each substrate during the whole life cycle. Differences in duration of the larval period, larvae and pupae survival, adult longevity and number of eggs were registered between the substrates. The results show that the best diet for rearing is the artificial one. Between the natural diets the cucumber showed the best results.

A Pathway to Artificial Metalloenzymes

KAUST Repository

Fischer, Johannes

2015-12-01

The advancement of catalytic systems and the application thereof has proven to be the key to overcome traditional limitations of industrial-scale synthetic processes. Converging organometallic and biocatalytic principles lead to the development of Artificial Metalloenzymes (ArMs) that comprise a synthetic metal catalyst embedded in a protein scaffold, thereby combining the reactivity of the former with the versatility of the latter. This synergistic approach introduces rationally designed building blocks for the catalytic site and the host protein to assemble enzyme-like structures that follow regio-, chemo-, enantio- and substrate-selective principles. Yet, the identification of suitable protein scaffolds has thus far been challenging. Herein we report a rationally optimized fluorescent protein host, mTFP*, that was engineered to have no intrinsic metal binding capability and, owing to its robust nature, can act as scaffold for the design of novel ArMs. We demonstrate the potential of site-specific modifications within the protein host, use protein X-Ray analysis to validate the respective scaffolds and show how artificial mutant binding sites can be introduced. Transition metal Förster Resonance Energy transfer (tmFRET) methodologies help to evaluate micromolar dissociation constants and reveal structural rearrangements upon coordination of the metal centers. In conjunction with molecular insights from X-Ray crystallographic structure determination, dynamics of the binding pocket can be inferred. The versatile subset of different binding motifs paired with transition metal catalysts create artificial metalloenzymes that provide reactivities which otherwise do not exist in nature. As a proof of concept, Diels-Alder cycloadditions highlight the potential of the present mTFP* based catalysts by stereoselectively converting azachalcone and cyclopentadiene substrates. Screens indicate an enantiomeric excess of up to 60% and provide insights into the electronic and

Artificial limb representation in amputees.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Heiligenberg, Fiona M Z; Orlov, Tanya; Macdonald, Scott N; Duff, Eugene P; Henderson Slater, David; Beckmann, Christian F; Johansen-Berg, Heidi; Culham, Jody C; Makin, Tamar R

2018-05-01

The human brain contains multiple hand-selective areas, in both the sensorimotor and visual systems. Could our brain repurpose neural resources, originally developed for supporting hand function, to represent and control artificial limbs? We studied individuals with congenital or acquired hand-loss (hereafter one-handers) using functional MRI. We show that the more one-handers use an artificial limb (prosthesis) in their everyday life, the stronger visual hand-selective areas in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex respond to prosthesis images. This was found even when one-handers were presented with images of active prostheses that share the functionality of the hand but not necessarily its visual features (e.g. a 'hook' prosthesis). Further, we show that daily prosthesis usage determines large-scale inter-network communication across hand-selective areas. This was demonstrated by increased resting state functional connectivity between visual and sensorimotor hand-selective areas, proportional to the intensiveness of everyday prosthesis usage. Further analysis revealed a 3-fold coupling between prosthesis activity, visuomotor connectivity and usage, suggesting a possible role for the motor system in shaping use-dependent representation in visual hand-selective areas, and/or vice versa. Moreover, able-bodied control participants who routinely observe prosthesis usage (albeit less intensively than the prosthesis users) showed significantly weaker associations between degree of prosthesis observation and visual cortex activity or connectivity. Together, our findings suggest that altered daily motor behaviour facilitates prosthesis-related visual processing and shapes communication across hand-selective areas. This neurophysiological substrate for prosthesis embodiment may inspire rehabilitation approaches to improve usage of existing substitutionary devices and aid implementation of future assistive and augmentative technologies.

Comparison of multiple linear regression, partial least squares and artificial neural networks for prediction of gas chromatographic relative retention times of trimethylsilylated anabolic androgenic steroids.

Science.gov (United States)

Fragkaki, A G; Farmaki, E; Thomaidis, N; Tsantili-Kakoulidou, A; Angelis, Y S; Koupparis, M; Georgakopoulos, C

2012-09-21

The comparison among different modelling techniques, such as multiple linear regression, partial least squares and artificial neural networks, has been performed in order to construct and evaluate models for prediction of gas chromatographic relative retention times of trimethylsilylated anabolic androgenic steroids. The performance of the quantitative structure-retention relationship study, using the multiple linear regression and partial least squares techniques, has been previously conducted. In the present study, artificial neural networks models were constructed and used for the prediction of relative retention times of anabolic androgenic steroids, while their efficiency is compared with that of the models derived from the multiple linear regression and partial least squares techniques. For overall ranking of the models, a novel procedure [Trends Anal. Chem. 29 (2010) 101-109] based on sum of ranking differences was applied, which permits the best model to be selected. The suggested models are considered useful for the estimation of relative retention times of designer steroids for which no analytical data are available. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Artificial hairy surfaces with a nearly perfect hydrophobic response.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Shu-Hau; Sigmund, Wolfgang M

2010-02-02

A nearly perfect hydrophobic interface by dint of mimicking hairs of arthropods was achieved for the first time. These Gamma-shape artificial hairs were made via a membrane casting technique on polypropylene substrates. This extreme hydrophobicity merely arises from microstructure modification, and no further chemical treatments are needed. The ultralow adhesion to water droplets was evaluated through video assessment, and it is believed to be attributed to the mechanical response of the artificial hairs. The principle of this fabrication technique is accessible and is expected to be compatible with large-area fabrication of superhydrophobic interfaces.

Reef Development on Artificial Patch Reefs in Shallow Water of Panjang Island, Central Java

Science.gov (United States)

Munasik; Sugiyanto; Sugianto, Denny N.; Sabdono, Agus

2018-02-01

Reef restoration methods are generally developed by propagation of coral fragments, coral recruits and provide substrate for coral attachment using artificial reefs (ARs). ARs have been widely applied as a tool for reef restoration in degraded natural reefs. Successful of coral restoration is determined by reef development such as increasing coral biomass, natural of coral recruits and fauna associated. Artificial Patch Reefs (APRs) is designed by combined of artificial reefs and coral transplantation and constructed by modular circular structures in shape, were deployed from small boats by scuba divers, and are suitable near natural reefs for shallow water with low visibility of Panjang Island, Central Java. Branching corals of Acropora aspera, Montipora digitata and Porites cylindrica fragments were transplanted on to each module of two units of artificial patch reefs in different periods. Coral fragments of Acropora evolved high survival and high growth, Porites fragments have moderate survival and low growth, while fragment of Montipora show in low survival and moderate growth. Within 19 to 22 months of APRs deployment, scleractinian corals were recruited on the surface of artificial patch reef substrates. The most recruits abundant was Montastrea, followed by Poritids, Pocilloporids, and Acroporids. We conclude that artificial patch reefs with developed by coral fragments and natural coral recruitment is one of an alternative rehabilitation method in shallow reef with low visibility.

Time-resolved photoluminescence of Ga(NAsP) multiple quantum wells grown on Si substrate: Effects of rapid thermal annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woscholski, R., E-mail: ronja.woscholski@physik.uni-marburg.de; Shakfa, M.K.; Gies, S.; Wiemer, M.; Rahimi-Iman, A.; Zimprich, M.; Reinhard, S.; Jandieri, K.; Baranovskii, S.D.; Heimbrodt, W.; Volz, K.; Stolz, W.; Koch, M.

2016-08-31

Time-resolved photoluminescence (TR-PL) spectroscopy has been used to study the impact of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on the optical properties and carrier dynamics in Ga(NAsP) multiple quantum well heterostructures (MQWHs) grown on silicon substrates. TR-PL measurements reveal an enhancement in the PL efficiency when the RTA temperature is increased up to 925 °C. Then, the PL intensity dramatically decreases with the annealing temperature. This behavior is explained by the variation of the disorder degree in the studied structures. The analysis of the low-temperature emission-energy-dependent PL decay time enables us to characterize the disorder in the Ga(NAsP) MQWHs. The theoretically extracted energy-scales of disorder confirm the experimental observations. - Highlights: • Ga(NAsP) multiple quantum well heterostructures (MQWHs) grown on silicon substrates • Impact of rapid thermal annealing on the optical properties and carrier dynamics • Time resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy was applied. • PL transients became continuously faster with increasing annealing temperature. • Enhancement in the PL efficiency with increasing annealing temperature up to 925 °C.

Time-resolved photoluminescence of Ga(NAsP) multiple quantum wells grown on Si substrate: Effects of rapid thermal annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woscholski, R.; Shakfa, M.K.; Gies, S.; Wiemer, M.; Rahimi-Iman, A.; Zimprich, M.; Reinhard, S.; Jandieri, K.; Baranovskii, S.D.; Heimbrodt, W.; Volz, K.; Stolz, W.; Koch, M.

2016-01-01

Time-resolved photoluminescence (TR-PL) spectroscopy has been used to study the impact of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on the optical properties and carrier dynamics in Ga(NAsP) multiple quantum well heterostructures (MQWHs) grown on silicon substrates. TR-PL measurements reveal an enhancement in the PL efficiency when the RTA temperature is increased up to 925 °C. Then, the PL intensity dramatically decreases with the annealing temperature. This behavior is explained by the variation of the disorder degree in the studied structures. The analysis of the low-temperature emission-energy-dependent PL decay time enables us to characterize the disorder in the Ga(NAsP) MQWHs. The theoretically extracted energy-scales of disorder confirm the experimental observations. - Highlights: • Ga(NAsP) multiple quantum well heterostructures (MQWHs) grown on silicon substrates • Impact of rapid thermal annealing on the optical properties and carrier dynamics • Time resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy was applied. • PL transients became continuously faster with increasing annealing temperature. • Enhancement in the PL efficiency with increasing annealing temperature up to 925 °C

Label-free visualization of ultrastructural features of artificial synapses via cryo-EM.

Science.gov (United States)

Gopalakrishnan, Gopakumar; Yam, Patricia T; Madwar, Carolin; Bostina, Mihnea; Rouiller, Isabelle; Colman, David R; Lennox, R Bruce

2011-12-21

The ultrastructural details of presynapses formed between artificial substrates of submicrometer silica beads and hippocampal neurons are visualized via cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The silica beads are derivatized by poly-d-lysine or lipid bilayers. Molecular features known to exist at presynapses are clearly present at these artificial synapses, as visualized by cryo-EM. Key synaptic features such as the membrane contact area at synaptic junctions, the presynaptic bouton containing presynaptic vesicles, as well as microtubular structures can be identified. This is the first report of the direct, label-free observation of ultrastructural details of artificial synapses.

Coral colonisation of an artificial reef in a turbid nearshore environment, Dampier Harbour, western Australia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Blakeway

Full Text Available A 0.6 hectare artificial reef of local rock and recycled concrete sleepers was constructed in December 2006 at Parker Point in the industrial port of Dampier, western Australia, with the aim of providing an environmental offset for a nearshore coral community lost to land reclamation. Corals successfully colonised the artificial reef, despite the relatively harsh environmental conditions at the site (annual water temperature range 18-32°C, intermittent high turbidity, frequent cyclones, frequent nearby ship movements. Coral settlement to the artificial reef was examined by terracotta tile deployments, and later stages of coral community development were examined by in-situ visual surveys within fixed 25 x 25 cm quadrats on the rock and concrete substrates. Mean coral density on the tiles varied from 113 ± 17 SE to 909 ± 85 SE per m(2 over five deployments, whereas mean coral density in the quadrats was only 6.0 ± 1.0 SE per m(2 at eight months post construction, increasing to 24.0 ± 2.1 SE per m(2 at 62 months post construction. Coral taxa colonising the artificial reef were a subset of those on the surrounding natural reef, but occurred in different proportions--Pseudosiderastrea tayami, Mycedium elephantotus and Leptastrea purpurea being disproportionately abundant on the artificial reef. Coral cover increased rapidly in the later stages of the study, reaching 2.3 ± 0.7 SE % at 62 months post construction. This study indicates that simple materials of opportunity can provide a suitable substrate for coral recruitment in Dampier Harbour, and that natural colonisation at the study site remains sufficient to initiate a coral community on artificial substrate despite ongoing natural and anthropogenic perturbations.

Colonisation and community structure of benthic diatoms on artificial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This was undertaken using tiles as artificial substrates so that we could study how the communities developed after the flood disturbance. The diatom community structure was assessed over a 28-day period following a flood event in October 2012. The Mann Whitney test indicated that there was a statistically significant ...

Total artificial heart implantation in a young Marfan syndrome patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Prashant; Keenan, Jack B; Rajab, Taufiek K; Kim, Samuel; Smith, Richard; Amabile, Orazio; Khalpey, Zain

2018-03-01

Cardiovascular complications represent the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with Marfan syndrome. Here, we describe a unique case where a total artificial heart was implanted in a young Marfan syndrome woman. A 22-year-old postpartum African American female with Marfan syndrome developed multiple severe valve dysfunction and biventricular failure that was refractory to medical management. She previously had a Bentall procedure for Type A aortic dissection and repair of a Type B dissection. We implanted a total artificial heart with a good outcome. Total artificial heart is a durable option for severe biventricular failure and multiple valvular dysfunction as a bridge to transplant in a young patient with Marfan syndrome.

Utilizing wideband AMC structures for high-gain inkjet-printed antennas on lossy paper substrate

KAUST Repository

Cook, Benjamin Stassen

2013-01-01

Significant gain and bandwidth improvement of inkjet-printed antennas with integrated artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) is achieved by utilizing wideband ground-backed frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) to overcome the high losses of organic substrates such as paper. A microstrip-fed monopole mounted on an artificial magnetic conductor is demonstrated to improve the gain by 5 dB over previous works and exhibit much wider impedance bandwidth while maintaining a thin antenna profile and a 20% electrical size reduction. The effect of AMC bandwidth on substrate losses and the gain reduction caused by finite AMC array effects are investigated in an effort to produce high-gain, miniaturized, low-cost wearable and structure mount antennas. © 2013 IEEE.

Fate and behaviour of phenanthrene in the natural and artificial soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofman, Jakub; Rhodes, Angela; Semple, Kirk T.

2008-01-01

OECD artificial soil has been used routinely as a standardized substrate for soil toxicity tests. However, can be the fate, behaviour and effects of contaminants in artificial soil extrapolated to natural soils? The aim of our study was to verify this hypothesis by comparing the loss, extraction, and bioavailability of phenanthrene in three artificial and three natural soils of comparable organic carbon content. Soils were spiked with 14 C-phenanthrene and total 14 C-activity change, the fractions extracted by dichloromethane, 70% ethanol, and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, the fraction mineralized by Pseudomonas sp., and taken up by Enchytraeus albidus were measured after 1, 14, 42, and 84 d aging. The loss, extraction, biodegradation and uptake were several times lower in the artificial than natural soils and these differences increased with increasing soil-phenanthrene contact time. These results imply that artificial soil should be used cautiously for the prediction of fate and behaviour in natural soils. - Artificial soils show substantially different fate and behaviour of phenanthrene than natural soils, which cannot be easily extrapolated or modelled

Decapod crustaceans associated with an artificial reef (Adriatic Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. SANTELLI

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to increase the knowledge on the distribution of decapod crustaceans associated with an artificial reef positioned on sandy-mud bottoms in the central Adriatic Sea. The reef is constituted of concrete modules assembled in pyramids and concrete poles. Hard and soft bottom samples were collected from 2001, just after reef construction, to 2005 (4 surveys per year. Regarding the soft seabed, three sites close to a pyramid, three inside the reef area at a distance of 10-15 m from the structures, and three 200 m outside the reef (control sites were randomly sampled during each survey. At the same time, three pyramids (vertical and horizontal walls and three poles were also investigated. After taxonomical analysis, decapod crustaceans were analysed using abundance and species richness. Sites and years were compared using a balanced, fixed effect, 2-way ANOVA and PERMANOVA. In addition, SIMPER analysis was performed to identify those species typifying each community inhabiting both the soft bottom and the artificial substrates. The results showed that the artificial reef induced an increase in both abundance and diversity of the decapods of the natural habitat. In fact, man-made substrates may offer new available space for biological colonization and allow the settlement of new species usually living on hard bottoms, thus increasing the complexity of the original benthic communities.

Growth of InGaAs/GaAsP multiple quantum well solar cells on mis-orientated GaAs substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sodabanlu, Hassanet, E-mail: sodabanlu@hotaka.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Wang, Yunpeng; Watanabe, Kentaroh [Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8904 (Japan); Sugiyama, Masakazu [Department of Electrical Engineering and Information System, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Institute of Engineering Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Nakano, Yoshiaki [Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8904 (Japan); Department of Electrical Engineering and Information System, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan)

2014-06-21

The effects of growth temperature on the properties of InGaAs/GaAsP multiple quantum well (MQW) solar cells on various mis-orientated GaAs substrates were studied using metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Thickness modulation effect caused by mismatch strain of InGaAs/GaAsP could be suppressed by low growth temperature. Consequently, abrupt MQWs with strong light absorption could be deposited on mis-oriented substrates. However, degradation in crystal quality and impurity incorporation are the main drawbacks with low temperature growth because they tend to strongly degraded carrier transport and collection efficiency. MQW solar cells grown at optimized temperature showed the better conversion efficiency. The further investigation should focus on improvement of crystal quality and background impurities.

Dracaena marginata biofilter: design of growth substrate and treatment of stormwater runoff.

Science.gov (United States)

Vijayaraghavan, K; Praveen, R S

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate the efficiency of Dracaena marginata planted biofilters to decontaminate urban runoff. A new biofilter growth substrate was prepared using low-cost and locally available materials such as red soil, fine sand, perlite, vermiculite, coco-peat and Sargassum biomass. The performance of biofilter substrate was compared with local garden soil based on physical and water quality parameters. Preliminary analyses indicated that biofilter substrate exhibited desirable characteristics such as low bulk density (1140 kg/m(3)), high water holding capacity (59.6%), air-filled porosity (7.82%) and hydraulic conductivity (965 mm/h). Four different biofilter assemblies, with vegetated and non-vegetated systems, were examined for several artificial rain events (un-spiked and metal-spiked). Results from un-spiked artificial rain events suggested that concentrations of most of the chemical components in effluent were highest at the beginning of rain events and thereafter subsided during the subsequent rain events. Biofilter growth substrate showed superior potential over garden soil to retain metal ions such as Al, Fe, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cd and Pb during metal-spiked rain events. Significant differences were also observed between non-vegetated and vegetated biofilter assemblies in runoff quality, with the latter producing better results.

Precise Sequential DNA Ligation on A Solid Substrate: Solid-Based Rapid Sequential Ligation of Multiple DNA Molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Takita, Eiji; Kohda, Katsunori; Tomatsu, Hajime; Hanano, Shigeru; Moriya, Kanami; Hosouchi, Tsutomu; Sakurai, Nozomu; Suzuki, Hideyuki; Shinmyo, Atsuhiko; Shibata, Daisuke

2013-01-01

Ligation, the joining of DNA fragments, is a fundamental procedure in molecular cloning and is indispensable to the production of genetically modified organisms that can be used for basic research, the applied biosciences, or both. Given that many genes cooperate in various pathways, incorporating multiple gene cassettes in tandem in a transgenic DNA construct for the purpose of genetic modification is often necessary when generating organisms that produce multiple foreign gene products. Here, we describe a novel method, designated PRESSO (precise sequential DNA ligation on a solid substrate), for the tandem ligation of multiple DNA fragments. We amplified donor DNA fragments with non-palindromic ends, and ligated the fragment to acceptor DNA fragments on solid beads. After the final donor DNA fragments, which included vector sequences, were joined to the construct that contained the array of fragments, the ligation product (the construct) was thereby released from the beads via digestion with a rare-cut meganuclease; the freed linear construct was circularized via an intra-molecular ligation. PRESSO allowed us to rapidly and efficiently join multiple genes in an optimized order and orientation. This method can overcome many technical challenges in functional genomics during the post-sequencing generation. PMID:23897972

Quantitative differentiation of multiple virus in blood using nanoporous silicon oxide immunosensor and artificial neural network.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, W; Ray, R; Samanta, N; RoyChaudhuri, C

2017-12-15

In spite of the rapid developments in various nanosensor technologies, it still remains challenging to realize a reliable ultrasensitive electrical biosensing platform which will be able to detect multiple viruses in blood simultaneously with a fairly high reproducibility without using secondary labels. In this paper, we have reported quantitative differentiation of Hep-B and Hep-C viruses in blood using nanoporous silicon oxide immunosensor array and artificial neural network (ANN). The peak frequency output (f p ) from the steady state sensitivity characteristics and the first cut off frequency (f c ) from the transient characteristics have been considered as inputs to the multilayer ANN. Implementation of several classifier blocks in the ANN architecture and coupling them with both the sensor chips, functionalized with Hep-B and Hep-C antibodies have enabled the quantification of the viruses with an accuracy of around 95% in the range of 0.04fM-1pM and with an accuracy of around 90% beyond 1pM and within 25nM in blood serum. This is the most sensitive report on multiple virus quantification using label free method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rearing the southern green stink bug using an artificial dry diet and an artificial plant Criação do percevejo-verde usando dieta artificial seca e planta artificial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ANTÔNIO RICARDO PANIZZI

2000-09-01

Full Text Available Laboratory and greenhouse studies were conducted with an artificial dry diet to rear nymphs, and with an artificial plant as substrate for egg laying by the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.. The artificial diet was composed of: soybean protein (15 g; potato starch (7.5 g; dextrose (7.5 g; sucrose (2.5 g; cellulose (12.5 g; vitamin mixture (niacinamide 1 g, calcium pantothenate 1 g, thiamine 0.25 g, riboflavin 0.5 g, pyridoxine 0.25 g, folic acid 0.25 g, biotin 0.02 mL, vitamin B12 1 g - added to 1,000 mL of distilled water (5.0 mL; soybean oil (20 mL; wheat germ (17.9 g; and water (30 mL. Nymphs showed normal feeding behavior when fed on the artificial diet. Nymphal development time was longer than or similar to that of nymphs fed on soybean pods. Total nymphal mortality was low (ca. 30%, both for nymphs reared on the artificial diet, and for nymphs fed on soybean pods. At adult emergence, fresh body weights were significantly (PForam conduzidos estudos em laboratório e em casa de vegetação, com uma dieta artificial seca para a criação de ninfas e com um modelo de planta artificial como substrato para a colocação de ovos por adultos do percevejo-verde, Nezara viridula (L.. Os componentes da dieta artificial foram: proteína de soja (15 g; fécula de batata (7,5 g; dextrose (7,5 g; sacarose (2,5 g; celulose (12,5 g; mistura vitamínica (niacinamida 1 g, pantotenato de cálcio 1 g, tiamina 0,25 g, riboflavina 0,5 g, piridoxina 0,25 g, ácido fólico 0,25 g, biotina 0,02 mL, vitamina B12 1 g, adicionada em 1.000 mL de água destilada (5,0 mL; óleo de soja (20 mL; germe de trigo (17,9 g; e água (30 mL. As ninfas alimentaram-se normalmente da dieta, embora o tempo de desenvolvimento tenha sido em um caso, maior, e em outro, semelhante, ao das ninfas que se alimentaram de vagens da soja. A mortalidade total das ninfas foi baixa (ca. 30%, tanto na dieta como na vagem de soja. Na emergência, os adultos apresentaram peso fresco

Colonization of Lutzomyia shannoni (Diptera: Psychodidae) utilizing an artificial blood feeding technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Rajinder S; Kaufman, Phillip E

2010-12-01

Laboratory colonization of hematophagous insects must include an efficient method of blood feeding, preferably by artificial means. Strict rules for obtaining animal use permits, extensive animal maintenance costs, and indirect anesthesia effects on animal health warrant the development of an artificial membrane feeding technique for sand fly colonization in laboratories. An attempt was made to colonize Lutzomyia shannoni using an artificial blood feeding membrane to replace the use of live animals commonly used for sand fly blood-feeding purposes. Lutzomyia shannoni readily fed through a pig intestine membrane exposed at an angle of 45°. However, it did not feed through a chicken skin membrane. Olfactory attractants were unable to improve blood-feeding efficiency. Plaster of Paris was the most suitable oviposition substrate. Female L. shannoni adults laid no eggs on moist sand substrate. Sand fly adults held in groups of ten or more laid higher numbers of eggs than did individually maintained sand flies. Inclusion of the L. longipalpis oviposition hormone dodecanoic acid or the presence of previously laid eggs did not stimulate L. shannoni oviposition. The average L. shannoni egg, larval, and pupal duration were 9.3, 36.7, and 17.8 days, respectively. The addition of a 20% sugar solution improved adult female longevity. Females survived longer (14.8 days) than males (11.9 days). Lutzomyia shannoni was successfully colonized in the laboratory for up to four generations using this artificial membrane technique. © 2010 The Society for Vector Ecology.

Prediction of octanol-water partition coefficients of organic compounds by multiple linear regression, partial least squares, and artificial neural network.

Science.gov (United States)

Golmohammadi, Hassan

2009-11-30

A quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) study was performed to develop models those relate the structure of 141 organic compounds to their octanol-water partition coefficients (log P(o/w)). A genetic algorithm was applied as a variable selection tool. Modeling of log P(o/w) of these compounds as a function of theoretically derived descriptors was established by multiple linear regression (MLR), partial least squares (PLS), and artificial neural network (ANN). The best selected descriptors that appear in the models are: atomic charge weighted partial positively charged surface area (PPSA-3), fractional atomic charge weighted partial positive surface area (FPSA-3), minimum atomic partial charge (Qmin), molecular volume (MV), total dipole moment of molecule (mu), maximum antibonding contribution of a molecule orbital in the molecule (MAC), and maximum free valency of a C atom in the molecule (MFV). The result obtained showed the ability of developed artificial neural network to prediction of partition coefficients of organic compounds. Also, the results revealed the superiority of ANN over the MLR and PLS models. Copyright 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

EcoBot-II: An artificial agent with a natural metabolism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chris Melhuish

2008-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper we report the development of the robot EcoBot-II, which exhibits a primitive form of artificial symbiosis. Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs were used as the onboard energy supply, which consisted of bacterial cultures from sewage sludge and employed oxygen from free air for oxidation at the cathode. EcoBot-II was able to perform sensing, information processing, communication and actuation when fed (amongst other substrates with flies. This is the first robot in the world, to utilise unrefined substrate, oxygen from free air and exhibit four different types of behaviour.

Bioconcentration of artificial radionuclides in edible mushrooms: in situ and in vitro studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dementyev, Dmitry V.; Manukovsky, Nikolai S.; Bolsunovsky, Alexander Ya.; Alexandrova, Yuliyana V. [Institute of Biophysics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 660036, Krasnoyarsk (Russian Federation)

2014-07-01

grown on the soil-like substrate showed that accumulation of Am-241 from solution by mycelium of Pleurotus ostreatus and Neonothopanus nimbi reached 97%. Hence, these mushroom species can be used for bioremediation of solutions contaminated by radionuclides. The substrates prepared from Yenisei flood plain soils and bottom sediments, which contained Co-60, Cs-137, and Eu-152 and were also supplemented with Am-241, were used to grow fruiting bodies of P. ostreatus. The analysis showed that the fruiting bodies accumulated only Cs-137 and Am-241. The highest CF of Cs-137 by P. ostreatus grown on the sediment-based substrate was an order of magnitude higher than the CF of Cs-137 by the mushrooms grown on the soil-based substrate (0.1 vs. 0.008), due to differences in Cs-137 bioavailability in soil and sediment. Also, the CF of Am-241 was twice higher in the fruiting bodies grown on the sediment-based substrate than in those grown on the soil-based substrate (0.005 vs. 0.0026). Analysis of the CFs showed that under natural conditions, accumulation rates of Cs-137 by mushrooms were an order of magnitude higher than those of U-238. Under laboratory conditions, accumulation of Cs-137 in fruiting bodies was an order of magnitude greater than accumulation of Am-241, a transuranium radionuclide. The ability of mushrooms to accumulate artificial radionuclides makes them good candidates for bioremediation of contaminated solutions and soils. (authors)

Catalytic properties of IgMs with amylolytic activity isolated from patients with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanen, Dina R; Kulminskaya, Anna A; Shabalin, Konstantin A; Isaeva-Ivanova, Luydmila V; Ershova, Nadezhda A; Saveliev, Andrew N; Nevinsky, Gregory A; Neustroev, Kirill N

2004-08-01

Recently, amylolytic activity was detected in IgMs isolated from the sera of the patients with multiple sclerosis. All purified samples of IgM were electrophoretically homogenous and did not contain any co-purified a-amylase and a-glucosidase activities, in accordance with a set of criteria developed for abzymes. The amylolytic activity of abzymes was studied in the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl a-D-maltooligosaccharides with different degrees of polymerization from 1 to 8 by TLC and reverse-phase HPLC techniques. All IgM samples isolated from 54 patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis demonstrated hydrolytic activity towards the above artificial substrates. The Michaelis constant values (Km) in the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl a-D-maltoheptaoside were in the range of 10 p-nitrophenyl or p-nitrophenyl a-D-glucosides, thus indicating the presence of an a-D-glucosidase activity. For a number of the investigated samples, specific amylolytic activity increased depending on the length of substrates (from p-nitrophenyl maltopentaoside to p-nitrophenyl maltohexaoside); for other IgMs, the opposite dependence was observed. All IgMs studied did not exhibit any other glycoside hydrolase activities toward p-nitrophenyl glycoside substrates. Abzyme fractions from different donors demonstrated catalytic heterogeneity in Michaelis-Menten parameters and different modes of action in the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl maltooligosaccharides. Enzymatic properties of the IgMs tested varied from human a-amylases. All investigated abzyme samples did not show transglycosylating ability.

Species sorting during biofilm assembly by artificial substrates deployed in a cold seep system

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Wei Peng

2014-10-17

Studies focusing on biofilm assembly in deep-sea environments are rarely conducted. To examine the effects of substrate type on microbial community assembly, biofilms were developed on different substrates for different durations at two locations in the Red Sea: in a brine pool and in nearby bottom water (NBW) adjacent to the Thuwal cold seep II. The composition of the microbial communities in 51 biofilms and water samples were revealed by classification of pyrosequenced 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Together with the microscopic characteristics of the biofilms, the results indicate a stronger selection effect by the substrates on the microbial assembly in the brine pool compared with the NBW. Moreover, the selection effect by substrate type was stronger in the early stages compared with the later stages of the biofilm development. These results are consistent with the hypotheses proposed in the framework of species sorting theory, which states that the power of species sorting during microbial community assembly is dictated by habitat conditions, duration and the structure of the source community. Therefore, the results of this study shed light on the control strategy underlying biofilm-associated marine fouling and provide supporting evidence for ecological theories important for understanding the formation of deep-sea biofilms.

Species sorting during biofilm assembly by artificial substrates deployed in a cold seep system

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Wei Peng; Wang, Yong; Tian, Ren Mao; Bougouffa, Salim; Yang, Bo; Cao, Hui Luo; Zhang, Gen; Wong, Yue Him; Xu, Wei; Batang, Zenon B.; Al-Suwailem, Abdulaziz M.; Zhang, Xixiang; Qian, Pei-Yuan

2014-01-01

Studies focusing on biofilm assembly in deep-sea environments are rarely conducted. To examine the effects of substrate type on microbial community assembly, biofilms were developed on different substrates for different durations at two locations in the Red Sea: in a brine pool and in nearby bottom water (NBW) adjacent to the Thuwal cold seep II. The composition of the microbial communities in 51 biofilms and water samples were revealed by classification of pyrosequenced 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Together with the microscopic characteristics of the biofilms, the results indicate a stronger selection effect by the substrates on the microbial assembly in the brine pool compared with the NBW. Moreover, the selection effect by substrate type was stronger in the early stages compared with the later stages of the biofilm development. These results are consistent with the hypotheses proposed in the framework of species sorting theory, which states that the power of species sorting during microbial community assembly is dictated by habitat conditions, duration and the structure of the source community. Therefore, the results of this study shed light on the control strategy underlying biofilm-associated marine fouling and provide supporting evidence for ecological theories important for understanding the formation of deep-sea biofilms.

Photoreflectance Spectroscopy Characterization of Ge/Si0.16Ge0.84 Multiple Quantum Wells on Ge Virtual Substrate

OpenAIRE

Hsu, Hung-Pin; Yang, Pong-Hong; Huang, Jeng-Kuang; Wu, Po-Hung; Huang, Ying-Sheng; Li, Cheng; Huang, Shi-Hao; Tiong, Kwong-Kau

2013-01-01

We report a detailed characterization of a Ge/Si0.16Ge0.84 multiple quantum well (MQW) structure on Ge-on-Si virtual substrate (VS) grown by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition by using temperature-dependent photoreflectance (PR) in the temperature range from 10 to 300 K. The PR spectra revealed a wide range of optical transitions from the MQW region as well as transitions corresponding to the light-hole and heavy-hole splitting energies of Ge-on-Si VS. A detailed comparison of PR spec...

Monolithic integration of InGaAs/InP multiple quantum wells on SOI substrates for photonic devices

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhibo; Wang, Mengqi; Fang, Xin; Li, Yajie; Zhou, Xuliang; Yu, Hongyan; Wang, Pengfei; Wang, Wei; Pan, Jiaoqing

2018-02-01

A direct epitaxy of III-V nanowires with InGaAs/InP multiple quantum wells on v-shaped trenches patterned silicon on insulator (SOI) substrates was realized by combining the standard semiconductor fabrication process with the aspect ratio trapping growth technique. Silicon thickness as well as the width and gap of each nanowire were carefully designed to accommodate essential optical properties and appropriate growth conditions. The III-V element ingredient, crystalline quality, and surface topography of the grown nanowires were characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and scanning electron microscope. Geometrical details and chemical information of multiple quantum wells were revealed by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Numerical simulations confirmed that the optical guided mode supported by one single nanowire was able to propagate 50 μm with ˜30% optical loss. This proposed integration scheme opens up an alternative pathway for future photonic integrations of III-V devices on the SOI platform at nanoscale.

Direct cooled power electronics substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Wiles, Randy H [Powell, TN; Wereszczak, Andrew A [Oak Ridge, TN; Ayers, Curtis W [Kingston, TN; Lowe, Kirk T [Knoxville, TN

2010-09-14

The disclosure describes directly cooling a three-dimensional, direct metallization (DM) layer in a power electronics device. To enable sufficient cooling, coolant flow channels are formed within the ceramic substrate. The direct metallization layer (typically copper) may be bonded to the ceramic substrate, and semiconductor chips (such as IGBT and diodes) may be soldered or sintered onto the direct metallization layer to form a power electronics module. Multiple modules may be attached to cooling headers that provide in-flow and out-flow of coolant through the channels in the ceramic substrate. The modules and cooling header assembly are preferably sized to fit inside the core of a toroidal shaped capacitor.

Bottom-up synthetic biology: modular design for making artificial platelets

Science.gov (United States)

Majumder, Sagardip; Liu, Allen P.

2018-01-01

Engineering artificial cells to mimic one or multiple fundamental cell biological functions is an emerging area of synthetic biology. Reconstituting functional modules from biological components in vitro is a challenging yet an important essence of bottom-up synthetic biology. Here we describe the concept of building artificial platelets using bottom-up synthetic biology and the four functional modules that together could enable such an ambitious effort.

Development of the Enzyme-Substrate Interactions Concept Inventory

Science.gov (United States)

Bretz, Stacey Lowery; Linenberger, Kimberly J.

2012-01-01

Enzyme function is central to student understanding of multiple topics within the biochemistry curriculum. In particular, students must understand how enzymes and substrates interact with one another. This manuscript describes the development of a 15-item Enzyme-Substrate Interactions Concept Inventory (ESICI) that measures student understanding…

Effects of multiple enzyme–substrate interactions in basic units of cellular signal processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seaton, D D; Krishnan, J

2012-01-01

Covalent modification cycles are a ubiquitous feature of cellular signalling networks. In these systems, the interaction of an active enzyme with the unmodified form of its substrate is essential for signalling to occur. However, this interaction is not necessarily the only enzyme–substrate interaction possible. In this paper, we analyse the behaviour of a basic model of signalling in which additional, non-essential enzyme–substrate interactions are possible. These interactions include those between the inactive form of an enzyme and its substrate, and between the active form of an enzyme and its product. We find that these additional interactions can result in increased sensitivity and biphasic responses, respectively. The dynamics of the responses are also significantly altered by the presence of additional interactions. Finally, we evaluate the consequences of these interactions in two variations of our basic model, involving double modification of substrate and scaffold-mediated signalling, respectively. We conclude that the molecular details of protein–protein interactions are important in determining the signalling properties of enzymatic signalling pathways. (paper)

Engineering of metabolic pathways by artificial enzyme channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marlene ePröschel

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Application of industrial enzymes for production of valuable chemical compounds has greatly benefited from recent developments in Systems and Synthetic Biology. Both, in vivo and in vitro systems have been established, allowing conversion of simple into complex compounds. Metabolic engineering in living cells needs to be balanced which is achieved by controlling gene expression levels, translation, scaffolding, compartmentation and flux control. In vitro applications are often hampered by limited protein stability/half-life and insufficient rates of substrate conversion. To improve stability and catalytic activity, proteins are post-translationally modified and arranged in artificial metabolic channels. Within the review article we will first discuss the supramolecular organization of enzymes in living systems and secondly summarize current and future approaches to design artificial metabolic channels by additive manufacturing for the efficient production of desired products.

Low-threshold stimulated emission at 249 nm and 256 nm from AlGaN-based multiple-quantum-well lasers grown on sapphire substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Xiao-Hang; Detchprohm, Theeradetch; Kao, Tsung-Ting; Satter, Md. Mahbub; Shen, Shyh-Chiang; Douglas Yoder, P.; Dupuis, Russell D., E-mail: dupuis@gatech.edu [Center for Compound Semiconductors and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0250 (United States); Wang, Shuo; Wei, Yong O.; Xie, Hongen; Fischer, Alec M.; Ponce, Fernando A. [Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1504 (United States); Wernicke, Tim; Reich, Christoph; Martens, Martin; Kneissl, Michael [Technical University of Berlin, Institute for Solid State Physics, Berlin D-10623 (Germany)

2014-10-06

Optically pumped deep-ultraviolet (DUV) lasing with low threshold was demonstrated from AlGaN-based multiple-quantum-well (MQW) heterostructures grown on sapphire substrates. The epitaxial layers were grown pseudomorphically by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on (0001) sapphire substrates. Stimulated emission was observed at wavelengths of 256 nm and 249 nm with thresholds of 61 kW/cm{sup 2} and 95 kW/cm{sup 2} at room temperature, respectively. The thresholds are comparable to the reported state-of-the-art AlGaN-based MQW DUV lasers grown on bulk AlN substrates emitting at 266 nm. These low thresholds are attributed to the optimization of active region and waveguide layer as well as the use of high-quality AlN/sapphire templates. The stimulated emission above threshold was dominated by transverse-electric polarization. This work demonstrates the potential candidacy of sapphire substrates for DUV diode lasers.

Low-threshold stimulated emission at 249 nm and 256 nm from AlGaN-based multiple-quantum-well lasers grown on sapphire substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Xiao-Hang; Detchprohm, Theeradetch; Kao, Tsung-Ting; Satter, Md. Mahbub; Shen, Shyh-Chiang; Douglas Yoder, P.; Dupuis, Russell D.; Wang, Shuo; Wei, Yong O.; Xie, Hongen; Fischer, Alec M.; Ponce, Fernando A.; Wernicke, Tim; Reich, Christoph; Martens, Martin; Kneissl, Michael

2014-01-01

Optically pumped deep-ultraviolet (DUV) lasing with low threshold was demonstrated from AlGaN-based multiple-quantum-well (MQW) heterostructures grown on sapphire substrates. The epitaxial layers were grown pseudomorphically by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on (0001) sapphire substrates. Stimulated emission was observed at wavelengths of 256 nm and 249 nm with thresholds of 61 kW/cm 2 and 95 kW/cm 2 at room temperature, respectively. The thresholds are comparable to the reported state-of-the-art AlGaN-based MQW DUV lasers grown on bulk AlN substrates emitting at 266 nm. These low thresholds are attributed to the optimization of active region and waveguide layer as well as the use of high-quality AlN/sapphire templates. The stimulated emission above threshold was dominated by transverse-electric polarization. This work demonstrates the potential candidacy of sapphire substrates for DUV diode lasers.

Multi-robot task allocation based on two dimensional artificial fish swarm algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Taixiong; Li, Xueqin; Yang, Liangyi

2007-12-01

The problem of task allocation for multiple robots is to allocate more relative-tasks to less relative-robots so as to minimize the processing time of these tasks. In order to get optimal multi-robot task allocation scheme, a twodimensional artificial swarm algorithm based approach is proposed in this paper. In this approach, the normal artificial fish is extended to be two dimension artificial fish. In the two dimension artificial fish, each vector of primary artificial fish is extended to be an m-dimensional vector. Thus, each vector can express a group of tasks. By redefining the distance between artificial fish and the center of artificial fish, the behavior of two dimension fish is designed and the task allocation algorithm based on two dimension artificial swarm algorithm is put forward. At last, the proposed algorithm is applied to the problem of multi-robot task allocation and comparer with GA and SA based algorithm is done. Simulation and compare result shows the proposed algorithm is effective.

QSAR Study of Insecticides of Phthalamide Derivatives Using Multiple Linear Regression and Artificial Neural Network Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adi Syahputra

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR for 21 insecticides of phthalamides containing hydrazone (PCH was studied using multiple linear regression (MLR, principle component regression (PCR and artificial neural network (ANN. Five descriptors were included in the model for MLR and ANN analysis, and five latent variables obtained from principle component analysis (PCA were used in PCR analysis. Calculation of descriptors was performed using semi-empirical PM6 method. ANN analysis was found to be superior statistical technique compared to the other methods and gave a good correlation between descriptors and activity (r2 = 0.84. Based on the obtained model, we have successfully designed some new insecticides with higher predicted activity than those of previously synthesized compounds, e.g.2-(decalinecarbamoyl-5-chloro-N’-((5-methylthiophen-2-ylmethylene benzohydrazide, 2-(decalinecarbamoyl-5-chloro-N’-((thiophen-2-yl-methylene benzohydrazide and 2-(decaline carbamoyl-N’-(4-fluorobenzylidene-5-chlorobenzohydrazide with predicted log LC50 of 1.640, 1.672, and 1.769 respectively.

Application Of Artificial Neural Networks In Modeling Of Manufactured Front Metallization Contact Resistance For Silicon Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Musztyfaga-Staszuk M.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the application of artificial neural networks for prediction contact resistance of front metallization for silicon solar cells. The influence of the obtained front electrode features on electrical properties of solar cells was estimated. The front electrode of photovoltaic cells was deposited using screen printing (SP method and next to manufactured by two methods: convectional (1. co-fired in an infrared belt furnace and unconventional (2. Selective Laser Sintering. Resistance of front electrodes solar cells was investigated using Transmission Line Model (TLM. Artificial neural networks were obtained with the use of Statistica Neural Network by Statsoft. Created artificial neural networks makes possible the easy modelling of contact resistance of manufactured front metallization and allows the better selection of production parameters. The following technological recommendations for the screen printing connected with co-firing and selective laser sintering technology such as optimal paste composition, morphology of the silicon substrate, co-firing temperature and the power and scanning speed of the laser beam to manufacture the front electrode of silicon solar cells were experimentally selected in order to obtain uniformly melted structure well adhered to substrate, of a small front electrode substrate joint resistance value. The prediction possibility of contact resistance of manufactured front metallization is valuable for manufacturers and constructors. It allows preserving the customers’ quality requirements and bringing also measurable financial advantages.

Growth regulators and substrates for Oncidium baueri Lindl. micropropagation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniele Brandstetter Rodrigues

2016-10-01

Full Text Available An adequate concentration of growth regulators as well as the replacement of agar by an alternative medium may be promising from practical and financial points of view to produce orchid plants by micropropagation. The objective of this work was to evaluate different concentrations of growth regulator and alternative substrates for agar replacement in culture medium for in vitro multiplication and rooting of Oncidium baueri. In the explant multiplication phase, two experimental factors were evaluated- various concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mg L-1 and substrates (agar, vermiculite, and coconut fiber added to MS medium. In the rooting phase, different concentrations of indole butyric acid (IBA (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg L-1 were added to culture medium containing the same substrate. Six months after the experiments were initiated, the survival percentage, number of leaves, shoots, and roots and length of the aerial part and the major root were evaluated. The results suggested that addition of 1.0 mg L-1 BAP is necessary for the O. baueri in vitro multiplication phase, but IBA is not necessary in the rooting phase. For the substrate, vermiculite is not indicated as an agar replacement. In contrast, coconut fiber can be used in both multiplication and rooting phases of Oncidium baueri in vitro culture.

Efecto de diversos sustratos artificiales en el crecimiento y supervivencia de estadios tempranos de la langosta azul (Cherax quadricarinatus) cultivados en un sistema de recirculación - Effect of different artificial substrates on growth and survival of early stages of the blue lobster (Cherax quadricarinatus) reared in a recirculating system

OpenAIRE

García-Ulloa Gómez, Manuel; Pinzón López, Liliana Araceli

2012-01-01

ResumenSe evaluó la influencia de diferentes sustratos artificiales (tubo, malla, tubo + malla y grupo control, sin sustrato) sobre el crecimiento y la supervivencia de crías tempranas de Cherax quadricarinatus, cultivadas en un sistema derecirculación durante cuatro semanas.AbstractThe effect of different artificial substrates (tube or straw, mesh, mesh and tube or straw, and control or no substrate) on growth and survival of offspring early Cherax quadricarinatus raised in a recirculating s...

Modern drug design: the implication of using artificial neuronal networks and multiple molecular dynamic simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Yakovenko, Oleksandr; Jones, Steven J. M.

2018-01-01

We report the implementation of molecular modeling approaches developed as a part of the 2016 Grand Challenge 2, the blinded competition of computer aided drug design technologies held by the D3R Drug Design Data Resource (https://drugdesigndata.org/). The challenge was focused on the ligands of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a highly flexible nuclear receptor of the cholesterol derivative chenodeoxycholic acid. FXR is considered an important therapeutic target for metabolic, inflammatory, bowel and obesity related diseases (Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 4:523-532, 2015), but in the context of this competition it is also interesting due to the significant ligand-induced conformational changes displayed by the protein. To deal with these conformational changes we employed multiple simulations of molecular dynamics (MD). Our MD-based protocols were top-ranked in estimating the free energy of binding of the ligands and FXR protein. Our approach was ranked second in the prediction of the binding poses where we also combined MD with molecular docking and artificial neural networks. Our approach showed mediocre results for high-throughput scoring of interactions.

Octopus-like suction cups: from natural to artificial solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tramacere, F; Follador, M; Pugno, N M; Mazzolai, B

2015-05-13

Octopus suckers are able to attach to all nonporous surfaces and generate a very strong attachment force. The well-known attachment features of this animal result from the softness of the sucker tissues and the surface morphology of the portion of the sucker that is in contact with objects or substrates. Unlike artificial suction cups, octopus suckers are characterized by a series of radial grooves that increase the area subjected to pressure reduction during attachment. In this study, we constructed artificial suction cups with different surface geometries and tested their attachment performances using a pull-off setup. First, smooth suction cups were obtained for casting; then, sucker surfaces were engraved with a laser cutter. As expected, for all the tested cases, the engraving treatment enhanced the attachment performance of the elastomeric suction cups compared with that of the smooth versions. Moreover, the results indicated that the surface geometry with the best attachment performance was the geometry most similar to octopus sucker morphology. The results obtained in this work can be utilized to design artificial suction cups with higher wet attachment performance.

A distributive peptide cyclase processes multiple microviridin core peptides within a single polypeptide substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yi; Li, Kunhua; Yang, Guang; McBride, Joshua L; Bruner, Steven D; Ding, Yousong

2018-05-03

Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are an important family of natural products. Their biosynthesis follows a common scheme in which the leader peptide of a precursor peptide guides the modifications of a single core peptide. Here we describe biochemical studies of the processing of multiple core peptides within a precursor peptide, rare in RiPP biosynthesis. In a cyanobacterial microviridin pathway, an ATP-grasp ligase, AMdnC, installs up to two macrolactones on each of the three core peptides within AMdnA. The enzyme catalysis occurs in a distributive fashion and follows an unstrict N-to-C overall directionality, but a strict order in macrolactonizing each core peptide. Furthermore, AMdnC is catalytically versatile to process unnatural substrates carrying one to four core peptides, and kinetic studies provide insights into its catalytic properties. Collectively, our results reveal a distinct biosynthetic logic of RiPPs, opening up the possibility of modular production via synthetic biology approaches.

Magnetoresistance at artificial interfaces in epitaxial ferromagnetic thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fontcuberta, J.; Bibes, M.; Martinez, B.; Trtik, V.; Ferrater, C.; Sanchez, F.; Varela, M.

2000-01-01

Epitaxial La 2/3 Sr 1/3 MnO 3 and SrRuO 3 thin films have been grown by laser ablation on single-crystalline SrTiO 3 substrates. Prior to manganite or ruthenate deposition tracks have been patterned on the SrTiO 3 substrate by using an appropriately focused laser beam. In the experiments here reported linear tracks have been formed. The magnetotransport properties of the films, particularly the magnetoresistance, along paths parallel and perpendicular to the track have been extensively investigated and compared to similar data recorded on films grown on bicrystalline STO substrates. Whereas in LSMO a significant low-field tunnel magnetoresistance develops across the artificial interface, in SRO this tunnel contribution is absent. However, a significant high-field magnetoresistance is observed for both metallic and ferromagnetic systems. The results are analysed and discussed within the framework of the current understanding of double exchange and itinerant ferromagnets. Magnetoresistance data for various configurations of the track array are presented

All together now: concurrent learning of multiple structures in an artificial language.

Science.gov (United States)

Romberg, Alexa R; Saffran, Jenny R

2013-01-01

Natural languages contain many layers of sequential structure, from the distribution of phonemes within words to the distribution of phrases within utterances. However, most research modeling language acquisition using artificial languages has focused on only one type of distributional structure at a time. In two experiments, we investigated adult learning of an artificial language that contains dependencies between both adjacent and non-adjacent words. We found that learners rapidly acquired both types of regularities and that the strength of the adjacent statistics influenced learning of both adjacent and non-adjacent dependencies. Additionally, though accuracy was similar for both types of structure, participants' knowledge of the deterministic non-adjacent dependencies was more explicit than their knowledge of the probabilistic adjacent dependencies. The results are discussed in the context of current theories of statistical learning and language acquisition. © 2013 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Gecko Adhesion on Wet and Dry Patterned Substrates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alyssa Y Stark

Full Text Available Perhaps one of the most astounding characteristics of the gecko adhesive system is its versatility. Geckos can locomote across complex substrates in a variety of conditions with apparent ease. In contrast, many of our synthetic pressure sensitive adhesives fail on substrates that are dirty, wet or rough. Although many studies have investigated the effect of environmental challenges on performance, the interaction of multiple, potentially compromising variables is studied less often. Here we focus on substrate structure and surface water, both of which are highly relevant to the biological system and to synthetic design. To do this we utilized a highly controlled, patterned substrate (Sharklet®, by Sharklet® Technologies Inc.. This allowed us to test independently and jointly the effects of reduced surface area substrates, with a defined pattern, on adhesion in both air and water. Our results show that adhesion is not significantly impaired in air, whereas surface area and pattern significantly affect adhesion in water. These findings highlight the need to study multiple parameters that are relevant to the gecko adhesive system to further improve our understanding of the biological system and to design better, more versatile synthetics.

Artificial Consciousness or Artificial Intelligence

OpenAIRE

Spanache Florin

2017-01-01

Artificial intelligence is a tool designed by people for the gratification of their own creative ego, so we can not confuse conscience with intelligence and not even intelligence in its human representation with conscience. They are all different concepts and they have different uses. Philosophically, there are differences between autonomous people and automatic artificial intelligence. This is the difference between intelligence and artificial intelligence, autonomous versus a...

Top-down Approach for the Direct Synthesis, Patterning, and Operation of Artificial Micromuscles on Flexible Substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Maziz, Ali; Plesse, Cédric; Soyer, Caroline; Cattan, Eric; Vidal, Frédéric

2016-01-27

Recent progress in the field of microsystems on flexible substrates raises the need for alternatives to the stiffness of classical actuation technologies. This paper reports a top-down process to microfabricate soft conducting polymer actuators on substrates on which they ultimately operate. The bending microactuators were fabricated by sequentially stacking layers using a layer polymerization by layer polymerization of conducting polymer electrodes and a solid polymer electrolyte. Standalone microbeams thinner than 10 μm were fabricated on SU-8 substrates associated with a bottom gold electrical contact. The operation of microactuators was demonstrated in air and at low voltage (±4 V).

Estimation of perceptible water vapor of atmosphere using artificial neural network, support vector machine and multiple linear regression algorithm and their comparative study

Science.gov (United States)

Shastri, Niket; Pathak, Kamlesh

2018-05-01

The water vapor content in atmosphere plays very important role in climate. In this paper the application of GPS signal in meteorology is discussed, which is useful technique that is used to estimate the perceptible water vapor of atmosphere. In this paper various algorithms like artificial neural network, support vector machine and multiple linear regression are use to predict perceptible water vapor. The comparative studies in terms of root mean square error and mean absolute errors are also carried out for all the algorithms.

Weather resistance of inkjet prints on plastic substrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rozália Szentgyörgyvölgyi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The development of wide format inkjet printers made the technology available for large area commercials. Outdoor advertising uses a wide range of substrate including paperboard, vinyl, canvas, mesh; the material of the substrate itself has to endure the physical and chemical effects of local weather. Weather elements (humidity, wind, solar irradiation degrade printed products inevitably; plastic products have better resistance against them, than paper based substrates. Service life of the printed product for outdoor application is a key parameter from the customer’s point of view. There are two ways to estimate expected lifetime: on site outdoor testing or laboratory testing. In both cases weathering parameters can be monitored, however laboratory testing devices may produce the desired environmental effects and thus accelerate the aging process. Our research objective was to evaluate the effects of artificial weathering on prints produced by inkjet technology on plastic substrates. We used a large format CMYK inkjet printer (Mutoh Rockhopper II, with Epson DX 4 print heads to print our test chart on two similar substrates (PVC coated tarpaulins with grammages 400 g/m2 and 440 g/m2. Specimen were aged in an Atlas Suntest XLS+ material tester device for equal time intervals. We measured and calculated the gradual changes of the optical properties (optical density, tone value, colour shifts of the test prints.

Reel-to-reel substrate tape polishing system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selvamanickam, Venkat; Gardner, Michael T.; Judd, Raymond D.; Weloth, Martin; Qiao, Yunfei

2005-06-21

Disclosed is a reel-to-reel single-pass mechanical polishing system (100) suitable for polishing long lengths of metal substrate tape (124) used in the manufacture of high-temperature superconductor (HTS) coated tape, including multiple instantiations of a polishing station (114) in combination with a subsequent rinsing station (116) arranged along the axis of the metal substrate tape (124) that is translating between a payout spool (110a) and a take-up spool (110b). The metal substrate tape obtains a surface smoothness that is suitable for the subsequent deposition of a buffer layer.

Solar–terrestrial radiant-energy regimes and temperature anomalies of natural and artificial turfs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jim, C.Y.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Solar and terrestrial radian energy regimes affect temperature response of sports turfs. • Adjacent natural and artificial turfs were monitored with replications on sunny days. • Artificial turf has meager albedo, low specific heat and moisture to augment warming. • Artificial turf surface and substrate reach 70 °C but cool down effectively at night. • Artificial turf may induce heat stress on athletes in hot summer afternoon. - Abstract: Artificial turf can develop unusually high surface temperature on hot sunny days. Solar and terrestrial radiant energy regimes as key determinants of thermal performance deserve detailed investigation. This study evaluated six components of the radiant-energy environment of a natural turf (NT) and a contiguous artificial turf (AT) sports fields in Hong Kong: direct solar, reflected solar, net solar, sky thermal, ground thermal, and net thermal. Temperature was monitored at five positions: air at 150 cm, 50 cm and 15 cm height, turf surface, and substrate. The experiment included four replications, namely two summer sunny days, and two duplicated instrument sets at each turf site. The two sites reacted very differently to the same intense daily sum of solar radiation input of 23.70 MW m −2 with 9 h of bright sunshine (>120 W m −2 ), and daily sum of sky thermal radiation input of 38.59 MW m −2 . The maximum direct solar radiation reached 976.1 W m −2 at 1245 h. NT albedo of 0.23 vis-à-vis AT of merely 0.073, and higher moisture content and specific heat of NT materials, presented critical differences. The hydrophobic and generally dry plastic (polyethylene) pile-fibers and black rubber-granule infill materials have low specific heat. Intense incoming shortwave and longwave radiation absorbed readily by AT materials raised turf surface temperature to 70.2 °C and substrate 69.3 °C, in comparison with <40 °C at NT. A cascading warming effect was triggered, beginning with low albedo, high net solar

Biochemistry Students' Ideas about How an Enzyme Interacts with a Substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Linenberger, Kimberly J.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2015-01-01

Enzyme-substrate interactions are a fundamental concept of biochemistry that is built upon throughout multiple biochemistry courses. Central to understanding enzyme-substrate interactions is specific knowledge of exactly how an enzyme and substrate interact. Within this narrower topic, students must understand the various binding sites on an…

Artificial dirt: microfluidic substrates for nematode neurobiology and behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Lockery, S R; Lawton, K J; Doll, J C; Faumont, S; Coulthard, S M; Thiele, T R; Chronis, N; McCormick, K E; Goodman, M B; Pruitt, B L

2008-06-01

With a nervous system of only 302 neurons, the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful experimental organism for neurobiology. However, the laboratory substrate commonly used in C. elegans research, a planar agarose surface, fails to reflect the complexity of this organism's natural environment, complicates stimulus delivery, and is incompatible with high-resolution optophysiology experiments. Here we present a new class of microfluidic devices for C. elegans neurobiology and behavior: agarose-free, micron-scale chambers and channels that allow the animals to crawl as they would on agarose. One such device mimics a moist soil matrix and facilitates rapid delivery of fluid-borne stimuli. A second device consists of sinusoidal channels that can be used to regulate the waveform and trajectory of crawling worms. Both devices are thin and transparent, rendering them compatible with high-resolution microscope objectives for neuronal imaging and optical recording. Together, the new devices are likely to accelerate studies of the neuronal basis of behavior in C. elegans.

Biochemistry students' ideas about how an enzyme interacts with a substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Linenberger, Kimberly J; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2015-01-01

Enzyme-substrate interactions are a fundamental concept of biochemistry that is built upon throughout multiple biochemistry courses. Central to understanding enzyme-substrate interactions is specific knowledge of exactly how an enzyme and substrate interact. Within this narrower topic, students must understand the various binding sites on an enzyme and be able to reason from simplistic lock and key or induced fit models to the more complex energetics model of transition state theory. Learning to understand these many facets of enzyme-substrate interactions and reasoning from multiple models present challenges where students incorrectly make connections between concepts or make no connection at all. This study investigated biochemistry students' understanding of enzyme-substrate interactions through the use of clinical interviews and a national administration (N = 707) of the Enzyme-Substrate Interactions Concept Inventory. Findings include misconceptions regarding the nature of enzyme-substrate interactions, naïve ideas about the active site, a lack of energetically driven interactions, and an incomplete understanding of the specificity pocket. © 2015 by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Development of a multiple-gene-loading method by combining multi-integration system-equipped mouse artificial chromosome vector and CRISPR-Cas9.

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Kazuhisa Honma

Full Text Available Mouse artificial chromosome (MAC vectors have several advantages as gene delivery vectors, such as stable and independent maintenance in host cells without integration, transferability from donor cells to recipient cells via microcell-mediated chromosome transfer (MMCT, and the potential for loading a megabase-sized DNA fragment. Previously, a MAC containing a multi-integrase platform (MI-MAC was developed to facilitate the transfer of multiple genes into desired cells. Although the MI system can theoretically hold five gene-loading vectors (GLVs, there are a limited number of drugs available for the selection of multiple-GLV integration. To overcome this issue, we attempted to knock out and reuse drug resistance genes (DRGs using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. In this study, we developed new methods for multiple-GLV integration. As a proof of concept, we introduced five GLVs in the MI-MAC by these methods, in which each GLV contained a gene encoding a fluorescent or luminescent protein (EGFP, mCherry, BFP, Eluc, and Cluc. Genes of interest (GOI on the MI-MAC were expressed stably and functionally without silencing in the host cells. Furthermore, the MI-MAC carrying five GLVs was transferred to other cells by MMCT, and the resultant recipient cells exhibited all five fluorescence/luminescence signals. Thus, the MI-MAC was successfully used as a multiple-GLV integration vector using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. The MI-MAC employing these methods may resolve bottlenecks in developing multiple-gene humanized models, multiple-gene monitoring models, disease models, reprogramming, and inducible gene expression systems.

Metal oxide nanorod arrays on monolithic substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Pu-Xian; Guo, Yanbing; Ren, Zheng

2018-01-02

A metal oxide nanorod array structure according to embodiments disclosed herein includes a monolithic substrate having a surface and multiple channels, an interface layer bonded to the surface of the substrate, and a metal oxide nanorod array coupled to the substrate surface via the interface layer. The metal oxide can include ceria, zinc oxide, tin oxide, alumina, zirconia, cobalt oxide, and gallium oxide. The substrate can include a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, a silicon substrate, a ceramic monolith, and a stainless steel monolith. The ceramic can include cordierite, alumina, tin oxide, and titania. The nanorod array structure can include a perovskite shell, such as a lanthanum-based transition metal oxide, or a metal oxide shell, such as ceria, zinc oxide, tin oxide, alumina, zirconia, cobalt oxide, and gallium oxide, or a coating of metal particles, such as platinum, gold, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium, over each metal oxide nanorod. Structures can be bonded to the surface of a substrate and resist erosion if exposed to high velocity flow rates.

Thin film with oriented cracks on a flexible substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Bao; McGilvray, Andrew; Shi, Bo

2010-07-27

A thermoelectric film is disclosed. The thermoelectric film includes a substrate that is substantially electrically non-conductive and flexible and a thermoelectric material that is deposited on at least one surface of the substrate. The thermoelectric film also includes multiple cracks oriented in a predetermined direction.

Natural - synthetic - artificial!

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter E

2010-01-01

The terms "natural," "synthetic" and "artificial" are discussed in relation to synthetic and artificial chromosomes and genomes, synthetic and artificial cells and artificial life.......The terms "natural," "synthetic" and "artificial" are discussed in relation to synthetic and artificial chromosomes and genomes, synthetic and artificial cells and artificial life....

Detection of slip from multiple sites in an artificial finger

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muridan, N; Chappell, P H; Cranny, A; White, N M [Electronic Systems and Devices Group, School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Cotton, D P J, E-mail: nm07r@ecs.soton.ac.u [Nanoscience Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (United Kingdom)

2009-07-01

A Piezoelectric thick-film sensor is a good candidate for the extraction of information from object slip in hand prosthesis. Five slip sensors were fabricated on different linkages of an artificial hand. The signals from each sensor were compared to the output from the sensor mounted on the fingertip. An analysis of the output signals from all the sensors indicates that the linkage sensors also produce similar output signals to the fingertip sensor. In the next phase of the research, velocity and acceleration of the slipped object will be considered in the analysis.

Prediction of Currency Volume Issued in Taiwan Using a Hybrid Artificial Neural Network and Multiple Regression Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuehjen E. Shao

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Because the volume of currency issued by a country always affects its interest rate, price index, income levels, and many other important macroeconomic variables, the prediction of currency volume issued has attracted considerable attention in recent years. In contrast to the typical single-stage forecast model, this study proposes a hybrid forecasting approach to predict the volume of currency issued in Taiwan. The proposed hybrid models consist of artificial neural network (ANN and multiple regression (MR components. The MR component of the hybrid models is established for a selection of fewer explanatory variables, wherein the selected variables are of higher importance. The ANN component is then designed to generate forecasts based on those important explanatory variables. Subsequently, the model is used to analyze a real dataset of Taiwan's currency from 1996 to 2011 and twenty associated explanatory variables. The prediction results reveal that the proposed hybrid scheme exhibits superior forecasting performance for predicting the volume of currency issued in Taiwan.

Estimating the spatial distribution of artificial groundwater recharge using multiple tracers.

Science.gov (United States)

Moeck, Christian; Radny, Dirk; Auckenthaler, Adrian; Berg, Michael; Hollender, Juliane; Schirmer, Mario

2017-10-01

Stable isotopes of water, organic micropollutants and hydrochemistry data are powerful tools for identifying different water types in areas where knowledge of the spatial distribution of different groundwater is critical for water resource management. An important question is how the assessments change if only one or a subset of these tracers is used. In this study, we estimate spatial artificial infiltration along an infiltration system with stage-discharge relationships and classify different water types based on the mentioned hydrochemistry data for a drinking water production area in Switzerland. Managed aquifer recharge via surface water that feeds into the aquifer creates a hydraulic barrier between contaminated groundwater and drinking water wells. We systematically compare the information from the aforementioned tracers and illustrate differences in distribution and mixing ratios. Despite uncertainties in the mixing ratios, we found that the overall spatial distribution of artificial infiltration is very similar for all the tracers. The highest infiltration occurred in the eastern part of the infiltration system, whereas infiltration in the western part was the lowest. More balanced infiltration within the infiltration system could cause the elevated groundwater mound to be distributed more evenly, preventing the natural inflow of contaminated groundwater. Dedicated to Professor Peter Fritz on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

A comparative study between the use of artificial neural networks and multiple linear regression for caustic concentration prediction in a stage of alumina production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Leopoldo Rozza

2015-09-01

Full Text Available With world becoming each day a global village, enterprises continuously seek to optimize their internal processes to hold or improve their competitiveness and make better use of natural resources. In this context, decision support tools are an underlying requirement. Such tools are helpful on predicting operational issues, avoiding cost risings, loss of productivity, work-related accident leaves or environmental disasters. This paper has its focus on the prediction of spent liquor caustic concentration of Bayer process for alumina production. Caustic concentration measuring is essential to keep it at expected levels, otherwise quality issues might arise. The organization requests caustic concentration by chemical analysis laboratory once a day, such information is not enough to issue preventive actions to handle process inefficiencies that will be known only after new measurement on the next day. Thereby, this paper proposes using Multiple Linear Regression and Artificial Neural Networks techniques a mathematical model to predict the spent liquor´s caustic concentration. Hence preventive actions will occur in real time. Such models were built using software tool for numerical computation (MATLAB and a statistical analysis software package (SPSS. The models output (predicted caustic concentration were compared with the real lab data. We found evidence suggesting superior results with use of Artificial Neural Networks over Multiple Linear Regression model. The results demonstrate that replacing laboratorial analysis by the forecasting model to support technical staff on decision making could be feasible.

Geometric Distribution-Based Readers Scheduling Optimization Algorithm Using Artificial Immune System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Litian Duan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In the multiple-reader environment (MRE of radio frequency identification (RFID system, multiple readers are often scheduled to interrogate the randomized tags via operating at different time slots or frequency channels to decrease the signal interferences. Based on this, a Geometric Distribution-based Multiple-reader Scheduling Optimization Algorithm using Artificial Immune System (GD-MRSOA-AIS is proposed to fairly and optimally schedule the readers operating from the viewpoint of resource allocations. GD-MRSOA-AIS is composed of two parts, where a geometric distribution function combined with the fairness consideration is first introduced to generate the feasible scheduling schemes for reader operation. After that, artificial immune system (including immune clone, immune mutation and immune suppression quickly optimize these feasible ones as the optimal scheduling scheme to ensure that readers are fairly operating with larger effective interrogation range and lower interferences. Compared with the state-of-the-art algorithm, the simulation results indicate that GD-MRSOA-AIS could efficiently schedules the multiple readers operating with a fairer resource allocation scheme, performing in larger effective interrogation range.

An Examination of Application of Artificial Neural Network in Cognitive Radios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salau, H Bello; Onwuka, E N; Aibinu, A M

2013-01-01

Recent advancement in software radio technology has led to the development of smart device known as cognitive radio. This type of radio fuses powerful techniques taken from artificial intelligence, game theory, wideband/multiple antenna techniques, information theory and statistical signal processing to create an outstanding dynamic behavior. This cognitive radio is utilized in achieving diverse set of applications such as spectrum sensing, radio parameter adaptation and signal classification. This paper contributes by reviewing different cognitive radio implementation that uses artificial intelligence such as the hidden markov models, metaheuristic algorithm and artificial neural networks (ANNs). Furthermore, different areas of application of ANNs and their performance metrics based approach are also examined

An Examination of Application of Artificial Neural Network in Cognitive Radios

Science.gov (United States)

Bello Salau, H.; Onwuka, E. N.; Aibinu, A. M.

2013-12-01

Recent advancement in software radio technology has led to the development of smart device known as cognitive radio. This type of radio fuses powerful techniques taken from artificial intelligence, game theory, wideband/multiple antenna techniques, information theory and statistical signal processing to create an outstanding dynamic behavior. This cognitive radio is utilized in achieving diverse set of applications such as spectrum sensing, radio parameter adaptation and signal classification. This paper contributes by reviewing different cognitive radio implementation that uses artificial intelligence such as the hidden markov models, metaheuristic algorithm and artificial neural networks (ANNs). Furthermore, different areas of application of ANNs and their performance metrics based approach are also examined.

Artificial intelligence

CERN Document Server

Hunt, Earl B

1975-01-01

Artificial Intelligence provides information pertinent to the fundamental aspects of artificial intelligence. This book presents the basic mathematical and computational approaches to problems in the artificial intelligence field.Organized into four parts encompassing 16 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the various fields of artificial intelligence. This text then attempts to connect artificial intelligence problems to some of the notions of computability and abstract computing devices. Other chapters consider the general notion of computability, with focus on the interaction bet

Substrate-Directed Catalytic Selective Chemical Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sawano, Takahiro; Yamamoto, Hisashi

2018-05-04

The development of highly efficient reactions at only the desired position is one of the most important subjects in organic chemistry. Most of the reactions in current organic chemistry are reagent- or catalyst-controlled reactions, and the regio- and stereoselectivity of the reactions are determined by the inherent nature of the reagent or catalyst. In sharp contrast, substrate-directed reaction determines the selectivity of the reactions by the functional group on the substrate and can strictly distinguish sterically and electronically similar multiple reaction sites in the substrate. In this Perspective, three topics of substrate-directed reaction are mainly reviewed: (1) directing group-assisted epoxidation of alkenes, (2) ring-opening reactions of epoxides by various nucleophiles, and (3) catalytic peptide synthesis. Our newly developed synthetic methods with new ligands including hydroxamic acid derived ligands realized not only highly efficient reactions but also pinpointed reactions at the expected position, demonstrating the substrate-directed reaction as a powerful method to achieve the desired regio- and stereoselective functionalization of molecules from different viewpoints of reagent- or catalyst-controlled reactions.

Production of artificial ionospheric layers by frequency sweeping near the 2nd gyroharmonic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Pedersen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Artificial ionospheric plasmas descending from the background F-region have been observed on multiple occasions at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP facility since it reached full 3.6 MW power. Proximity of the transmitter frequency to the 2nd harmonic of the electron gyrofrequency (2fce has been noted as a requirement for their occurrence, and their disappearance after only a few minutes has been attributed to the increasing frequency mismatch at lower altitudes. We report new experiments employing frequency sweeps to match 2fce in the artificial plasmas as they descend. In addition to revealing the dependence on the 2fce resonance, this technique reliably produces descending plasmas in multiple transmitter beam positions and appears to increase their stability and lifetime. High-speed ionosonde measurements are used to monitor the altitude and density of the artificial plasmas during both the formation and decay stages.

Generation of an artificial skin construct containing a non-degradable fiber mesh: a potential transcutaneous interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cahn, Frederick [Biomedical Strategies Inc., San Diego, CA (United States); Kyriakides, Themis R [Vascular Biology and Therapeutics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06536-9812 (United States)], E-mail: themis.kyriakides@yale.edu

2008-09-01

Generation of a stable interface between soft tissues and biomaterials could improve the function of transcutaneous prostheses, primarily by minimizing chronic infections. We hypothesized that inclusion of non-biodegradable biomaterials in an artificial skin substrate would improve integration of the neodermis. In the present study, we compared the biocompatibility of an experimental substrate, consisting of collagen and glycosylaminoglycans, with commercially available artificial skin of similar composition. By utilizing a mouse excisional wound model, we found that the source of collagen (bovine tendon versus hide), extent of injury and wound contraction were critical determinants of inflammation and neodermis formation. Reducing the extent of injury to underlying muscle reduced inflammation and improved remodeling; the improved conditions allowed the detection of a pro-inflammatory effect of hide-derived collagen. To eliminate the complication of wound contraction, subsequent grafts were performed in guinea pigs and showed that inclusion of carbon fibers or non-degradable sutures resulted in increased foreign body response (FBR) and altered remodeling. On the other hand, inclusion of a polyester multi-stranded mesh induced a mild FBR and allowed normal neodermis formation. Taken together, our observations suggest that non-degradable biomaterials can be embedded in an artificial skin construct without compromising its ability to induce neodermis formation.

Artificial Consciousness or Artificial Intelligence

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Spanache Florin

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Artificial intelligence is a tool designed by people for the gratification of their own creative ego, so we can not confuse conscience with intelligence and not even intelligence in its human representation with conscience. They are all different concepts and they have different uses. Philosophically, there are differences between autonomous people and automatic artificial intelligence. This is the difference between intelligence and artificial intelligence, autonomous versus automatic. But conscience is above these differences because it is neither conditioned by the self-preservation of autonomy, because a conscience is something that you use to help your neighbor, nor automatic, because one’s conscience is tested by situations which are not similar or subject to routine. So, artificial intelligence is only in science-fiction literature similar to an autonomous conscience-endowed being. In real life, religion with its notions of redemption, sin, expiation, confession and communion will not have any meaning for a machine which cannot make a mistake on its own.

Wetting morphologies and their transitions in grooved substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seemann, Ralf; Bommer, Stefan; Herrmann, Carsten; Michler, Dominik [Experimental Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbruecken (Germany); Brinkmann, Martin; Herminghaus, Stephan; Khare, Krishnacharya; Kostourou, Konstantina; Gurevich, Evgeny [Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, D-37073 Goettingen (Germany); Law, Bruce M; McBride, Sean, E-mail: r.seemann@physik.uni-saarland.de [Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 (United States)

2011-05-11

When exposed to a partially wetting liquid, many natural and artificial surfaces equipped with complex topographies display a rich variety of liquid interfacial morphologies. In the present article, we focus on a few simple paradigmatic surface topographies and elaborate on the statics and dynamics of the resulting wetting morphologies. It is demonstrated that the spectrum of wetting morphologies increases with increasing complexity of the groove structure. On elastically deformable substrates, additional structures in the liquid morphologies can be observed, which are caused by deformations of the groove geometry in the presence of capillary forces. The emergence of certain liquid morphologies in grooves can be actively controlled by changes in wettability and geometry. For electrically conducting solid substrates, the apparent contact angle can be varied by electrowetting. This allows, depending on groove geometry, a reversible or irreversible transport of liquid along surface grooves. In the case of irreversible liquid transport in triangular grooves, the dynamics of the emerging instability is sensitive to the apparent hydrodynamic slip at the substrate. On elastic substrates, the geometry can be varied in a straightforward manner by stretching or relaxing the sample. The imbibition velocity in deformable grooves is significantly reduced compared to solid grooves, which is a result of the microscopic deformation of the elastic groove material close to the three phase contact line.

Endangered New Caledonian endemic mushroom coral Cantharellus noumeae in turbid, metal-rich, natural and artificial environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, Antoine; Heintz, Tom; Hoeksema, Bert W; Benzoni, Francesca; Fernandez, Jean Michel; Fauvelot, Cécile; Andréfouët, Serge

2015-11-15

Since its description in 1984, little attention has been paid to the New Caledonian endemic mushroom coral Cantharellus noumeae (Fungiidae), an IUCN Red-listed, endangered coral species. Our study presents the first ever quantitative assessment conducted on C. noumeae populations for two contrasting sites in the same turbid bay. Sites differed by their substrates of artificial or natural origins. Metal concentrations of superficial sediment were measured. C. noumeae was found in high densities in metal-rich and turbid environments at both locations, reaching up to 288 individuals per 50m(2). It was 3.5 times more abundant on natural rock than on artificial substrates. Recruitment was also higher proportionally on rock (47% vs 7-14%). The composition of the associated coral communities included 30-37 species occurring in low densities. Our findings clarify the environmental niche of this species and its colonization potential, in order to eventually better characterize its conservation status. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensing Strategies for Disambiguating among Multiple Objects in Known Poses.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-08-01

ELEMENT. PROIECT. TASK Artificial Inteligence Laboratory AE OKUI UBR 545 Technology Square Cambridge, MA 021.39 11. CONTROLLING OFFICE NAME AND ADDRESS 12...AD-Ali65 912 SENSING STRATEGIES FOR DISAMBIGURTING MONG MULTIPLE 1/1 OBJECTS IN KNOWN POSES(U) MASSACHUSETTS INST OF TECH CAMBRIDGE ARTIFICIAL ...or Dist Special 1 ’ MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LABORATORY A. I. Memo 855 August, 1985 Sensing Strategies for

Identification of phosphorylation sites in protein kinase A substrates using artificial neural networks and mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjerrild, M.; Stensballe, A.; Rasmussen, T.E.

2004-01-01

Protein phosphorylation plays a key role in cell regulation and identification of phosphorylation sites is important for understanding their functional significance. Here, we present an artificial neural network algorithm: NetPhosK (http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/NetPhosK/) that predicts protein...

Identification of phosphorylation sites in protein kinase A substrates using artificial neural networks and mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjerrild, Majbrit; Stensballe, Allan; Rasmussen, Thomas E

2011-01-01

Protein phosphorylation plays a key role in cell regulation and identification of phosphorylation sites is important for understanding their functional significance. Here, we present an artificial neural network algorithm: NetPhosK (http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/NetPhosK/) that predicts protein...

Strain Multiplexed Metasurface Holograms on a Stretchable Substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Malek, Stephanie C; Ee, Ho-Seok; Agarwal, Ritesh

2017-06-14

We demonstrate reconfigurable phase-only computer-generated metasurface holograms with up to three image planes operating in the visible regime fabricated with gold nanorods on a stretchable polydimethylsiloxane substrate. Stretching the substrate enlarges the hologram image and changes the location of the image plane. Upon stretching, these devices can switch the displayed holographic image between multiple distinct images. This work opens up the possibilities for stretchable metasurface holograms as flat devices for dynamically reconfigurable optical communication and display. It also confirms that metasurfaces on stretchable substrates can serve as platform for a variety of reconfigurable optical devices.

Fabrication of GaAs/Al0.3Ga0.7As multiple quantum well nanostructures on (100) si substrate using a 1-nm InAs relief layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, H J; Park, S J; Lim, J Y; Cho, N K; Song, J D; Lee, W; Lee, Y J; Myoung, J M; Choi, W J

2014-04-01

Nanometer scale thin InAs layer has been incorporated between Si (100) substrate and GaAs/Al0.3Ga0.7As multiple quantum well (MQW) nanostructure in order to reduce the defects generation during the growth of GaAs buffer layer on Si substrate. Observations based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) suggest that initiation and propagation of defect at the Si/GaAs interface could be suppressed by incorporating thin (1 nm in thickness) InAs layer. Consequently, the microstructure and resulting optical properties improved as compared to the MQW structure formed directly on Si substrate without the InAs layer. It was also observed that there exists some limit to the desirable thickness of the InAs layer since the MQW structure having thicker InAs layer (4 nm-thick) showed deteriorated properties.

Artificial gait in complete spinal cord injured subjects: how to assess clinical performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karla Rocha Pithon

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Objective Adapt the 6 minutes walking test (6MWT to artificial gait in complete spinal cord injured (SCI patients aided by neuromuscular electrical stimulation. Method Nine male individuals with paraplegia (AIS A participated in this study. Lesion levels varied between T4 and T12 and time post injured from 4 to 13 years. Patients performed 6MWT 1 and 6MWT 2. They used neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and were aided by a walker. The differences between two 6MWT were assessed by using a paired t test. Multiple r-squared was also calculated. Results The 6MWT 1 and 6MWT 2 were not statistically different for heart rate, distance, mean speed and blood pressure. Multiple r-squared (r2 = 0.96 explained 96% of the variation in the distance walked. Conclusion The use of 6MWT in artificial gait towards assessing exercise walking capacity is reproducible and easy to apply. It can be used to assess SCI artificial gait clinical performance.

GaN thin films on SiC substrates studied using variable energy positron annihilation spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Y.F.; Shan, Y.Y.; Beling, C.D.; Fung, S.; Xie, M.H.; Cheung, S.H.; Tu, J.; Tong, D.S.Y.

2001-01-01

A variety of GaN epilayers, grown on 6H-SiC substrates using different growth conditions, have been studied using variable energy positron annihilation spectroscopy. In the S-E plots, a peak structure in the S-parameter is seen which is related to the GaN/substrate heterojunction. The position of the peak is found to be much closer to the sample surface than expected from simple mean implantation depth arguments. This anomaly is attributed to the fact that there is a rectifying potential step that prevents diffusing positrons in the GaN from entering the SiC substrate. This effect has been successfully mimicked by inserting an artificial electric field into the thin interfacial region in the VEPFIT analysis. (orig.)

Are artificial opals non-close-packed fcc structures?

Science.gov (United States)

García-Santamaría, F.; Braun, P. V.

2007-06-01

The authors report a simple experimental method to accurately measure the volume fraction of artificial opals. The results are modeled using several methods, and they find that some of the most common yield very inaccurate results. Both finite size and substrate effects play an important role in calculations of the volume fraction. The experimental results show that the interstitial pore volume is 4%-15% larger than expected for close-packed structures. Consequently, calculations performed in previous work relating the amount of material synthesized in the opal interstices with the optical properties may need revision, especially in the case of high refractive index materials.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy based on conical holed enhancing substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yao; Chen, Zeng-Ping; Zuo, Qi; Shi, Cai-Xia; Yu, Ru-Qin

2015-01-01

In this contribution, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based on conical holed glass substrates deposited with silver colloids was reported for the first time. It combines the advantages of both dry SERS assays based on plane films deposited with silver colloids and wet SERS assays utilizing cuvettes or capillary tubes. Compared with plane glass substrates deposited with silver colloids, the conical holed glass substrates deposited with silver colloids exhibited five-to ten-folds of increase in the rate of signal enhancement, due to the internal multiple reflections of both the excitation laser beam and the Raman scattering photons within conical holes. The application of conical holed glass substrates could also yield significantly stronger and more reproducible SERS signals than SERS assays utilizing capillary tubes to sample the mixture of silver colloids and the solution of the analyte of interest. The conical holed glass substrates in combination with the multiplicative effects model for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (MEM SERS ) achieved quite sensitive and precise quantification of 6-mercaptopurine in complex plasma samples with an average relative prediction error of about 4% and a limit of detection of about 0.02 μM using a portable i-Raman 785H spectrometer. It is reasonable to expect that SERS technique based on conical holed enhancing substrates in combination with MEM SERS model can be developed and extended to other application areas such as drug detection, environmental monitoring, and clinic analysis, etc. - Highlights: • A novel conical holed SERS enhancing substrate was designed and manufactured. • The optimal conical holed glass substrates can produce stronger SERS signal. • The novel substrates can overcome the shortcomings of both dry and wet methods. • The novel substrates coupled with MEM SERS can realize quantitative SERS assays

3D Bioprinting of Artificial Tissues: Construction of Biomimetic Microstructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Yongxiang; Lin, Xin; Huang, Peng

2018-04-24

It is promising that artificial tissues/organs for clinical application can be produced via 3D bioprinting of living cells and biomaterials. The construction of microstructures biomimicking native tissues is crucially important to create artificial tissues with biological functions. For instance, the fabrication of vessel-like networks to supply cells with initial nutrient and oxygen, and the arrangement of multiple types of cells for creating lamellar/complex tissues through 3D bioprinting are widely reported. The current advances in 3D bioprinting of artificial tissues from the view of construction of biomimetic microstructures, especially the fabrication of lamellar, vascular, and complex structures are summarized. In the end, the conclusion and perspective of 3D bioprinting for clinical applications are elaborated. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Poliuretana derivada de óleos vegetais exposta ao intemperismo artificial Polyurethane derived from vegetal oil exposed to artificial weathering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra E. F. S. Almeida

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Foram obtidas as propriedades mecânicas e viscoelásticas da poliuretana derivada do óleo de mamona após sua exposição ao intemperismo artificial, a fim de avaliar a aplicabilidade deste material como revestimento polimérico para substratos de concreto na Construção Civil. Os procedimentos experimentais foram realizados em conformidade com a ASTM G 53 for "Operating Light and Water Exposure Apparatus (Fluorescent UV - Condensation Type for Exposure of Nonmetallic Materials"[1]. O ensaio para a caracterização mecânica dos corpos-de-prova após exposição ao intemperismo artificial foi realizado conforme a norma ASTM D 638M-96 "Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics (Metric"[2]. Foi empregado o método de análise dinâmico-mecânica para a obtenção das propriedades viscoelásticas da poliuretana vegetal. Os resultados mostraram que a exposição ao intemperismo artificial não ocasionou mudanças significativas nas propriedades do revestimento polimérico para o tempo de exposição estudado.The mechanical and viscoelastic properties of polyurethane derived from castor oil were obtained after being exposed to artificial weathering with the purpose of evaluating their applicability as polymeric coatings on concrete substrate for Civil Construction. The procedures followed the ASTM G53 for "Operating Light and Water Exposure Apparatus (Fluorescent UV - Condensation Type for Exposure of Nonmetallic Materials"[1]. Mechanical properties were obtained by means of the ASTM D 638M-96 "Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics (Metric"[2]. Furthermore, a Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA was carried out in order to study the viscoelastic properties of polyurethane. The results showed that the properties were altered slightly considering the time studied.

Time Series Analysis of Soil Radon Data Using Multiple Linear Regression and Artificial Neural Network in Seismic Precursory Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, S.; Jaishi, H. P.; Tiwari, R. P.; Tiwari, R. C.

2017-07-01

This paper reports the analysis of soil radon data recorded in the seismic zone-V, located in the northeastern part of India (latitude 23.73N, longitude 92.73E). Continuous measurements of soil-gas emission along Chite fault in Mizoram (India) were carried out with the replacement of solid-state nuclear track detectors at weekly interval. The present study was done for the period from March 2013 to May 2015 using LR-115 Type II detectors, manufactured by Kodak Pathe, France. In order to reduce the influence of meteorological parameters, statistical analysis tools such as multiple linear regression and artificial neural network have been used. Decrease in radon concentration was recorded prior to some earthquakes that occurred during the observation period. Some false anomalies were also recorded which may be attributed to the ongoing crustal deformation which was not major enough to produce an earthquake.

Amylolytic activity of IgM and IgG antibodies from patients with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Saveliev, Andrew N; Ivanen, Dina R; Kulminskaya, Anna A; Ershova, Nadezhda A; Kanyshkova, Tat'yana G; Buneva, Valentina N; Mogelnitskii, Alexander S; Doronin, Boris M; Favorova, Olga O; Nevinsky, Georgy A; Neustroev, Kirill N

2003-05-01

IgG and IgM antibodies from the sera of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were found to possess amylolytic activity hydrolyzing alpha-(1-->4)-glucosyl linkages of maltooligosaccharides, glycogen, and several artificial substrates. Individual IgM fractions isolated from 54 analyzed patients with the clinically definite diagnoses of MS had approximately three orders of magnitude higher specific amylolytic activity than that for healthy donors, whereas IgG from only a few patients had high amylolytic activity. Strict criteria were used to prove that the amylolytic activity of IgMs and IgGs is their intrinsic property and is not due to any enzyme contamination. Fab fragments produced from IgM and IgG fractions of the MS patients displayed the same amylolytic activity. IgMs from various patients demonstrated different modes of action in hydrolyzing maltooligosaccharides.

Bio-Inspired Assembly of Artificial Photosynthetic Antenna Complexes for Development of Nanobiodevices

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-24

complexes involved in the primary reactions of bacterial photosynthesis . The structure of the reaction center (RC, the first membrane protein to have its...role in the primary process of purple bacterial photosynthesis that is, capturing light energy, transferring it to the RC where it is used in...immobilization LH2 LH1-RC AFM image of a bacterial photosynthetic membrane . Artificial domains of LH2 & LH1-RC with patterning substrate Modern

Integration of Artificial Neural Network Modeling and Genetic Algorithm Approach for Enrichment of Laccase Production in Solid State Fermentation by Pleurotus ostreatus

OpenAIRE

Potu Venkata Chiranjeevi; Moses Rajasekara Pandian; Sathish Thadikamala

2014-01-01

Black gram husk was used as a solid substrate for laccase production by Pleurotus ostreatus, and various fermentation conditions were optimized based on an artificial intelligence method. A total of six parameters, i.e., temperature, inoculum concentration, moisture content, CuSO4, glucose, and peptone concentrations, were optimized. A total of 50 experiments were conducted, and the obtained data were modeled by a hybrid of artificial neural network (ANN) and genetic algorithm (GA) approaches...

Artificial skin and patient simulator comprising the artificial skin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2011-01-01

The invention relates to an artificial skin (10, 12, 14), and relates to a patient simulator (100) comprising the artificial skin. The artificial skin is a layered structure comprising a translucent cover layer (20) configured for imitating human or animal skin, and comprising a light emitting layer

Interplay of Substrate Conductivity, Cellular Microenvironment, and Pulsatile Electrical Stimulation toward Osteogenesis of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Thrivikraman, Greeshma; Lee, Poh S; Hess, Ricarda; Haenchen, Vanessa; Basu, Bikramjit; Scharnweber, Dieter

2015-10-21

The influences of physical stimuli such as surface elasticity, topography, and chemistry over mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and differentiation are well investigated. In this context, a fundamentally different approach was adopted, and we have demonstrated the interplay of inherent substrate conductivity, defined chemical composition of cellular microenvironment, and intermittent delivery of electric pulses to drive mesenchymal stem cell differentiation toward osteogenesis. For this, conducting polyaniline (PANI) substrates were coated with collagen type 1 (Coll) alone or in association with sulfated hyaluronan (sHya) to form artificial extracellular matrix (aECM), which mimics the native microenvironment of bone tissue. Further, bone marrow derived human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were cultured on these moderately conductive (10(-4)-10(-3) S/cm) aECM coated PANI substrates and exposed intermittently to pulsed electric field (PEF) generated through transformer-like coupling (TLC) approach over 28 days. On the basis of critical analysis over an array of end points, it was inferred that Coll/sHya coated PANI (PANI/Coll/sHya) substrates had enhanced proliferative capacity of hMSCs up to 28 days in culture, even in the absence of PEF stimulation. On the contrary, the adopted PEF stimulation protocol (7 ms rectangular pulses, 3.6 mV/cm, 10 Hz) is shown to enhance osteogenic differentiation potential of hMSCs. Additionally, PEF stimulated hMSCs had also displayed different morphological characteristics as their nonstimulated counterparts. Concomitantly, earlier onset of ALP activity was also observed on PANI/Coll/sHya substrates and resulted in more calcium deposition. Moreover, real-time polymerase chain reaction results indicated higher mRNA levels of alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin, whereas the expression of other osteogenic markers such as Runt-related transcription factor 2, Col1A, and osteopontin exhibited a dynamic pattern similar to control cells

Multiple Linear Regression and Artificial Neural Network to Predict Blood Glucose in Overweight Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, J; Wang, F; Liu, Y; Xu, J; Lin, H; Jia, B; Zuo, W; Jiang, Y; Hu, L; Lin, F

2016-01-01

Overweight individuals are at higher risk for developing type II diabetes than the general population. We conducted this study to analyze the correlation between blood glucose and biochemical parameters, and developed a blood glucose prediction model tailored to overweight patients. A total of 346 overweight Chinese people patients ages 18-81 years were involved in this study. Their levels of fasting glucose (fs-GLU), blood lipids, and hepatic and renal functions were measured and analyzed by multiple linear regression (MLR). Based the MLR results, we developed a back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) model by selecting tansig as the transfer function of the hidden layers nodes, and purelin for the output layer nodes, with training goal of 0.5×10(-5). There was significant correlation between fs-GLU with age, BMI, and blood biochemical indexes (P<0.05). The results of MLR analysis indicated that age, fasting alanine transaminase (fs-ALT), blood urea nitrogen (fs-BUN), total protein (fs-TP), uric acid (fs-BUN), and BMI are 6 independent variables related to fs-GLU. Based on these parameters, the BP-ANN model was performed well and reached high prediction accuracy when training 1 000 epoch (R=0.9987). The level of fs-GLU was predictable using the proposed BP-ANN model based on 6 related parameters (age, fs-ALT, fs-BUN, fs-TP, fs-UA and BMI) in overweight patients. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Artificial Intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Information Technology Quarterly, 1985

1985-01-01

This issue of "Information Technology Quarterly" is devoted to the theme of "Artificial Intelligence." It contains two major articles: (1) Artificial Intelligence and Law" (D. Peter O'Neill and George D. Wood); (2) "Artificial Intelligence: A Long and Winding Road" (John J. Simon, Jr.). In addition, it contains two sidebars: (1) "Calculating and…

Artificial nacre-like papers based on noncovalent functionalized boron nitride nanosheets with excellent mechanical and thermally conductive properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Xiaoliang; Ye, Lei; Yu, Shuhui; Li, Hao; Sun, Rong; Xu, Jianbin; Wong, Ching-Ping

2015-04-21

Inspired by the nano/microscale hierarchical structure and the precise inorganic/organic interface of natural nacre, we fabricated artificial nacre-like papers based on noncovalent functionalized boron nitride nanosheets (NF-BNNSs) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) via a vacuum-assisted self-assembly technique. The artificial nacre-like papers exhibit excellent tensile strength (125.2 MPa), on a par with that of the natural nacre, and moreover display a 30% higher toughness (2.37 MJ m(-3)) than that of the natural nacre. These excellent mechanical properties result from an ordered 'brick-and-mortar' arrangement of NF-BNNSs and PVA, in which the long-chain PVA molecules act as the bridge to link NF-BNNSs via hydrogen bonds. The resulting papers also render high thermal conductivity (6.9 W m(-1) K(-1)), and reveal their superiority as flexible substrates to support light-emitting-diode chips. The combined mechanical and thermal properties make the materials highly desirable as flexible substrates for next-generation commercial portable electronics.

Artificial organs: recent progress in artificial hearing and vision.

Science.gov (United States)

Ifukube, Tohru

2009-01-01

Artificial sensory organs are a prosthetic means of sending visual or auditory information to the brain by electrical stimulation of the optic or auditory nerves to assist visually impaired or hearing-impaired people. However, clinical application of artificial sensory organs, except for cochlear implants, is still a trial-and-error process. This is because how and where the information transmitted to the brain is processed is still unknown, and also because changes in brain function (plasticity) remain unknown, even though brain plasticity plays an important role in meaningful interpretation of new sensory stimuli. This article discusses some basic unresolved issues and potential solutions in the development of artificial sensory organs such as cochlear implants, brainstem implants, artificial vision, and artificial retinas.

A Distributed Snapshot Protocol for Efficient Artificial Intelligence Computation in Cloud Computing Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JongBeom Lim

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Many artificial intelligence applications often require a huge amount of computing resources. As a result, cloud computing adoption rates are increasing in the artificial intelligence field. To support the demand for artificial intelligence applications and guarantee the service level agreement, cloud computing should provide not only computing resources but also fundamental mechanisms for efficient computing. In this regard, a snapshot protocol has been used to create a consistent snapshot of the global state in cloud computing environments. However, the existing snapshot protocols are not optimized in the context of artificial intelligence applications, where large-scale iterative computation is the norm. In this paper, we present a distributed snapshot protocol for efficient artificial intelligence computation in cloud computing environments. The proposed snapshot protocol is based on a distributed algorithm to run interconnected multiple nodes in a scalable fashion. Our snapshot protocol is able to deal with artificial intelligence applications, in which a large number of computing nodes are running. We reveal that our distributed snapshot protocol guarantees the correctness, safety, and liveness conditions.

Effects of bamboo substrate and supplemental feeding on growth and production of hybrid red tilapia fingerlings (Oreochromis mossambicusxOrechromis niloticus)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keshavanath, P.; Gangadhar, B.; Ramesh, T.J.; Dam, van A.A.; Beveridge, M.C.M.; Verdegem, M.C.J.

2004-01-01

Periphyton growing on artificial substrates can increase the production of herbivorous fish in aquaculture ponds. Periphyton may be an alternative or a complement for supplemental feed in fingerling production. Growth and production of hybrid red tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus x Oreochromis

Electrochemical corrosion of cermet coatings in artificial marine water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabot, P.L.; Fernandez, J.; Guilemany, J.M.

1998-01-01

The electrochemical corrosion of different WC+12Co coatings sprayed on 34CrMo4 (UNS-G41350) steel by the high velocity oxygen fuel technique has been studied by corrosion potential and impedance measurements considering previous SEM observations and EDX microanalysis. The experiments were conducted in artificial marine water at 20 C and the impedance spectra were obtained at the corresponding corrosion potentials for the substrate, coating and substrate-coating systems. The impedance diagrams indicated that the electrochemical corrosion of the steel-coating systems is controlled by oxygen diffusion through a porous film of corrosion products, as in the case of the shot-blasted steel. In contrast, the corrosion of the coating appeared to be controlled by diffusion of oxygen through the electrolyte. The impedance diagrams obtained for the steel-coating systems depended on the porosities of the cermet coatings, thus being an useful procedure to characterize metals coated by cermets. (orig.)

ALGAE PROLIFERATION ON SUBSTRATES IMMERSED IN BIOLOGICALLY TREATED SEWAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Garbowski

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Due fast biomass production, high affinity for N and P and possibilities to CO2 sequestration microalgae are currently in the spotlight, especially in renewable energy technologies sector. The majority of studies focus their attention on microalgae cultivation with respect to biomass production. Fuel produced from algal biomass can contribute to reducing consumption of conventional fossil fuels and be a remedy for a rising energy crisis and global warming induced by air pollution. Some authors opt for possibilities of using sewage as a nutrient medium in algae cultivation. Other scientists go one step further and present concepts to introduce microalgal systems as an integral part of wastewater treatment plants. High costs of different microalgal harvesting methods caused introduction of the idea of algae immobilization in a form of periphyton on artificial substrates. In the present study the attention has focused on possibilities of using waste materials as substrates to proliferation of periphyton in biologically treated sewage that contained certain amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Optimization of the selection process of the co-substrates for chicken manure fermentation using neural modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lewicki Andrzej

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Intense development of research equipment leads directly to increasing cognitive abilities. However, along with the raising amount of data generated, the development of the techniques allowing the analysis is also essential. Currently, one of the most dynamically developing branch of computer science and mathematics are the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN. Their main advantage is very high ability to solve the regression and approximation issues. This paper presents the possibility of application of artificial intelligence methods to optimize the selection of co-substrates intended for methane fermentation of chicken manure. 4-layer MLP network has proven to be the optimal structure modeling the obtained empirical data.

Printed electronic on flexible and glass substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Futera, Konrad; Jakubowska, Małgorzata; Kozioł, Grażyna

2010-09-01

Organic electronics is a platform technology that enables multiple applications based on organic electronics but varied in specifications. Organic electronics is based on the combination of new materials and cost-effective, large area production processes that provide new fields of application. Organic electronic by its size, weight, flexibility and environmental friendliness electronics enables low cost production of numerous electrical components and provides for such promising fields of application as: intelligent packaging, low cost RFID, flexible solar cells, disposable diagnostic devices or games, and printed batteries [1]. The paper presents results of inkjetted electronics elements on flexible and glass substrates. The investigations was target on characterizing shape, surface and geometry of printed structures. Variety of substrates were investigated, within some, low cost, non specialized substrate, design for other purposes than organic electronic.

Tuning Cell and Tissue Development by Combining Multiple Mechanical Signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, Ravi; Verdonschot, Nico; Koopman, Bart; Rouwkema, Jeroen

2017-10-01

Mechanical signals offer a promising way to control cell and tissue development. It has been established that cells constantly probe their mechanical microenvironment and employ force feedback mechanisms to modify themselves and when possible, their environment, to reach a homeostatic state. Thus, a correct mechanical microenvironment (external forces and mechanical properties and shapes of cellular surroundings) is necessary for the proper functioning of cells. In vitro or in the case of nonbiological implants in vivo, where cells are in an artificial environment, addition of the adequate mechanical signals can, therefore, enable the cells to function normally as in vivo. Hence, a wide variety of approaches have been developed to apply mechanical stimuli (such as substrate stretch, flow-induced shear stress, substrate stiffness, topography, and modulation of attachment area) to cells in vitro. These approaches have not just revealed the effects of the mechanical signals on cells but also provided ways for probing cellular molecules and structures that can provide a mechanistic understanding of the effects. However, they remain lower in complexity compared with the in vivo conditions, where the cellular mechanical microenvironment is the result of a combination of multiple mechanical signals. Therefore, combinations of mechanical stimuli have also been applied to cells in vitro. These studies have had varying focus-developing novel platforms to apply complex combinations of mechanical stimuli, observing the co-operation/competition between stimuli, combining benefits of multiple stimuli toward an application, or uncovering the underlying mechanisms of their action. In general, they provided new insights that could not have been predicted from previous knowledge. We present here a review of several such studies and the insights gained from them, thereby making a case for such studies to be continued and further developed.

Multiple linear regression and artificial neural networks for delta-endotoxin and protease yields modelling of Bacillus thuringiensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ennouri, Karim; Ben Ayed, Rayda; Triki, Mohamed Ali; Ottaviani, Ennio; Mazzarello, Maura; Hertelli, Fathi; Zouari, Nabil

2017-07-01

The aim of the present work was to develop a model that supplies accurate predictions of the yields of delta-endotoxins and proteases produced by B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-1. Using available medium ingredients as variables, a mathematical method, based on Plackett-Burman design (PB), was employed to analyze and compare data generated by the Bootstrap method and processed by multiple linear regressions (MLR) and artificial neural networks (ANN) including multilayer perceptron (MLP) and radial basis function (RBF) models. The predictive ability of these models was evaluated by comparison of output data through the determination of coefficient (R 2 ) and mean square error (MSE) values. The results demonstrate that the prediction of the yields of delta-endotoxin and protease was more accurate by ANN technique (87 and 89% for delta-endotoxin and protease determination coefficients, respectively) when compared with MLR method (73.1 and 77.2% for delta-endotoxin and protease determination coefficients, respectively), suggesting that the proposed ANNs, especially MLP, is a suitable new approach for determining yields of bacterial products that allow us to make more appropriate predictions in a shorter time and with less engineering effort.

Transport energy demand modeling of South Korea using artificial neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geem, Zong Woo

2011-01-01

Artificial neural network models were developed to forecast South Korea's transport energy demand. Various independent variables, such as GDP, population, oil price, number of vehicle registrations, and passenger transport amount, were considered and several good models (Model 1 with GDP, population, and passenger transport amount; Model 2 with GDP, number of vehicle registrations, and passenger transport amount; and Model 3 with oil price, number of vehicle registrations, and passenger transport amount) were selected by comparing with multiple linear regression models. Although certain regression models obtained better R-squared values than neural network models, this does not guarantee the fact that the former is better than the latter because root mean squared errors of the former were much inferior to those of the latter. Also, certain regression model had structural weakness based on P-value. Instead, neural network models produced more robust results. Forecasted results using the neural network models show that South Korea will consume around 37 MTOE of transport energy in 2025. - Highlights: → Transport energy demand of South Korea was forecasted using artificial neural network. → Various variables (GDP, population, oil price, number of registrations, etc.) were considered. → Results of artificial neural network were compared with those of multiple linear regression.

Artificial Intelligence and Moral intelligence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Pana

2008-07-01

Full Text Available We discuss the thesis that the implementation of a moral code in the behaviour of artificial intelligent systems needs a specific form of human and artificial intelligence, not just an abstract intelligence. We present intelligence as a system with an internal structure and the structural levels of the moral system, as well as certain characteristics of artificial intelligent agents which can/must be treated as 1- individual entities (with a complex, specialized, autonomous or selfdetermined, even unpredictable conduct, 2- entities endowed with diverse or even multiple intelligence forms, like moral intelligence, 3- open and, even, free-conduct performing systems (with specific, flexible and heuristic mechanisms and procedures of decision, 4 – systems which are open to education, not just to instruction, 5- entities with “lifegraphy”, not just “stategraphy”, 6- equipped not just with automatisms but with beliefs (cognitive and affective complexes, 7- capable even of reflection (“moral life” is a form of spiritual, not just of conscious activity, 8 – elements/members of some real (corporal or virtual community, 9 – cultural beings: free conduct gives cultural value to the action of a ”natural” or artificial being. Implementation of such characteristics does not necessarily suppose efforts to design, construct and educate machines like human beings. The human moral code is irremediably imperfect: it is a morality of preference, of accountability (not of responsibility and a morality of non-liberty, which cannot be remedied by the invention of ethical systems, by the circulation of ideal values and by ethical (even computing education. But such an imperfect morality needs perfect instruments for its implementation: applications of special logic fields; efficient psychological (theoretical and technical attainments to endow the machine not just with intelligence, but with conscience and even spirit; comprehensive technical

Different Heavy Metal Accumulation Strategies of Epilithic Lichens Colonising Artificial Post-Smelting Wastes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rola, Kaja; Osyczka, Piotr; Kafel, Alina

2016-02-01

Lichens appear to be essential and effective colonisers of bare substrates including the extremely contaminated wastes of slag dumps. This study examines the metal accumulation capacity of epilithic lichens growing directly on the surface of artificial slag sinters. Four species representing different growth forms, i.e., crustose Candelariella aurella, Lecanora muralis, and Lecidea fuscoatra and fruticose Stereocaulon nanodes, were selected to evaluate the relationships between zinc, lead, cadmium, and nickel contents in their thalli and host substrates. Bioaccumulation factors of examined crustose lichens showed their propensity to hyperaccumulate heavy metals. Contrarily, concentrations of metals in fruticose thalli of S. nanodes were, as a rule, lower than in the corresponding substrates. This indicates that the growth form of thalli and degree of thallus adhesion to the substrate has a significant impact on metal concentrations in lichens colonising post-smelting wastes. Nonlinear regression models described by power functions show that at greater levels of Pb concentration in the substrate, the ability of C. aurella, L. muralis and L. fuscoatra to accumulate the metal experiences a relative decrease, whereas hyperbolic function describes a similar trend in relation to Ni content in S. nanodes. This phenomenon may be an important attribute of lichens that facilitates their colonisation of the surface of slag wastes.

[Artificial organs].

Science.gov (United States)

Raguin, Thibaut; Dupret-Bories, Agnès; Debry, Christian

2017-01-01

Research has been fighting against organ failure and shortage of donations by supplying artificial organs for many years. With the raise of new technologies, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, many organs can benefit of an artificial equivalent: thanks to retinal implants some blind people can visualize stimuli, an artificial heart can be proposed in case of cardiac failure while awaiting for a heart transplant, artificial larynx enables laryngectomy patients to an almost normal life, while the diabetic can get a glycemic self-regulation controlled by smartphones with an artificial device. Dialysis devices become portable, as well as the oxygenation systems for terminal respiratory failure. Bright prospects are being explored or might emerge in a near future. However, the retrospective assessment of putative side effects is not yet sufficient. Finally, the cost of these new devices is significant even if the advent of three dimensional printers may reduce it. © 2017 médecine/sciences – Inserm.

The artificial organ museum in Cleveland (1979-1999) moved to Houston, Texas, and named in 2002 as the ICMT Museum for Artificial Organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nosé, Yukihiko

2003-09-01

The artificial organ museum established in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1979 organized by the International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation (ICAOT), was moved to Houston, Texas, in 1999. The museum with expanded and renewed artificial organ exhibits was officially opened on the 8th and 9th of November, 2002, at the Cullen Pavilion of the original Memorial Hermann Hospital. This building is the oldest in the Texas Medical Center, which was built in 1922. The ICMT (International Center for Medical Technologies) Museum for Artificial Organs (Museum) was completed after phase I, II, and III expansions of the exhibit booths, which were made over the last two years. Approximately 250 historically important and currently widely used artificial organs are exhibited in the Museum. The official opening of the Museum was coordinated with the "Symposium on Artificial Organs: Past, Present, and Future" during two days in November. There were approximately 225 participants at these events, and approximately 40 pioneers and clinical experts in the development and practice of various types of artificial organs contributed. During these programs, a proposal to maintain human resources in addition to artificial organ hardware and software was made in addition to the Museum. This new organization would be called the International Academy of Artificial Organ Pioneers (Academy). All contributors to the symposium were invited to be members of the Academy. The attendants of the symposium accepted this proposal unanimously. An additional 40 individuals, who were recognized as contributors to artificial organ technologies, were later added to the original Academy members. Later, the effective utilization of the Museum and Academy was encompassed in the International Faculty for Health and Medical Technologies (Faculty), a new addition to the activities of the ICMT. Dr. Michael DeBakey was elected as Dean of the Faculty. This is considered a "university without walls," a "university

Artificial nacre-like papers based on noncovalent functionalized boron nitride nanosheets with excellent mechanical and thermally conductive properties

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Xiaoliang; Ye, Lei; Yu, Shuhui; Li, Hao; Sun, Rong; Xu, Jianbin; Wong, Ching-Ping

2015-04-01

Inspired by the nano/microscale hierarchical structure and the precise inorganic/organic interface of natural nacre, we fabricated artificial nacre-like papers based on noncovalent functionalized boron nitride nanosheets (NF-BNNSs) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) via a vacuum-assisted self-assembly technique. The artificial nacre-like papers exhibit excellent tensile strength (125.2 MPa), on a par with that of the natural nacre, and moreover display a 30% higher toughness (2.37 MJ m-3) than that of the natural nacre. These excellent mechanical properties result from an ordered `brick-and-mortar' arrangement of NF-BNNSs and PVA, in which the long-chain PVA molecules act as the bridge to link NF-BNNSs via hydrogen bonds. The resulting papers also render high thermal conductivity (6.9 W m-1 K-1), and reveal their superiority as flexible substrates to support light-emitting-diode chips. The combined mechanical and thermal properties make the materials highly desirable as flexible substrates for next-generation commercial portable electronics.Inspired by the nano/microscale hierarchical structure and the precise inorganic/organic interface of natural nacre, we fabricated artificial nacre-like papers based on noncovalent functionalized boron nitride nanosheets (NF-BNNSs) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) via a vacuum-assisted self-assembly technique. The artificial nacre-like papers exhibit excellent tensile strength (125.2 MPa), on a par with that of the natural nacre, and moreover display a 30% higher toughness (2.37 MJ m-3) than that of the natural nacre. These excellent mechanical properties result from an ordered `brick-and-mortar' arrangement of NF-BNNSs and PVA, in which the long-chain PVA molecules act as the bridge to link NF-BNNSs via hydrogen bonds. The resulting papers also render high thermal conductivity (6.9 W m-1 K-1), and reveal their superiority as flexible substrates to support light-emitting-diode chips. The combined mechanical and thermal properties make

Use of a Reflective Ultraviolet Imaging System (RUVIS) on Two-Dimensional Dust Impressions Created with Footwear on Multiple Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Engelson, Brian Aaron

Footwear impression evidence in dust is often difficult to locate in ambient light and is a fragile medium that both collection and enhancement techniques can destroy or distort. The collection of footwear impression evidence always begins with non-destructive photographic techniques; however, current methods are limited to oblique lighting of the impression followed by an attempt to photograph in situ. For the vast majority of footwear impressions, an interactive collection method, and thus a potentially destructive procedure, is subsequently carried out to gather the evidence. Therefore, alternative non-destructive means for the preservation and enhancement of footwear impressions in dust merits further attention. Previous research performed with reflected ultraviolet (UV) photography and reflected ultraviolet imaging systems (RUVIS) has shown that there are additional non-destructive methodologies that can be applied to the search for and documentation of footwear impressions in dust. Unfortunately, these prior studies did not include robust comparisons to traditional oblique white light, instead choosing to focus on different UV wavelengths. This study, however, seeks to evaluate the use of a RUVIS device paired with a 254 nanometer (nm) UV light source to locate 2-D footwear impressions in dust on multiple substrates against standard oblique white light techniques and assess the visibility of the impression and amount of background interference present. The optimal angle of incident UV light for each substrate was also investigated. Finally, this study applied an image enhancement technique in order to evaluate its usefulness when looking at the visibility of a footwear impression and the amount of background interference present for enhanced white light and RUVIS pictures of footwear impressions in dust. A collection of eight different substrate types was gathered for investigation, including vinyl composition tile (VCT), ceramic tile, marble tile, magazine

Novel technique for airless connection of artificial heart to vascular conduits.

Science.gov (United States)

Karimov, Jamshid H; Gao, Shengqiang; Dessoffy, Raymond; Sunagawa, Gengo; Sinkewich, Martin; Grady, Patrick; Sale, Shiva; Moazami, Nader; Fukamachi, Kiyotaka

2017-12-01

Successful implantation of a total artificial heart relies on multiple standardized procedures, primarily the resection of the native heart, and exacting preparation of the atrial and vascular conduits for pump implant and activation. Achieving secure pump connections to inflow/outflow conduits is critical to a successful outcome. During the connection process, however, air may be introduced into the circulation, traveling to the brain and multiple organs. Such air emboli block blood flow to these areas and are detrimental to long-term survival. A correctly managed pump-to-conduit connection prevents air from collecting in the pump and conduits. To further optimize pump-connection techniques, we have developed a novel connecting sleeve that enables airless connection of the Cleveland Clinic continuous-flow total artificial heart (CFTAH) to the conduits. In this brief report, we describe the connecting sleeve design and our initial results from two acute in vivo implantations using a scaled-down version of the CFTAH.

Nutrient leaching from extensive green roofs with different substrate compositions: a laboratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Zhong, Xing; Che, Wu

2018-02-01

To investigate nutrient leaching from extensive green roofs, green roof platforms were established to investigate the effluent quantity and quality during artificial rainfall. When the influent volume reached three times the empty bed volume, for which the cumulative rainfall was around 300 mm, the effluent TP and COD concentrations of green roof platforms filled with peat soil did not tend to stabilize. For a long-term operation, the substrate depths had little significant influence on TN, TP and COD concentrations of the green roof effluents. A normalized cumulative emission process method was proposed to discuss the difference in various pollutant leaching processes. Obvious differences in the leaching process of different contaminants for green roof platforms filled with various substrates were observed. For the green roof filled with modified substrates, the nitrogen and phosphorus pollutant leaching rates were relatively high in the initial stage of green roof operation and the phosphorus leaching rate was higher than that of nitrogen. The green roof is a sink for TN, but not for TP and COD in this study. The outcomes are critical for the selection of green roof substrates and also contribute to green roof maintenance.

Photoreflectance Spectroscopy Characterization of Ge/Si0.16Ge0.84 Multiple Quantum Wells on Ge Virtual Substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hung-Pin Hsu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We report a detailed characterization of a Ge/Si0.16Ge0.84 multiple quantum well (MQW structure on Ge-on-Si virtual substrate (VS grown by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition by using temperature-dependent photoreflectance (PR in the temperature range from 10 to 300 K. The PR spectra revealed a wide range of optical transitions from the MQW region as well as transitions corresponding to the light-hole and heavy-hole splitting energies of Ge-on-Si VS. A detailed comparison of PR spectral line shape fits and theoretical calculation led to the identification of various quantum-confined interband transitions. The temperature-dependent PR spectra of Ge/Si0.16Ge0.84 MQW were analyzed using Varshni and Bose-Einstein expressions. The parameters that describe the temperature variations of various quantum-confined interband transition energies were evaluated and discussed.

Artificial Reef Effect in relation to Offshore Renewable Energy Conversion: State of the Art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivia Langhamer

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The rapid worldwide growth of offshore renewable energy production will provide marine organisms with new hard substrate for colonization, thus acting as artificial reefs. The artificial reef effect is important when constructing, for example, scour protections since it can generate an enhanced habitat. Specifically, artificial structures can create increased heterogeneity in the area important for species diversity and density. Offshore energy installations also have the positive side effect as they are a sanctuary area for trawled organisms. Higher survival of fish and bigger fish is an expected outcome that can contribute to a spillover to outer areas. One negative side effect is that invasive species can find new habitats in artificial reefs and thus influence the native habitats and their associated environment negatively. Different scour protections in offshore wind farms can create new habitats compensating for habitat loss by offshore energy installations. These created habitats differ from the lost habitat in species composition substantially. A positive reef effect is dependent on the nature and the location of the reef and the characteristics of the native populations. An increase in surface area of scour protections by using specially designed material can also support the reef effect and its productivity.

The creation of the artificial RING finger from the cross-brace zinc finger by α-helical region substitution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyamoto, Kazuhide; Togiya, Kayo

2010-01-01

The creation of the artificial RING finger as ubiquitin-ligating enzyme (E3) has been demonstrated. In this study, by the α-helical region substitution between the EL5 RING finger and the Williams-Beuren syndrome transcription factor (WSTF) PHD finger, the artificial E3 (WSTF PHD R ING finger) was newly created. The experiments of the chemical modification of residues Cys and the circular dichroism spectra revealed that the WSTF PHD R ING finger binds two zinc atoms and adopts the zinc-dependent ordered-structure. In the substrate-independent ubiquitination assay, the WSTF PHD R ING finger functions as E3 and was poly- or mono-ubiquitinated. The present strategy is very simple and convenient, and consequently it might be widely applicable to the creation of various artificial E3 RING fingers with the specific ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2)-binding capability.

The use of artificial intelligence techniques to improve the multiple payload integration process

Science.gov (United States)

Cutts, Dannie E.; Widgren, Brian K.

1992-01-01

A maximum return of science and products with a minimum expenditure of time and resources is a major goal of mission payload integration. A critical component then, in successful mission payload integration is the acquisition and analysis of experiment requirements from the principal investigator and payload element developer teams. One effort to use artificial intelligence techniques to improve the acquisition and analysis of experiment requirements within the payload integration process is described.

Experiments with microcomputer-based artificial intelligence environments

Science.gov (United States)

Summers, E.G.; MacDonald, R.A.

1988-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been experimenting with the use of relatively inexpensive microcomputers as artificial intelligence (AI) development environments. Several AI languages are available that perform fairly well on desk-top personal computers, as are low-to-medium cost expert system packages. Although performance of these systems is respectable, their speed and capacity limitations are questionable for serious earth science applications foreseen by the USGS. The most capable artificial intelligence applications currently are concentrated on what is known as the "artificial intelligence computer," and include Xerox D-series, Tektronix 4400 series, Symbolics 3600, VAX, LMI, and Texas Instruments Explorer. The artificial intelligence computer runs expert system shells and Lisp, Prolog, and Smalltalk programming languages. However, these AI environments are expensive. Recently, inexpensive 32-bit hardware has become available for the IBM/AT microcomputer. USGS has acquired and recently completed Beta-testing of the Gold Hill Systems 80386 Hummingboard, which runs Common Lisp on an IBM/AT microcomputer. Hummingboard appears to have the potential to overcome many of the speed/capacity limitations observed with AI-applications on standard personal computers. USGS is a Beta-test site for the Gold Hill Systems GoldWorks expert system. GoldWorks combines some high-end expert system shell capabilities in a medium-cost package. This shell is developed in Common Lisp, runs on the 80386 Hummingboard, and provides some expert system features formerly available only on AI-computers including frame and rule-based reasoning, on-line tutorial, multiple inheritance, and object-programming. ?? 1988 International Association for Mathematical Geology.

Design analysis of phosphor-free monolithic white light-emitting-diodes with InGaN/ InGaN multiple quantum wells on ternary InGaN substrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Kee Ooi

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Phosphor-free monolithic white light emitting diodes (LEDs based on InGaN/ InGaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs on ternary InGaN substrates are proposed and analyzed in this study. Simulation studies show that LED devices composed of multi-color-emitting InGaN/ InGaN quantum wells (QWs employing ternary InGaN substrate with engineered active region exhibit stable white color illumination with large output power (∼ 170 mW and high external quantum efficiency (EQE (∼ 50%. The chromaticity coordinate for the investigated monolithic white LED devices are located at (0.30, 0.28 with correlated color temperature (CCT of ∼ 8200 K at J = 50 A/cm2. A reference LED device without any nanostructure engineering exhibits green color emission shows that proper engineered structure is essential to achieve white color illumination. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that high-efficiency and cost-effective phosphor-free monolithic white LED is feasible by the use of InGaN/ InGaN MQWs on ternary InGaN substrate combined with nanostructure engineering, which would be of great impact for solid state lighting.

Design analysis of phosphor-free monolithic white light-emitting-diodes with InGaN/ InGaN multiple quantum wells on ternary InGaN substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ooi, Yu Kee, E-mail: Yu.Kee.Ooi@rit.edu; Zhang, Jing, E-mail: Jing.Zhang@rit.edu [Department of Electrical and Microelectronics Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States)

2015-05-15

Phosphor-free monolithic white light emitting diodes (LEDs) based on InGaN/ InGaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) on ternary InGaN substrates are proposed and analyzed in this study. Simulation studies show that LED devices composed of multi-color-emitting InGaN/ InGaN quantum wells (QWs) employing ternary InGaN substrate with engineered active region exhibit stable white color illumination with large output power (∼ 170 mW) and high external quantum efficiency (EQE) (∼ 50%). The chromaticity coordinate for the investigated monolithic white LED devices are located at (0.30, 0.28) with correlated color temperature (CCT) of ∼ 8200 K at J = 50 A/cm{sup 2}. A reference LED device without any nanostructure engineering exhibits green color emission shows that proper engineered structure is essential to achieve white color illumination. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that high-efficiency and cost-effective phosphor-free monolithic white LED is feasible by the use of InGaN/ InGaN MQWs on ternary InGaN substrate combined with nanostructure engineering, which would be of great impact for solid state lighting.

Computerized detection of multiple sclerosis candidate regions based on a level set method using an artificial neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuwazuru, Junpei; Magome, Taiki; Arimura, Hidetaka; Yamashita, Yasuo; Oki, Masafumi; Toyofuku, Fukai; Kakeda, Shingo; Yamamoto, Daisuke

2010-01-01

Yamamoto et al. developed the system for computer-aided detection of multiple sclerosis (MS) candidate regions. In a level set method in their proposed method, they employed the constant threshold value for the edge indicator function related to a speed function of the level set method. However, it would be appropriate to adjust the threshold value to each MS candidate region, because the edge magnitudes in MS candidates differ from each other. Our purpose of this study was to develop a computerized detection of MS candidate regions in MR images based on a level set method using an artificial neural network (ANN). To adjust the threshold value for the edge indicator function in the level set method to each true positive (TP) and false positive (FP) region, we constructed the ANN. The ANN could provide the suitable threshold value for each candidate region in the proposed level set method so that TP regions can be segmented and FP regions can be removed. Our proposed method detected MS regions at a sensitivity of 82.1% with 0.204 FPs per slice and similarity index of MS candidate regions was 0.717 on average. (author)

Artificial intelligence

CERN Document Server

Ennals, J R

1987-01-01

Artificial Intelligence: State of the Art Report is a two-part report consisting of the invited papers and the analysis. The editor first gives an introduction to the invited papers before presenting each paper and the analysis, and then concludes with the list of references related to the study. The invited papers explore the various aspects of artificial intelligence. The analysis part assesses the major advances in artificial intelligence and provides a balanced analysis of the state of the art in this field. The Bibliography compiles the most important published material on the subject of

Modeling of the Bacillus subtilis Bacterial Biofilm Growing on an Agar Substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaoling; Wang, Guoqing; Hao, Mudong

2015-01-01

Bacterial biofilms are organized communities composed of millions of microorganisms that accumulate on almost any kinds of surfaces. In this paper, a biofilm growth model on an agar substrate is developed based on mass conservation principles, Fick's first law, and Monod's kinetic reaction, by considering nutrient diffusion between biofilm and agar substrate. Our results show biofilm growth evolution characteristics such as biofilm thickness, active biomass, and nutrient concentration in the agar substrate. We quantitatively obtain biofilm growth dependence on different parameters. We provide an alternative mathematical method to describe other kinds of biofilm growth such as multiple bacterial species biofilm and also biofilm growth on various complex substrates.

Ursodeoxycholic acid pretreatment reduces oral bioavailability of the multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2 substrate baicalin in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tao; Li, Xi-Ping; Xu, Yan-Jiao; Du, Guang; Liu, Dong

2013-11-01

Baicalin is a major bioactive component of Scutellaria baicalensis and a substrate of multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2. Expression of multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2 is regulated by NF-E2-related factor 2. The aim of this study was to explore whether ursodeoxycholic acid, an NF-E2-related factor 2 activator, could influence the oral bioavailability of baicalin. A single dose of baicalin (200 mg/kg) was given orally to rats pretreated with ursodeoxycholic acid (75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, per day, intragastrically) or normal saline (per day, intragastrically) for six consecutive days. The plasma concentration of baicalin was measured with the HPLC method. The result indicated that the oral bioavailability of baicalin was significantly and dose-dependently reduced in rats pretreated with ursodeoxycholic acid. Compared with control rats, the mean area under concentration-time curve of baicalin was reduced from 13.25 ± 0.24 mg/L h to 7.62 ± 0.15 mg/L h and 4.97 ± 0.21 mg/L h, and the C(max) value was decreased from 1.31 ± 0.03 mg/L to 0.62 ± 0.05 mg/L and 0.36 ± 0.04 mg/L in rats pretreated with ursodeoxycholic acid at doses of 75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, respectively, for six consecutive days. Hence, ursodeoxycholic acid treatment reduced the oral bioavailability of baicalin in rats, probably due to the enhanced efflux of baicalin from the intestine and liver by multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Techniques of artificial intelligence applied to the electric power expansion distribution system planning problem; Tecnicas de inteligencia artificial aplicadas ao problema de planejamento da expansao do sistema de distribuicao de energia eletrica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Froes, Salete Maria

1996-07-01

A tool named Constrained Decision Problem (CDP), which is based on Artificial Intelligence and a specific application to Distribution System Planning is described. The CDP allows multiple objective optimization that does not, necessarily, result in a single optimal solution. First, a literature review covers published works related to Artificial Intelligence applications to Electric Power Distribution Systems, emphasizing feeder restoration and reconfiguration. Some concepts related to Artificial Intelligence are described, with particular attention to Planning and to Constrained Decision Problems. Following, an Electric Power System planning model is addressed by using the CDP tool. Some case studies illustrate the Distribution Planning model, which are compared with standard optimization models. Concluding, some comments establishing the possibilities of CDP applications are followed by a view on future developments. (author)

Use of soil-like substrate for growing plant to enhance closedness of biological lie support system

Science.gov (United States)

Gros, J. B.; Lasseur, C.; Tikhomirov, A. A.; Manuskovsky, N. S.; Kovalev, V. S.; Ushakova, S. A.; Zolotukhin, I. G.; Tirranen, L. S.; Gribovskaya, I. V.

Soil-like substrate (SLS) a potential candidate for use for growing plants in closed biological life support systems (BLSS) was studied. SLS was made by successive transformation of wheat straw by oyster mushrooms and Californian worms. Fertility of SLS of different degree of maturity has been tested. Mature SLS contained 9.5 % of humus acids and 4.9 % of fulvic acids. Wheat, bean and cucumber crops cultivated on mature SLS were comparable to crops obtained on a neutral substrate (expanded clay aggregate). In the wheat-SLS system, net CO2 absorption started on the sixth day after sowing and stopped 5 days prior to harvesting whereas in the wheat-neutral substrate system, net CO2 absorption was registered throughout vegetation. In the SLS, dominant bacteria included the spore-forming bacteria of the Bacillus genus and dominant fungi included the genus Trichoderma. In the hydroponic cultivation on neutral substrate dominant bacteria were of the Pseudomonas genus, while most commonly found fungi were species of the Fusarium genus. Consequence of SLS incorporation in artificial BLSS for increasing the closure degree of internal mass exchange in comparison with a neutral substrate is considered.

A novel system for simultaneous or sequential integration of multiple gene-loading vectors into a defined site of a human artificial chromosome.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Teruhiko; Kazuki, Yasuhiro; Oshimura, Mitsuo; Hara, Takahiko

2014-01-01

Human artificial chromosomes (HACs) are gene-delivery vectors suitable for introducing large DNA fragments into mammalian cells. Although a HAC theoretically incorporates multiple gene expression cassettes of unlimited DNA size, its application has been limited because the conventional gene-loading system accepts only one gene-loading vector (GLV) into a HAC. We report a novel method for the simultaneous or sequential integration of multiple GLVs into a HAC vector (designated as the SIM system) via combined usage of Cre, FLP, Bxb1, and φC31 recombinase/integrase. As a proof of principle, we first attempted simultaneous integration of three GLVs encoding EGFP, Venus, and TdTomato into a gene-loading site of a HAC in CHO cells. These cells successfully expressed all three fluorescent proteins. Furthermore, microcell-mediated transfer of HACs enabled the expression of those fluorescent proteins in recipient cells. We next demonstrated that GLVs could be introduced into a HAC one-by-one via reciprocal usage of recombinase/integrase. Lastly, we introduced a fourth GLV into a HAC after simultaneous integration of three GLVs by FLP-mediated DNA recombination. The SIM system expands the applicability of HAC vectors and is useful for various biomedical studies, including cell reprogramming.

A novel system for simultaneous or sequential integration of multiple gene-loading vectors into a defined site of a human artificial chromosome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teruhiko Suzuki

Full Text Available Human artificial chromosomes (HACs are gene-delivery vectors suitable for introducing large DNA fragments into mammalian cells. Although a HAC theoretically incorporates multiple gene expression cassettes of unlimited DNA size, its application has been limited because the conventional gene-loading system accepts only one gene-loading vector (GLV into a HAC. We report a novel method for the simultaneous or sequential integration of multiple GLVs into a HAC vector (designated as the SIM system via combined usage of Cre, FLP, Bxb1, and φC31 recombinase/integrase. As a proof of principle, we first attempted simultaneous integration of three GLVs encoding EGFP, Venus, and TdTomato into a gene-loading site of a HAC in CHO cells. These cells successfully expressed all three fluorescent proteins. Furthermore, microcell-mediated transfer of HACs enabled the expression of those fluorescent proteins in recipient cells. We next demonstrated that GLVs could be introduced into a HAC one-by-one via reciprocal usage of recombinase/integrase. Lastly, we introduced a fourth GLV into a HAC after simultaneous integration of three GLVs by FLP-mediated DNA recombination. The SIM system expands the applicability of HAC vectors and is useful for various biomedical studies, including cell reprogramming.

Incidents Prediction in Road Junctions Using Artificial Neural Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Hajji, Tarik; Alami Hassani, Aicha; Ouazzani Jamil, Mohammed

2018-05-01

The implementation of an incident detection system (IDS) is an indispensable operation in the analysis of the road traffics. However the IDS may, in no case, represent an alternative to the classical monitoring system controlled by the human eye. The aim of this work is to increase detection and prediction probability of incidents in camera-monitored areas. Knowing that, these areas are monitored by multiple cameras and few supervisors. Our solution is to use Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to analyze moving objects trajectories on captured images. We first propose a modelling of the trajectories and their characteristics, after we develop a learning database for valid and invalid trajectories, and then we carry out a comparative study to find the artificial neural network architecture that maximizes the rate of valid and invalid trajectories recognition.

Politetrafluorene suture used as artificial mitral chord: mechanical properties and surgical implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Caimmi, Philippe P; Sabbatini, Maurizio; Fusaro, Luca; Cannas, Mario

2017-12-01

Novel surgical approach to repair degenerative mitral regurgitation such as transapical chordae tendineae replacement and "loop in loop" in loop techniques, need of artificial chordae longer than that used in the older techniques of chordae tendineae replacement. This difference in length has been reported as potential critical point for durability of artificial chordae. In the present paper we have investigated the elastic behavior of different diameter and length politetrafluorene (PTFE) suture threads as substitute of native chordae, to identify their reliability to use as long artificial chordae. PTFE suture threads with different diameters were investigated in their mechanical properties at different length from 2 to 14 cm, by a servo hydraulic testing machine, to test the elastic properties of the sample in their use as mitral chordae substitutes. Our study shows that the chordae length is an important parameter that can change the performance of chordae itself. The analysis of elastic/properties of suture threads specimen, reveals that long PTFE chords have an optimal mechanical behavior in which elongation is accompanied by a safe elastic properties that make them well resistance during multiple tractions. In conclusion the use of PTFE as an artificial chordae may represent a valid choice in case of insertion of artificial chordae with extra anatomic length.

Amyloid Fibrils as Building Blocks for Natural and Artificial Functional Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Knowles, Tuomas P J; Mezzenga, Raffaele

2016-08-01

Proteinaceous materials based on the amyloid core structure have recently been discovered at the origin of biological functionality in a remarkably diverse set of roles, and attention is increasingly turning towards such structures as the basis of artificial self-assembling materials. These roles contrast markedly with the original picture of amyloid fibrils as inherently pathological structures. Here we outline the salient features of this class of functional materials, both in the context of the functional roles that have been revealed for amyloid fibrils in nature, as well as in relation to their potential as artificial materials. We discuss how amyloid materials exemplify the emergence of function from protein self-assembly at multiple length scales. We focus on the connections between mesoscale structure and material function, and demonstrate how the natural examples of functional amyloids illuminate the potential applications for future artificial protein based materials. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Artificial Leaf Based on Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Fuel Production

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-30

collect light energy and separate charge for developing new types of nanobiodevices to construct ”artificial leaf” from solar to fuel. or Concept of...AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2017-0054 Artificial Leaf Based on Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Fuel Production Mamoru Nango NAGOYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY...display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ORGANIZATION. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY)      30-06-2017 2

Distracted in a Demanding Task : A Classification Study with Artificial Neural Networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huijser, Stefan; Taatgen, Niels; van Vugt, Marieke; Verheij, Bart; Wiering, Marco

An important issue in cognitive science research is to know what your subjects are thinking about. In this paper, we trained multiple artificial Neural Network (ANN) classifiers to predict whether subjects’ thoughts were focused on the task (i.e., on-task) or if they were distracted (i.e.,

Two-dimensional modeling of water and heat fluxes in green roof substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Suarez, F. I.; Sandoval, V. P.

2016-12-01

Due to public concern towards sustainable development, greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency, green roofs have become popular in the last years. Green roofs integrate vegetation into infrastructures to reach additional benefits that minimize negative impacts of the urbanization. A properly designed green roof can reduce environmental pollution, noise levels, energetic requirements or surface runoff. The correct performance of green roofs depends on site-specific conditions and on each component of the roof. The substrate and the vegetation layers strongly influence water and heat fluxes on a green roof. The substrate is an artificial media that has an improved performance compared to natural soils as it provides critical resources for vegetation survival: water, nutrients, and a growing media. Hence, it is important to study the effects of substrate properties on green roof performance. The objective of this work is to investigate how the thermal and hydraulic properties affect the behavior of a green roof through numerical modeling. The substrates that were investigated are composed by: crushed bricks and organic soil (S1); peat with perlite (S2); crushed bricks (S3); mineral soil with tree leaves (S4); and a mixture of topsoil and mineral soil (S5). The numerical model utilizes summer-arid meteorological information to evaluate the performance of each substrate. Results show that the area below the water retention curve helps to define the substrate that retains more water. In addition, the non-linearity of the water retention curve can increment the water needed to irrigate the roof. The heat propagation through the roof depends strongly on the hydraulic behavior, meaning that a combination of a substrate with low thermal conductivity and more porosity can reduce the heat fluxes across the roof. Therefore, it can minimize the energy consumed of an air-conditioner system.

Effects of laminin blended with chitosan on axon guidance on patterned substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, N; Guan, Y J; Chen, X B [Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N 5A9 (Canada); Li, M G [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N 5A9 (Canada); Schreyer, D J, E-mail: niz504@mail.usask.c [Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Cameco MS Neuroscience Research Center, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7K 0M7 (Canada)

2010-12-15

Axon guidance is a crucial consideration in the design of tissue scaffolds used to promote nerve regeneration. Here we investigate the combined use of laminin (a putative axon adhesion and guidance molecule) and chitosan (a leading candidate base material for the construction of scaffolds) for promoting axon guidance in cultured adult dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Using a dispensing-based rapid prototyping (DBRP) technique, two-dimensional grid patterns were created by dispensing chitosan or laminin-blended chitosan substrate strands oriented in orthogonal directions. In vitro experiments illustrated DRG neurites on these patterns preferentially grew upon and followed the laminin-blended chitosan pathways. These results suggest that an orientation of neurite growth can be achieved in an artificially patterned substrate by creating selectively biofunctional pathways. The DBRP technique may provide improved strategies for the use of biofunctional pathways in the design of three-dimensional scaffolds for guidance of nerve repair.

Effects of laminin blended with chitosan on axon guidance on patterned substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, N; Guan, Y J; Chen, X B; Li, M G; Schreyer, D J

2010-01-01

Axon guidance is a crucial consideration in the design of tissue scaffolds used to promote nerve regeneration. Here we investigate the combined use of laminin (a putative axon adhesion and guidance molecule) and chitosan (a leading candidate base material for the construction of scaffolds) for promoting axon guidance in cultured adult dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Using a dispensing-based rapid prototyping (DBRP) technique, two-dimensional grid patterns were created by dispensing chitosan or laminin-blended chitosan substrate strands oriented in orthogonal directions. In vitro experiments illustrated DRG neurites on these patterns preferentially grew upon and followed the laminin-blended chitosan pathways. These results suggest that an orientation of neurite growth can be achieved in an artificially patterned substrate by creating selectively biofunctional pathways. The DBRP technique may provide improved strategies for the use of biofunctional pathways in the design of three-dimensional scaffolds for guidance of nerve repair.

Modeling of the Bacillus subtilis Bacterial Biofilm Growing on an Agar Substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoling Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Bacterial biofilms are organized communities composed of millions of microorganisms that accumulate on almost any kinds of surfaces. In this paper, a biofilm growth model on an agar substrate is developed based on mass conservation principles, Fick’s first law, and Monod’s kinetic reaction, by considering nutrient diffusion between biofilm and agar substrate. Our results show biofilm growth evolution characteristics such as biofilm thickness, active biomass, and nutrient concentration in the agar substrate. We quantitatively obtain biofilm growth dependence on different parameters. We provide an alternative mathematical method to describe other kinds of biofilm growth such as multiple bacterial species biofilm and also biofilm growth on various complex substrates.

Generative Artificial Intelligence : Philosophy and Theory of Artificial Intelligence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Zant, Tijn; Kouw, Matthijs; Schomaker, Lambertus; Mueller, Vincent C.

2013-01-01

The closed systems of contemporary Artificial Intelligence do not seem to lead to intelligent machines in the near future. What is needed are open-ended systems with non-linear properties in order to create interesting properties for the scaffolding of an artificial mind. Using post-structuralistic

Artificial life and Piaget.

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Ulrich; Grobman, K H.

2003-04-01

Artificial life provides important theoretical and methodological tools for the investigation of Piaget's developmental theory. This new method uses artificial neural networks to simulate living phenomena in a computer. A recent study by Parisi and Schlesinger suggests that artificial life might reinvigorate the Piagetian framework. We contrast artificial life with traditional cognitivist approaches, discuss the role of innateness in development, and examine the relation between physiological and psychological explanations of intelligent behaviour.

Evolvable mathematical models: A new artificial Intelligence paradigm

Science.gov (United States)

Grouchy, Paul

We develop a novel Artificial Intelligence paradigm to generate autonomously artificial agents as mathematical models of behaviour. Agent/environment inputs are mapped to agent outputs via equation trees which are evolved in a manner similar to Symbolic Regression in Genetic Programming. Equations are comprised of only the four basic mathematical operators, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, as well as input and output variables and constants. From these operations, equations can be constructed that approximate any analytic function. These Evolvable Mathematical Models (EMMs) are tested and compared to their Artificial Neural Network (ANN) counterparts on two benchmarking tasks: the double-pole balancing without velocity information benchmark and the challenging discrete Double-T Maze experiments with homing. The results from these experiments show that EMMs are capable of solving tasks typically solved by ANNs, and that they have the ability to produce agents that demonstrate learning behaviours. To further explore the capabilities of EMMs, as well as to investigate the evolutionary origins of communication, we develop NoiseWorld, an Artificial Life simulation in which interagent communication emerges and evolves from initially noncommunicating EMM-based agents. Agents develop the capability to transmit their x and y position information over a one-dimensional channel via a complex, dialogue-based communication scheme. These evolved communication schemes are analyzed and their evolutionary trajectories examined, yielding significant insight into the emergence and subsequent evolution of cooperative communication. Evolved agents from NoiseWorld are successfully transferred onto physical robots, demonstrating the transferability of EMM-based AIs from simulation into physical reality.

Fibronectin-tethered graphene oxide as an artificial matrix for osteogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subbiah, Ramesh; Du, Ping; Van, Se Young; Suhaeri, Muhammad; Lee, Kangwon; Park, Kwideok; Hwang, Mintai P

2014-01-01

An artificial matrix (Fn-Tigra), consisting of graphene oxide (GO) and fibronectin (Fn), is developed on pure titanium (Ti) substrates via an electrodropping technique assisted with a custom-made coaxial needle. The morphology and topography of the resulting artificial matrix is orderly aligned and composed of porous microcavities. In addition, Fn is homogenously distributed and firmly bound onto GO as determined via immunofluorescence and elemental mapping, respectively. The artificial matrix is moderately hydrophobic (63.7°), and exhibits an average roughness of 546 nm and a Young’s modulus (E) of approximately 4.8 GPa. The biocompatibility, cellular behavior, and osteogenic potential of preosteoblasts on Fn-Tigra are compared to those of cells cultured on Ti and Ti-GO (Tigra). Cell proliferation and viability are significantly higher on Fn-Tigra and Tigra than that of cells grown on Ti. Focal adhesion molecule (vinculin) expression is highly activated at the central and peripheral area of preosteoblasts when cultured on Fn-Tigra. Furthermore, we demonstrate enhanced in vitro osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblasts cultured on Fn-Tigra over those cultured on bare Ti, as determined via Alizarin red and von Kossa staining, and the analysis of osteocalcin, type I collagen, alkaline phosphatase activity, and calcium contents. Finally, we investigate the biophysical and biomechanical properties of the cells using AFM. While the height and roughness of preosteoblasts increased with time, cell surface area decreased during in vitro osteogenesis over 2 weeks. In addition, the E of cells cultured on Tigra and Fn-Tigra increase in a statistically significant and time-dependent manner by 30%, while those cultured on bare Ti retain a relatively consistent E. In summary, we engineer a biocompatible artificial matrix (Fn-Tigra) capable of osteogenic induction and consequently demonstrate its potential in bone tissue engineering applications. (paper)

Fibronectin-tethered graphene oxide as an artificial matrix for osteogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Subbiah, Ramesh; Du, Ping; Van, Se Young; Suhaeri, Muhammad; Hwang, Mintai P; Lee, Kangwon; Park, Kwideok

2014-10-20

An artificial matrix (Fn-Tigra), consisting of graphene oxide (GO) and fibronectin (Fn), is developed on pure titanium (Ti) substrates via an electrodropping technique assisted with a custom-made coaxial needle. The morphology and topography of the resulting artificial matrix is orderly aligned and composed of porous microcavities. In addition, Fn is homogenously distributed and firmly bound onto GO as determined via immunofluorescence and elemental mapping, respectively. The artificial matrix is moderately hydrophobic (63.7°), and exhibits an average roughness of 546 nm and a Young's modulus (E) of approximately 4.8 GPa. The biocompatibility, cellular behavior, and osteogenic potential of preosteoblasts on Fn-Tigra are compared to those of cells cultured on Ti and Ti-GO (Tigra). Cell proliferation and viability are significantly higher on Fn-Tigra and Tigra than that of cells grown on Ti. Focal adhesion molecule (vinculin) expression is highly activated at the central and peripheral area of preosteoblasts when cultured on Fn-Tigra. Furthermore, we demonstrate enhanced in vitro osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblasts cultured on Fn-Tigra over those cultured on bare Ti, as determined via Alizarin red and von Kossa staining, and the analysis of osteocalcin, type I collagen, alkaline phosphatase activity, and calcium contents. Finally, we investigate the biophysical and biomechanical properties of the cells using AFM. While the height and roughness of preosteoblasts increased with time, cell surface area decreased during in vitro osteogenesis over 2 weeks. In addition, the E of cells cultured on Tigra and Fn-Tigra increase in a statistically significant and time-dependent manner by 30%, while those cultured on bare Ti retain a relatively consistent E. In summary, we engineer a biocompatible artificial matrix (Fn-Tigra) capable of osteogenic induction and consequently demonstrate its potential in bone tissue engineering applications.

Some relationships between logic programming and multiple-valued logic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rine, D.C.

1986-01-01

There have been suggestions in the artificial intelligence literature that investigations into relationships between logic programming and multiple-valued logic may be helpful. This paper presents some of these relationships through equivalent algebraic evaluations

Relationships between substrate, surface characteristics, and vegetation in an initial ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Biber, P.; Seifert, S.; Zaplata, M. K.; Schaaf, W.; Pretzsch, H.; Fischer, A.

2013-12-01

We investigated surface and vegetation dynamics in the artificial initial ecosystem "Chicken Creek" (Lusatia, Germany) in the years 2006-2011 across a wide spectrum of empirical data. We scrutinized three overarching hypotheses concerning (1) the relations between initial geomorphological and substrate characteristics with surface structure and terrain properties, (2) the effects of the latter on the occurrence of grouped plant species, and (3) vegetation density effects on terrain surface change. Our data comprise and conflate annual vegetation monitoring results, biennial terrestrial laser scans (starting in 2008), annual groundwater levels, and initially measured soil characteristics. The empirical evidence mostly confirms the hypotheses, revealing statistically significant relations for several goal variables: (1) the surface structure properties, local rill density, local relief energy and terrain surface height change; (2) the cover of different plant groups (annual, herbaceous, grass-like, woody, Fabaceae), and local vegetation height; and (3) terrain surface height change showed significant time-dependent relations with a variable that proxies local plant biomass. Additionally, period specific effects (like a calendar-year optimum effect for the occurrence of Fabaceae) were proven. Further and beyond the hypotheses, our findings on the spatiotemporal dynamics during the system's early development grasp processes which generally mark the transition from a geo-hydro-system towards a bio-geo-hydro system (weakening geomorphology effects on substrate surface dynamics, while vegetation effects intensify with time), where pure geomorphology or substrate feedbacks are changing into vegetation-substrate feedback processes.

The use of artificial neural networks and multiple linear regression to predict rate of medical waste generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jahandideh, Sepideh; Jahandideh, Samad; Asadabadi, Ebrahim Barzegari; Askarian, Mehrdad; Movahedi, Mohammad Mehdi; Hosseini, Somayyeh; Jahandideh, Mina

2009-01-01

Prediction of the amount of hospital waste production will be helpful in the storage, transportation and disposal of hospital waste management. Based on this fact, two predictor models including artificial neural networks (ANNs) and multiple linear regression (MLR) were applied to predict the rate of medical waste generation totally and in different types of sharp, infectious and general. In this study, a 5-fold cross-validation procedure on a database containing total of 50 hospitals of Fars province (Iran) were used to verify the performance of the models. Three performance measures including MAR, RMSE and R 2 were used to evaluate performance of models. The MLR as a conventional model obtained poor prediction performance measure values. However, MLR distinguished hospital capacity and bed occupancy as more significant parameters. On the other hand, ANNs as a more powerful model, which has not been introduced in predicting rate of medical waste generation, showed high performance measure values, especially 0.99 value of R 2 confirming the good fit of the data. Such satisfactory results could be attributed to the non-linear nature of ANNs in problem solving which provides the opportunity for relating independent variables to dependent ones non-linearly. In conclusion, the obtained results showed that our ANN-based model approach is very promising and may play a useful role in developing a better cost-effective strategy for waste management in future.

Substrates of Peltigera Lichens as a Potential Source of Cyanobionts.

Science.gov (United States)

Zúñiga, Catalina; Leiva, Diego; Carú, Margarita; Orlando, Julieta

2017-10-01

Photobiont availability is one of the main factors determining the success of the lichenization process. Although multiple sources of photobionts have been proposed, there is no substantial evidence confirming that the substrates on which lichens grow are one of them. In this work, we obtained cyanobacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences from the substrates underlying 186 terricolous Peltigera cyanolichens from localities in Southern Chile and maritime Antarctica and compared them with the sequences of the cyanobionts of these lichens, in order to determine if cyanobacteria potentially available for lichenization were present in the substrates. A phylogenetic analysis of the sequences showed that Nostoc phylotypes dominated the cyanobacterial communities of the substrates in all sites. Among them, an overlap was observed between the phylotypes of the lichen cyanobionts and those of the cyanobacteria present in their substrates, suggesting that they could be a possible source of lichen photobionts. Also, in most cases, higher Nostoc diversity was observed in the lichens than in the substrates from each site. A better understanding of cyanobacterial diversity in lichen substrates and their relatives in the lichens would bring insights into mycobiont selection and the distribution patterns of lichens, providing a background for hypothesis testing and theory development for future studies of the lichenization process.

Using Artificial Neural Networks in Educational Research: Some Comparisons with Linear Statistical Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Everson, Howard T.; And Others

This paper explores the feasibility of neural computing methods such as artificial neural networks (ANNs) and abductory induction mechanisms (AIM) for use in educational measurement. ANNs and AIMS methods are contrasted with more traditional statistical techniques, such as multiple regression and discriminant function analyses, for making…

Artificial sweeteners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raben, Anne Birgitte; Richelsen, Bjørn

2012-01-01

Artificial sweeteners can be a helpful tool to reduce energy intake and body weight and thereby risk for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Considering the prevailing diabesity (obesity and diabetes) epidemic, this can, therefore, be an important alternative to natural, calorie-containin......Artificial sweeteners can be a helpful tool to reduce energy intake and body weight and thereby risk for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Considering the prevailing diabesity (obesity and diabetes) epidemic, this can, therefore, be an important alternative to natural, calorie......-containing sweeteners. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current evidence on the effect of artificial sweeteners on body weight, appetite, and risk markers for diabetes and CVD in humans....

Parametric optimization for floating drum anaerobic bio-digester using Response Surface Methodology and Artificial Neural Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Sathish

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this study to increase the optimal conditions for biogas yield from anaerobic digestion of agricultural waste (Rice Straw using Response Surface Methodology (RSM and Artificial Neural Network (ANN. In the development of predictive models temperature, pH, substrate concentration and agitation time are conceived as model variables. The experimental results show that the liner model terms of temperature, substrate concentration and pH, agitation time have significance of interactive effects (p < 0.05. The results manifest that the optimum process parameters affected on biogas yield increase from the ANN model when compared to RSM model. The ANN model indicates that it is much more accurate and reckons the values of maximum biogas yield when compared to RSM model.

Artificial cognition architectures

CERN Document Server

Crowder, James A; Friess, Shelli A

2013-01-01

The goal of this book is to establish the foundation, principles, theory, and concepts that are the backbone of real, autonomous Artificial Intelligence. Presented here are some basic human intelligence concepts framed for Artificial Intelligence systems. These include concepts like Metacognition and Metamemory, along with architectural constructs for Artificial Intelligence versions of human brain functions like the prefrontal cortex. Also presented are possible hardware and software architectures that lend themselves to learning, reasoning, and self-evolution

Competitive advantage for multiple-memory strategies in an artificial market

Science.gov (United States)

Mitman, Kurt E.; Choe, Sehyo C.; Johnson, Neil F.

2005-05-01

We consider a simple binary market model containing N competitive agents. The novel feature of our model is that it incorporates the tendency shown by traders to look for patterns in past price movements over multiple time scales, i.e. multiple memory-lengths. In the regime where these memory-lengths are all small, the average winnings per agent exceed those obtained for either (1) a pure population where all agents have equal memory-length, or (2) a mixed population comprising sub-populations of equal-memory agents with each sub-population having a different memory-length. Agents who consistently play strategies of a given memory-length, are found to win more on average -- switching between strategies with different memory lengths incurs an effective penalty, while switching between strategies of equal memory does not. Agents employing short-memory strategies can outperform agents using long-memory strategies, even in the regime where an equal-memory system would have favored the use of long-memory strategies. Using the many-body 'Crowd-Anticrowd' theory, we obtain analytic expressions which are in good agreement with the observed numerical results. In the context of financial markets, our results suggest that multiple-memory agents have a better chance of identifying price patterns of unknown length and hence will typically have higher winnings.

A development framework for distributed artificial intelligence

Science.gov (United States)

Adler, Richard M.; Cottman, Bruce H.

1989-01-01

The authors describe distributed artificial intelligence (DAI) applications in which multiple organizations of agents solve multiple domain problems. They then describe work in progress on a DAI system development environment, called SOCIAL, which consists of three primary language-based components. The Knowledge Object Language defines models of knowledge representation and reasoning. The metaCourier language supplies the underlying functionality for interprocess communication and control access across heterogeneous computing environments. The metaAgents language defines models for agent organization coordination, control, and resource management. Application agents and agent organizations will be constructed by combining metaAgents and metaCourier building blocks with task-specific functionality such as diagnostic or planning reasoning. This architecture hides implementation details of communications, control, and integration in distributed processing environments, enabling application developers to concentrate on the design and functionality of the intelligent agents and agent networks themselves.

Brown's TRANSPORT up to third order aberration by artificial intelligence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Jiawen; Xie Xi; Qiao Qingwen

1991-01-01

Brown's TRANSPORT is a first and second order matrix multiplication computer program intended for the design of accelerator beam transport systems, neglecting the third order aberration. Recently a new method was developed to derive analytically any order aberration coefficients of general charged particle optic system, applicable to any practical systems, such as accelerators, electron microscopes, lithographs, etc., including those unknown systems yet to be invented. An artificial intelligence program in Turbo Prolog was implemented on IBM-PC 286 or 386 machine to generate automatically the analytical expression of any order aberration coefficients of general charged particle optic system. Based on this new method and technique, Brown's TRANSPORT is extended beyond the second order aberration effects by artificial intelligence, outputing automatically all the analytical expressions up to the third order aberration coefficients

Brown's transport up to third order aberration by artificial intelligence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Jiawen; Xie Xi; Qiao Qingwen

1992-01-01

Brown's TRANSPORT is a first and second order matrix multiplication computer program intended for the design of accelerator beam transport systems, neglecting the third order aberration. Recently a new method was developed to derive analytically any order aberration coefficients of general charged particle optic system, applicable to any practical systems, such as accelerators, electron microscopes, lithographs, including those unknown systems yet to be invented. An artificial intelligence program in Turbo Prolog was implemented on IBM-PC 286 or 386 machine to generate automatically the analytical expression of any order aberration coefficients of general charged particle optic system. Based on this new method and technique, Brown's TRANSPORT is extended beyond the second order aberration effect by artificial intelligence, outputting automatically all the analytical expressions up to the third order aberration coefficients

De novo formed satellite DNA-based mammalian artificial chromosomes and their possible applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Katona, Robert L

2015-02-01

Mammalian artificial chromosomes (MACs) are non-integrating, autonomously replicating natural chromosome-based vectors that may carry a vast amount of genetic material, which in turn enable potentially prolonged, safe, and regulated therapeutic transgene expression and render MACs as attractive genetic vectors for "gene replacement" or for controlling differentiation pathways in target cells. Satellite-DNA-based artificial chromosomes (SATACs) can be made by induced de novo chromosome formation in cells of different mammalian and plant species. These artificially generated accessory chromosomes are composed of predictable DNA sequences, and they contain defined genetic information. SATACs have already passed a number of obstacles crucial to their further development as gene therapy vectors, including large-scale purification, transfer of purified artificial chromosomes into different cells and embryos, generation of transgenic animals and germline transmission with purified SATACs, and the tissue-specific expression of a therapeutic gene from an artificial chromosome in the milk of transgenic animals. SATACs could be used in cell therapy protocols. For these methods, the most versatile target cell would be one that was pluripotent and self-renewing to address multiple disease target cell types, thus making multilineage stem cells, such as adult derived early progenitor cells and embryonic stem cells, as attractive universal host cells.

Artificial Disc Replacement

Science.gov (United States)

... Spondylolisthesis BLOG FIND A SPECIALIST Treatments Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR) Patient Education Committee Jamie Baisden The disc ... Disc An artificial disc (also called a disc replacement, disc prosthesis or spine arthroplasty device) is a ...

Predicting CYP2C19 Catalytic Parameters for Enantioselective Oxidations Using Artificial Neural Networks and a Chirality Code

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, Jessica H.; Cothren, Steven D.; Park, Sun-Ha; Yun, Chul-Ho; Darsey, Jerry A.; Miller, Grover P.

2013-01-01

Cytochromes P450 (CYP for isoforms) play a central role in biological processes especially metabolism of chiral molecules; thus, development of computational methods to predict parameters for chiral reactions is important for advancing this field. In this study, we identified the most optimal artificial neural networks using conformation-independent chirality codes to predict CYP2C19 catalytic parameters for enantioselective reactions. Optimization of the neural networks required identifying the most suitable representation of structure among a diverse array of training substrates, normalizing distribution of the corresponding catalytic parameters (kcat, Km, and kcat/Km), and determining the best topology for networks to make predictions. Among different structural descriptors, the use of partial atomic charges according to the CHelpG scheme and inclusion of hydrogens yielded the most optimal artificial neural networks. Their training also required resolution of poorly distributed output catalytic parameters using a Box-Cox transformation. End point leave-one-out cross correlations of the best neural networks revealed that predictions for individual catalytic parameters (kcat and Km) were more consistent with experimental values than those for catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km). Lastly, neural networks predicted correctly enantioselectivity and comparable catalytic parameters measured in this study for previously uncharacterized CYP2C19 substrates, R- and S-propranolol. Taken together, these seminal computational studies for CYP2C19 are the first to predict all catalytic parameters for enantioselective reactions using artificial neural networks and thus provide a foundation for expanding the prediction of cytochrome P450 reactions to chiral drugs, pollutants, and other biologically active compounds. PMID:23673224

In situ study of the growth and degradation processes in tetragonal lysozyme crystals on a silicon substrate by high-resolution X-ray diffractometry

Science.gov (United States)

Kovalchuk, M. V.; Prosekov, P. A.; Marchenkova, M. A.; Blagov, A. E.; D'yakova, Yu. A.; Tereshchenko, E. Yu.; Pisarevskii, Yu. V.; Kondratev, O. A.

2014-09-01

The results of an in situ study of the growth of tetragonal lysozyme crystals by high-resolution X-ray diffractometry are considered. The crystals are grown by the sitting-drop method on crystalline silicon substrates of different types: both on smooth substrates and substrates with artificial surface-relief structures using graphoepitaxy. The crystals are grown in a special hermetically closed crystallization cell, which enables one to obtain images with an optical microscope and perform in situ X-ray diffraction studies in the course of crystal growth. Measurements for lysozyme crystals were carried out in different stages of the crystallization process, including crystal nucleation and growth, developed crystals, the degradation of the crystal structure, and complete destruction.

Simulation of multiple scattering background in heavy ion backscattering spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, M.M.; O'Connor, D.J.

1999-01-01

With the development of heavy ion backscattering spectrometry (HIBS) for the detection of trace quantities of heavy-atom impurities on Si surfaces, it is necessary to quantify the multiple scattering contribution to the spectral background. In the present work, the Monte Carlo computer simulation program TRIM has been used to study the backscattering spectrum and the multiple scattering background features for heavy ions C, Ne, Si, Ar and Kr impinging on four types of targets: (1) a single ultra-thin (free standing) Au film of 10 A thickness, (2) a 10 A Au film on a 50 A Si surface, (3) a 10 A Au film on an Si substrate (10 000 A), and (4) a thick target (10 000 A) of pure Si. The ratio of the signal from the Au thin layer to the background due to multiple scattering has been derived by fitting the simulation results. From the simulation results, it is found that the Au film contributes to the background which the Si plays a role in developing due to the ion's multiple scattering in the substrate. Such a background is generated neither by only the Au thin layer nor by the pure Si substrate independently. The corresponding mechanism of multiple scattering in the target can be explained as one large-angle scattering in the Au layer and subsequently several small angle scatterings in the substrate. This study allows an appropriate choice of incident beam species and energy range when the HIBS is utilized to analyse low level impurities in Si wafers

Artificial neural networks environmental forecasting in comparison with multiple linear regression technique: From heavy metals to organic micropollutants screening in agricultural soils

Science.gov (United States)

Bonelli, Maria Grazia; Ferrini, Mauro; Manni, Andrea

2016-12-01

The assessment of metals and organic micropollutants contamination in agricultural soils is a difficult challenge due to the extensive area used to collect and analyze a very large number of samples. With Dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs measurement methods and subsequent the treatment of data, the European Community advises the develop low-cost and fast methods allowing routing analysis of a great number of samples, providing rapid measurement of these compounds in the environment, feeds and food. The aim of the present work has been to find a method suitable to describe the relations occurring between organic and inorganic contaminants and use the value of the latter in order to forecast the former. In practice, the use of a metal portable soil analyzer coupled with an efficient statistical procedure enables the required objective to be achieved. Compared to Multiple Linear Regression, the Artificial Neural Networks technique has shown to be an excellent forecasting method, though there is no linear correlation between the variables to be analyzed.

Complexity for Artificial Substrates (

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loke, L.H.L.; Jachowski, N.R.; Bouma, T.J.; Ladle, R.J.; Todd, P.A.

2014-01-01

Physical habitat complexity regulates the structure and function of biological communities, although the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Urbanisation, pollution, unsustainable resource exploitation and climate change have resulted in the widespread simplification (and loss)

Biochemistry students' ideas about shape and charge in enzyme-substrate interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Linenberger, Kimberly J; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2014-01-01

Biochemistry is a visual discipline that requires students to develop an understanding of numerous representations. However, there is very little known about what students actually understand about the representations that are used to communicate ideas in biochemistry. This study investigated biochemistry students' understanding of multiple representations of enzyme-substrate interactions through both student interviews (N = 25) and responses by a national sample (N = 707) to the Enzyme-Substrate Interactions Concept Inventory. This manuscript reports the findings regarding one category of misconceptions measured by the concept inventory, namely, students' understandings of shape and charge in the context of enzyme-substrate interactions. Students interpret molecular representations depicting such interactions by determining the complementarity between enzyme and substrate by focusing upon charge and hydrogen bonding, but with a disregard for stereochemistry. Copyright © 2014 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Artificial heart for humanoid robot using coiled SMA actuators

Science.gov (United States)

Potnuru, Akshay; Tadesse, Yonas

2015-03-01

Previously, we have presented the design and characterization of artificial heart using cylindrical shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators for humanoids [1]. The robotic heart was primarily designed to pump a blood-like fluid to parts of the robot such as the face to simulate blushing or anger by the use of elastomeric substrates for the transport of fluids. It can also be used for other applications. In this paper, we present an improved design by using high strain coiled SMAs and a novel pumping mechanism that uses sequential actuation to create peristalsis-like motions, and hence pump the fluid. Various placements of actuators will be investigated with respect to the silicone elastomeric body. This new approach provides a better performance in terms of the fluid volume pumped.

Artificial life and life artificialization in Tron

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Dantas Figueiredo

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Cinema constantly shows the struggle between the men and artificial intelligences. Fiction, and more specifically fiction films, lends itself to explore possibilities asking “what if?”. “What if”, in this case, is related to the eventual rebellion of artificial intelligences, theme explored in the movies Tron (1982 and Tron Legacy (2010 trat portray the conflict between programs and users. The present paper examines these films, observing particularly the possibility programs empowering. Finally, is briefly mentioned the concept of cyborg as a possibility of response to human concerns.

Networks of neuroblastoma cells on porous silicon substrates reveal a small world topology

KAUST Repository

Marinaro, Giovanni; La Rocca, Rosanna; Toma, Andrea; Barberio, Marianna; Cancedda, Laura; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.; Decuzzi, Paolo C W; Gentile, Francesco T.

2015-01-01

The human brain is a tightly interweaving network of neural cells where the complexity of the network is given by the large number of its constituents and its architecture. The topological structure of neurons in the brain translates into its increased computational capabilities, low energy consumption, and nondeterministic functions, which differentiate human behavior from artificial computational schemes. In this manuscript, we fabricated porous silicon chips with a small pore size ranging from 8 to 75 nm and large fractal dimensions up to Df ∼ 2.8. In culturing neuroblastoma N2A cells on the described substrates, we found that those cells adhere more firmly to and proliferate on the porous surfaces compared to the conventional nominally flat silicon substrates, which were used as controls. More importantly, we observed that N2A cells on the porous substrates create highly clustered, small world topology patterns. We conjecture that neurons with a similar architecture may elaborate information more efficiently than in random or regular grids. Moreover, we hypothesize that systems of neurons on nano-scale geometry evolve in time to form networks in which the propagation of information is maximized. This journal is

3D fluid-structure modelling and vibration analysis for fault diagnosis of Francis turbine using multiple ANN and multiple ANFIS

Science.gov (United States)

Saeed, R. A.; Galybin, A. N.; Popov, V.

2013-01-01

This paper discusses condition monitoring and fault diagnosis in Francis turbine based on integration of numerical modelling with several different artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. In this study, a numerical approach for fluid-structure (turbine runner) analysis is presented. The results of numerical analysis provide frequency response functions (FRFs) data sets along x-, y- and z-directions under different operating load and different position and size of faults in the structure. To extract features and reduce the dimensionality of the obtained FRF data, the principal component analysis (PCA) has been applied. Subsequently, the extracted features are formulated and fed into multiple artificial neural networks (ANN) and multiple adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) in order to identify the size and position of the damage in the runner and estimate the turbine operating conditions. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach and provide satisfactory accuracy even when the input data are corrupted with certain level of noise.

Power electronics substrate for direct substrate cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Khiet [Mission Viejo, CA; Ward, Terence G [Redondo Beach, CA; Mann, Brooks S [Redondo Beach, CA; Yankoski, Edward P [Corona, CA; Smith, Gregory S [Woodland Hills, CA

2012-05-01

Systems and apparatus are provided for power electronics substrates adapted for direct substrate cooling. A power electronics substrate comprises a first surface configured to have electrical circuitry disposed thereon, a second surface, and a plurality of physical features on the second surface. The physical features are configured to promote a turbulent boundary layer in a coolant impinged upon the second surface.

Coupling analysis of transcutaneous energy transfer coils with planar sandwich structure for a novel artificial anal sphincter

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Lei KE; Guo-zheng YAN; Sheng YAN; Zhi-wu WANG; Da-sheng LIU

2014-01-01

This paper presents a set of analytical expressions used to determine the coupling coefficient between primary and secondary Litz-wire planar coils used in a transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system. A TET system has been designed to power a novel elastic scaling artificial anal sphincter system (ES-AASS) for treating severe fecal incontinence (FI), a condition that would benefit from an optimized TET. Expressions that describe the geometrical dimension dependence of self- and mutual inductances of planar coils on a ferrite substrate are provided. The effects of ferrite substrate conductivity, relative permeability, and geometrical dimensions are also considered. To verify these expressions, mutual coupling between planar coils is computed by 3D finite element analysis (FEA), and the proposed expressions show good agreement with numerical results. Different types of planar coils are fabricated with or without ferrite substrate. Measured results for each of the cases are compared with theoretical predictions and FEA solutions. The theoretical results and FEA results are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Polymer (PDMS-Fe3O4) magneto-dielectric substrate for a MIMO antenna array

Science.gov (United States)

Alqadami, Abdulrahman Shueai Mohsen; Jamlos, Mohd Faizal; Soh, Ping Jack; Kamarudin, Muhammad Ramlee

2016-01-01

This paper presents the design of a 2 × 4 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna array fabricated on a nanocomposite magneto-dielectric polymer substrate. The 10-nm iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite is used as substrate to enhance the performance of a MIMO antenna array. The measured results showed up to 40.8 % enhancement in terms of bandwidth, 9.95 dB gain, and 57 % of radiation efficiency. Furthermore, it is found that the proposed magneto-dielectric (PDMS-Fe3O4) composite substrate provides excellent MIMO parameters such as correlation coefficient, diversity gain, and mutual coupling. The prototype of the proposed antenna is transparent, flexible, lightweight, and resistant against dust and corrosion. Measured results indicate that the proposed antenna is suitable for WLAN and ultra-wideband biomedical applications within frequency range of 5.33-7.70 GHz.

The social acceptance of artificial photosynthesis: towards a conceptual framework

Science.gov (United States)

Sovacool, Benjamin K.; Gross, Allan

2015-01-01

Advancements in artificial photosynthesis have the potential to radically transform how societies convert and use energy. Their successful development, however, hinges not only on technical breakthroughs, but also acceptance and adoption by energy users. This article introduces a conceptual framework enabling analysts, planners and even investors to determine environments where artificial photosynthesis may thrive, and those where it may struggle. Drawn from work looking at the barriers and acceptance of solar photovoltaic and wind energy systems, the article proposes that social acceptance has multiple dimensions—socio-political, community and market—that must be met holistically in order for investors and users to embrace new technologies. The article argues that any future market acceptance for artificial photosynthesis will depend upon the prevalence of nine factors, which create conducive environments; the lack of the conditions engenders environments where they will likely be rejected. The conditions are (i) strong institutional capacity; (ii) political commitment; (iii) favourable legal and regulatory frameworks; (iv) competitive installation and/or production costs; (v) mechanisms for information and feedback; (vi) access to financing; (vii) prolific community and/or individual ownership and use; (viii) participatory project siting; and (ix) recognition of externalities or positive public image. PMID:26052424

Laser-Induced Graphene by Multiple Lasing: Toward Electronics on Cloth, Paper, and Food.

Science.gov (United States)

Chyan, Yieu; Ye, Ruquan; Li, Yilun; Singh, Swatantra Pratap; Arnusch, Christopher J; Tour, James M

2018-03-27

A simple and facile method for obtaining patterned graphene under ambient conditions on the surface of diverse materials ranging from renewable precursors such as food, cloth, paper, and cardboard to high-performance polymers like Kevlar or even on natural coal would be highly desirable. Here, we report a method of using multiple pulsed-laser scribing to convert a wide range of substrates into laser-induced graphene (LIG). With the increased versatility of the multiple lase process, highly conductive patterns can be achieved on the surface of a diverse number of substrates in ambient atmosphere. The use of a defocus method results in multiple lases in a single pass of the laser, further simplifying the procedure. This method can be implemented without increasing processing times when compared with laser induction of graphene on polyimide (Kapton) substrates as previously reported. In fact, any carbon precursor that can be converted into amorphous carbon can be converted into graphene using this multiple lase method. This may be a generally applicable technique for forming graphene on diverse substrates in applications such as flexible or even biodegradable and edible electronics.

Substrate use of Pseudovibrio sp. growing in ultra-oligotrophic seawater.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Schwedt

Full Text Available Marine planktonic bacteria often live in habitats with extremely low concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM. To study the use of trace amounts of DOM by the facultatively oligotrophic Pseudovibrio sp. FO-BEG1, we investigated the composition of artificial and natural seawater before and after growth. We determined the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC, total dissolved nitrogen (TDN, free and hydrolysable amino acids, and the molecular composition of DOM by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR-MS. The DOC concentration of the artificial seawater we used for cultivation was 4.4 μmol C L(-1, which was eight times lower compared to the natural oligotrophic seawater we used for parallel experiments (36 μmol C L(-1. During the three-week duration of the experiment, cell numbers increased from 40 cells mL(-1 to 2x10(4 cells mL(-1 in artificial and to 3x10(5 cells mL(-1 in natural seawater. No nitrogen fixation and minor CO2 fixation (< 1% of cellular carbon was observed. Our data show that in both media, amino acids were not the main substrate for growth. Instead, FT-ICR-MS analysis revealed usage of a variety of different dissolved organic molecules, belonging to a wide range of chemical compound groups, also containing nitrogen. The present study shows that marine heterotrophic bacteria are able to proliferate with even lower DOC concentrations than available in natural ultra-oligotrophic seawater, using unexpected organic compounds to fuel their energy, carbon and nitrogen requirements.

Abundance of non-native crabs in intertidal habitats of New England with natural and artificial structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Lovely, Christina M; O'Connor, Nancy J; Judge, Michael L

2015-01-01

Marine habitats containing complex physical structure (e.g., crevices) can provide shelter from predation for benthic invertebrates. To examine effects of natural and artificial structure on the abundance of intertidal juvenile crabs, 2 experiments were conducted in Kingston Bay, Massachusetts, USA, from July to September, 2012. In the first experiment, structure was manipulated in a two-factor design that was placed in the high intertidal for 3 one-week periods to test for both substrate type (sand vs. rock) and the presence or absence of artificial structure (mesh grow-out bags used in aquaculture, ∼0.5 m(2) with 62 mm(2) mesh openings). The Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus, and small individuals of the green crab, Carcinus maenas, were observed only in the treatments of rocks and mesh bag plus rocks. Most green crabs were small (<6 mm in carapace width) whereas H. sanguineus occurred in a wide range of sizes. In the second experiment, 3 levels of oyster-shell treatments were established using grow-out bags placed on a muddy sand substrate in the low intertidal zone: mesh grow-out bags without shells, grow-out bags with oyster shells, and grow-out bags containing live oysters. Replicate bags were deployed weekly for 7 weeks in a randomized complete block design. All crabs collected in the bags were juvenile C. maenas (1-15 mm carapace width), and numbers of crabs differed 6-fold among treatments, with most crabs present in bags with live oysters (29.5 ± 10.6 m(-2) [mean ± S.D.]) and fewest in bags without shells (4.9 ± 3.7 m(-2)). Both C. maenas and H. sanguineus occurred in habitats with natural structure (cobble rocks). The attraction of juvenile C. maenas to artificial structure consisting of plastic mesh bags containing both oyster shells and living oysters could potentially impact oyster aquaculture operations.

Effect of Different Substrates on the Acceptance of Grafted Larvae in Commercial Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera Queen Rearing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Contreras-Martinez Celia A.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The need for the increased production of honey bee (Apis mellifera queens has led beekeepers to use different substrates in artificial queen cups where larvae destined to become queens are deposited (grafting. However, not enough scientific evidence exists that indicates that this practice is useful and what substance offers the best results. This study was conducted to determine with the Doolittle queen rearing method the acceptance rate of larvae deposited on different substrates during grafting and to determine if the sugar content and pH of the substrates used affect the acceptance of larvae in cell builder colonies. The evaluated substrates were coconut water, apple nectar, royal jelly, cola soda and distilled water, plus control (without substrate. Grafted larvae of the six treatments were introduced into cell builder colonies and their acceptance verified after 72 h. Apple nectar provided the highest rate of larvae acceptance with 81.06%, followed by cola soda with 62.93%, coconut water with 60.90%, royal jelly with 57.82% and distilled water with 58.99%. The larvae acceptance rates of all substrates were significantly higher than the control, which had an acceptance rate of 47.04%. No significant relationship was found between the sugar content of the substrates and larvae acceptance. However, although not significant, a high negative correlation was found between the substrate pH and the number of accepted larvae (Rho = - 0.90, p = 0.07. These results suggest that the use of liquid acidic substrates during larvae grafting, in particular apple nectar, may increase the production of honey bee queens.

The use of artificial crabs for testing predatory behavior and health in the octopus.

Science.gov (United States)

Amodio, Piero; Andrews, Paul; Salemme, Marinella; Ponte, Giovanna; Fiorito, Graziano

2014-01-01

The willingness of the cephalopod mollusc Octopus vulgaris to attack a live crab is traditionally used as a method to assess the overall health and welfare of octopuses in the laboratory. This method requires placing a crab in the home tank of an animal, measuring the time (latency) taken for the octopus to initiate an attack and withdrawing the crab immediately prior to capture. The same crab is commonly used to assess multiple octopuses as part of daily welfare assessment. Growing concern for the welfare of crustaceans and a review of all laboratory practices for the care and welfare of cephalopods following the inclusion of this taxon in 2010/63/EU prompted a study of the utility of an artificial crab to replace a live crab in the assessment of octopus health. On consecutive days O. vulgaris (N=21) were presented with a live, a dead or an artificial crab, and the latency to attack measured. Despite differences in the predatory performance towards the three different crab alternatives, octopuses readily attacked the artificial (and the dead) crab, showing that they can generalize and respond appropriately towards artificial prey. Researchers should consider using an artificial crab to replace the use of a live crab as part of the routine health assessment of O. vulgaris.

[Total artificial heart].

Science.gov (United States)

Antretter, H; Dumfarth, J; Höfer, D

2015-09-01

To date the CardioWest™ total artificial heart is the only clinically available implantable biventricular mechanical replacement for irreversible cardiac failure. This article presents the indications, contraindications, implantation procedere and postoperative treatment. In addition to a overview of the applications of the total artificial heart this article gives a brief presentation of the two patients treated in our department with the CardioWest™. The clinical course, postoperative rehabilitation, device-related complications and control mechanisms are presented. The total artificial heart is a reliable implant for treating critically ill patients with irreversible cardiogenic shock. A bridge to transplantation is feasible with excellent results.

Artificial Intelligence in Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Devinney, E. J.; Prša, A.; Guinan, E. F.; Degeorge, M.

2010-12-01

From the perspective (and bias) as Eclipsing Binary researchers, we give a brief overview of the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, describe major application areas of AI in astronomy, and illustrate the power of an AI approach in an application developed under the EBAI (Eclipsing Binaries via Artificial Intelligence) project, which employs Artificial Neural Network technology for estimating light curve solution parameters of eclipsing binary systems.

Economic feasibility of artificial islands for cluster-siting of offshore energy facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baram, M.S.; Spencer, J.; Munson, J.S.

1977-04-01

The study presents a general first-order cost feasibility analysis of the artificial island concept and its usefulness for the offshore siting of multiple energy facilities. The results of the study include a recommended method of cost-feasibility assessment; the collection and organization of the most useful information presently available; and a series of conclusions on feasibility for generic comparison purposes. These conclusions can be summarized as follows: (1) artificial islands to the outer bound of the continental shelf are technologically feasible; (2) offshore nuclear power plants appear to be competitive with onshore plants from a cost standpoint; (3) offshore deepwater ports appear to be more economical than proposed onshore deepwater ports, existing facilities or facilities presently under construction; (4) offshore oil refineries, except under special circumstantces, will probably be more costly than onshore counterparts; (5) the cluster-siting of facilities on an artificial island has definite cost-effectiveness potential; (6) a joint public-private financial venture with a strong federal agency lead role appears essential for the multi-facility island concept to be realized; and (7) artificial island siting of energy complexes appears to be a concept worth pursuing in terms of further site and facility-specific research, and possibly in terms of a demonstration project

[Preparation of nano-nacre artificial bone].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jian-ting; Tang, Yong-zhi; Zhang, Jian-gang; Wang, Jian-jun; Xiao, Ying

2008-12-01

To assess the improvements in the properties of nano-nacre artificial bone prepared on the basis of nacre/polylactide acid composite artificial bone and its potential for clinical use. The compound of nano-scale nacre powder and poly-D, L-lactide acid (PDLLA) was used to prepare the cylindrical hollow artificial bone, whose properties including raw material powder scale, pore size, porosity and biomechanical characteristics were compared with another artificial bone made of micron-scale nacre powder and PDLLA. Scanning electron microscope showed that the average particle size of the nano-nacre powder was 50.4-/+12.4 nm, and the average pore size of the artificial bone prepared using nano-nacre powder was 215.7-/+77.5 microm, as compared with the particle size of the micron-scale nacre powder of 5.0-/+3.0 microm and the pore size of the resultant artificial bone of 205.1-/+72.0 microm. The porosities of nano-nacre artificial bone and the micron-nacre artificial bone were (65.4-/+2.9)% and (53.4-/+2.2)%, respectively, and the two artificial bones had comparable compressive strength and Young's modulus, but the flexural strength of the nano-nacre artificial bone was lower than that of the micro-nacre artificial bone. The nano-nacre artificial bone allows better biodegradability and possesses appropriate pore size, porosity and biomechanical properties for use as a promising material in bone tissue engineering.

Photoassisted Oxidation of Sulfides Catalyzed by Artificial Metalloenzymes Using Water as an Oxygen Source †

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Herrero

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The Mn(TpCPP-Xln10A artificial metalloenzyme, obtained by non-covalent insertion of Mn(III-meso-tetrakis(p-carboxyphenylporphyrin [Mn(TpCPP, 1-Mn] into xylanase 10A from Streptomyces lividans (Xln10A as a host protein, was found able to catalyze the selective photo-induced oxidation of organic substrates in the presence of [RuII(bpy3]2+ as a photosensitizer and [CoIII(NH35Cl]2+ as a sacrificial electron acceptor, using water as oxygen atom source.

An artificial light-harvesting array constructed from multiple Bodipy dyes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziessel, Raymond; Ulrich, Gilles; Haefele, Alexandre; Harriman, Anthony

2013-07-31

An artificial light-harvesting array, comprising 21 discrete chromophores arranged in a rational manner, has been synthesized and characterized fully. The design strategy follows a convergent approach that leads to a molecular-scale funnel, having an effective chromophore concentration of 0.6 M condensed into ca. 55 nm(3), able to direct the excitation energy to a focal point. A cascade of electronic energy-transfer steps occurs from the rim to the focal point, with the rate slowing down as the exciton moves toward its ultimate target. Situated midway along each branch of the V-shaped array, two chromophoric relays differ only slightly in terms of their excitation energies, and this situation facilitates reverse energy transfer. Thus, the excitation energy becomes spread around the array, a situation reminiscent of a giant holding pattern for the photon that can sample many different chromophores before being trapped by the terminal acceptor. At high photon flux under conditions of relatively slow off-load to a device, such as a solar cell, electronic energy transfer encounters one or more barriers that hinder forward progress of the exciton and thereby delays arrival of the second photon. Preliminary studies have addressed the ability of the array to function as a sensitizer for amorphous silicon solar cells.

The biogenic reefs formed by the alien polychaete Hydroides dianthus (Serpulidae, Annelida) favor the polyp stage of Aurelia coerulea (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa) in a coastal artificial lake.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Zhijun; Sun, Tingting; Wang, Lei

2018-04-01

Blooms of the moon jellyfish Aurelia coerulea frequently occur in coastal waters. The increased availability of substrates for the settlement and proliferation of polyps due to the expansion of artificial structures in coastal areas has been proposed as a possible contributing factor in jellyfish blooms. This paper investigates whether a marine artificial lake (Fenghuang Lake) provides additional substrates for A. coerulea polyps and contributes to jellyfish blooms. High densities of A. coerulea ephyrae were discovered in this lake, with a mean density of 41 individuals/m 3 and a maximum measured density of 128 individuals/m 3 . Meanwhile, A. coerulea ephyrae were also found in the two emptying channels outside the lake, with a mean density of 13 individuals/m 3 . Underwater surveys revealed that dense colonies of A. coerulea polyps occurred mainly on biogenic reefs formed by a polychaete, which was identified as an invasive serpulid species Hydroides dianthus, based on the phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial COI gene sequences. Our study highlights the potential modification of habitats by the alien polychaete H. dianthus, which might provide complex benthic habits suitable for the settlement and proliferation of A. coerulea polyps and may contribute to jellyfish blooms in the marine artificial lake and nearby coastal waters. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A proteomic approach for comprehensively screening substrates of protein kinases such as Rho-kinase.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mutsuki Amano

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Protein kinases are major components of signal transduction pathways in multiple cellular processes. Kinases directly interact with and phosphorylate downstream substrates, thus modulating their functions. Despite the importance of identifying substrates in order to more fully understand the signaling network of respective kinases, efficient methods to search for substrates remain poorly explored. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We combined mass spectrometry and affinity column chromatography of the catalytic domain of protein kinases to screen potential substrates. Using the active catalytic fragment of Rho-kinase/ROCK/ROK as the model bait, we obtained about 300 interacting proteins from the rat brain cytosol fraction, which included the proteins previously reported as Rho-kinase substrates. Several novel interacting proteins, including doublecortin, were phosphorylated by Rho-kinase both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This method would enable identification of novel specific substrates for kinases such as Rho-kinase with high sensitivity.

Artificial Intelligence Study (AIS).

Science.gov (United States)

1987-02-01

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGNECE HARDWARE ....... 2-50 AI Architecture ................................... 2-49 AI Hardware ....................................... 2...ftf1 829 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STUDY (RIS)(U) MAY CONCEPTS 1/3 A~NLYSIS AGENCY BETHESA RD R B NOJESKI FED 6? CM-RP-97-1 NCASIFIED /01/6 M |K 1.0...p/ - - ., e -- CAA- RP- 87-1 SAOFŔ)11 I ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STUDY (AIS) tNo DTICFEBRUARY 1987 LECT 00 I PREPARED BY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

Freestanding Artificial Synapses Based on Laterally Proton-Coupled Transistors on Chitosan Membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yang Hui; Zhu, Li Qiang; Feng, Ping; Shi, Yi; Wan, Qing

2015-10-07

Freestanding synaptic transistors are fabricated on solution-processed chitosan membranes. A short-term memory to long-term memory transition is observed due to proton-related electrochemical doping under repeated pulse stimulus. Moreover, freestanding artificial synaptic devices with multiple presynaptic inputs are investigated, and spiking logic operation and logic modulation are realized. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Generating Cognitive Dissonance in Student Interviews through Multiple Representations

Science.gov (United States)

Linenberger, Kimberly J.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2012-01-01

This study explores what students understand about enzyme-substrate interactions, using multiple representations of the phenomenon. In this paper we describe our use of the 3 Phase-Single Interview Technique with multiple representations to generate cognitive dissonance within students in order to uncover misconceptions of enzyme-substrate…

In situ environment rather than substrate type dictates microbial community structure of biofilms in a cold seep system

KAUST Repository

Lee, O.O.; Wang, Y.; Tian, R.; Zhang, W.; Shek, C.S.; Bougouffa, Salim; Al-Suwailem, A.; Batang, Z.B.; Xu, W.; Wang, G.C.; Zhang, Xixiang; Lafi, F.F.; Bajic, Vladimir B.; Qian, P.-Y.

2014-01-01

Using microscopic and molecular techniques combined with computational analysis, this study examined the structure and composition of microbial communities in biofilms that formed on different artificial substrates in a brine pool and on a seep vent of a cold seep in the Red Sea to test our hypothesis that initiation of the biofilm formation and spreading mode of microbial structures differs between the cold seep and the other aquatic environments. Biofilms on different substrates at two deployment sites differed morphologically, with the vent biofilms having higher microbial abundance and better structural features than the pool biofilms. Microbes in the pool biofilms were more taxonomically diverse and mainly composed of various sulfate-reducing bacteria whereas the vent biofilms were exclusively dominated by sulfur-oxidizing Thiomicrospira. These results suggest that the redox environments at the deployment sites might have exerted a strong selection on microbes in the biofilms at two sites whereas the types of substrates had limited effects on the biofilm development.

In situ environment rather than substrate type dictates microbial community structure of biofilms in a cold seep system

KAUST Repository

Lee, O.O.

2014-01-08

Using microscopic and molecular techniques combined with computational analysis, this study examined the structure and composition of microbial communities in biofilms that formed on different artificial substrates in a brine pool and on a seep vent of a cold seep in the Red Sea to test our hypothesis that initiation of the biofilm formation and spreading mode of microbial structures differs between the cold seep and the other aquatic environments. Biofilms on different substrates at two deployment sites differed morphologically, with the vent biofilms having higher microbial abundance and better structural features than the pool biofilms. Microbes in the pool biofilms were more taxonomically diverse and mainly composed of various sulfate-reducing bacteria whereas the vent biofilms were exclusively dominated by sulfur-oxidizing Thiomicrospira. These results suggest that the redox environments at the deployment sites might have exerted a strong selection on microbes in the biofilms at two sites whereas the types of substrates had limited effects on the biofilm development.

From Unnatural Amino Acid Incorporation to Artificial Metalloenzymes

KAUST Repository

Makki, Arwa A.

2016-12-04

Studies and development of artificial metalloenzymes have developed into vibrant areas of research. It is expected that artificial metalloenzymes will be able to combine the best of enzymatic and homogenous catalysis, that is, a broad catalytic scope, high selectivity and activity under mild, aqueous conditions. Artificial metalloenzyme consist of a host protein and a newly introduced artificial metal center. The host protein merely functions as ligand controlling selectivity and augmenting reactivity, while the metal center determines the reactivity. Potential applications range from catalytic production of fine chemicals and feedstock to electron transfer utilization (e.g. fuel cells, water splitting) and medical research (e.g. metabolic screening). Particularly modern asymmetric synthesis is expected to benefit from a successful combination of the power of biocatalysis (substrate conversion via multi-step or cascade reactions, potentially immortal catalyst, unparalleled selectivity and optimization by evolutionary methods) with the versatility and mechanism based optimization methods of homogeneous catalysis. However, so far systems are either limited in structural diversity (biotin-avidin technology) or fail to deliver the selectivities expected (covalent approaches). This thesis explores a novel strategy based on the site-selective incorporation of unnatural, metal binding amino acids into a host protein. The unnatural amino acids can either serve directly as metal binding centers can be used as anchoring points for artificial metallo-cofactors. The identification expression, purification and modification of a suitable protein scaffolds is fundamental to successfully develop this field. Chapter 2 and 3 detail a rational approach leading to a highly engineered host protein. Starting with fluorescent proteins, which combine high thermal and pH stability, high expression yields, and fluorescence for ease of quantification and monitoring an efficient and fast

PREFACE: Cell-substrate interactions Cell-substrate interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Gardel, Margaret; Schwarz, Ulrich

2010-05-01

understand the mechanisms underlying the observed phenomena in these complex systems. Recently, a large effort has been invested into understanding how force transmitted by the actin cytoskeleton changes the state of focal adhesions. In the contribution by Biton and Safran, this issue is addressed for the case that force arises from shear flow over an adhering cell [15]. Another important source for force on focal adhesions is actin retrograde flow, which has been demonstrated before to show variable coupling to the underlying layer of adhesion receptors. Two contributions discuss how stochastic bond dynamics at the cell-substrate interface is modulated by physical factors. The model by Sabass and Schwarz suggests that dissipation in the actin cytoskeleton stabilizes bond dynamics [16] and the model by Li et al suggests that catch bonding and multiple layers are important elements of the way focal adhesions function [17]. If interacting with an elastic environment, the combined system of focal adhesions and actin cytoskeleton can be used by cells to sense its rigidity and to make decisions on its response. Moshayedi et al show that great care has to be taken when preparing soft elastic substrates for cell culture studies and then use their protocols to quantitatively evaluate the mechanosensitive response of astrocytes from the brain [18]. The cellular system used by Lee et al is pericytes from the microvasculature, for which the authors show that they exert sufficient forces to stimulate vascular endothelial cells [19]. Buxboim et al use the technology of soft elastic substrates to measure how far mesenchymal stem cells can mechanically sense into their substrate [20]. The mechanical activity of cells observed in two-dimensional cell culture has significant consequences for both physiological and disease-related situations, including cell migration, tissue maintenance and tumor growth. Jannat et al show that chemotaxis of neutrophils, that is the first line of the immune

Quo Vadis, Artificial Intelligence?

OpenAIRE

Berrar, Daniel; Sato, Naoyuki; Schuster, Alfons

2010-01-01

Since its conception in the mid 1950s, artificial intelligence with its great ambition to understand and emulate intelligence in natural and artificial environments alike is now a truly multidisciplinary field that reaches out and is inspired by a great diversity of other fields. Rapid advances in research and technology in various fields have created environments into which artificial intelligence could embed itself naturally and comfortably. Neuroscience with its desire to understand nervou...

Inteligencia artificial en vehiculo

OpenAIRE

Amador Díaz, Pedro

2012-01-01

Desarrollo de un robot seguidor de líneas, en el que se implementan diversas soluciones de las áreas de sistemas embebidos e inteligencia artificial. Desenvolupament d'un robot seguidor de línies, en el qual s'implementen diverses solucions de les àrees de sistemes encastats i intel·ligència artificial. Follower robot development of lines, in which various solutions are implemented in the areas of artificial intelligence embedded systems.

Selective-area growth and controlled substrate coupling of transition metal dichalcogenides

Science.gov (United States)

Bersch, Brian M.; Eichfeld, Sarah M.; Lin, Yu-Chuan; Zhang, Kehao; Bhimanapati, Ganesh R.; Piasecki, Aleksander F.; Labella, Michael, III; Robinson, Joshua A.

2017-06-01

Developing a means for true bottom-up, selective-area growth of two-dimensional (2D) materials on device-ready substrates will enable synthesis in regions only where they are needed. Here, we demonstrate seed-free, site-specific nucleation of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with precise control over lateral growth by utilizing an ultra-thin polymeric surface functionalization capable of precluding nucleation and growth. This polymer functional layer (PFL) is derived from conventional photoresists and lithographic processing, and is compatible with multiple growth techniques, precursors (metal organics, solid-source) and TMDs. Additionally, we demonstrate that the substrate can play a major role in TMD transport properties. With proper TMD/substrate decoupling, top-gated field-effect transistors (FETs) fabricated with selectively-grown monolayer MoS2 channels are competitive with current reported MoS2 FETs. The work presented here demonstrates that substrate surface engineering is key to realizing precisely located and geometrically-defined 2D layers via unseeded chemical vapor deposition techniques.

Criminal Aspects of Artificial Abortion

OpenAIRE

Hartmanová, Leona

2016-01-01

Criminal Aspects of Artificial Abortion This diploma thesis deals with the issue of artificial abortion, especially its criminal aspects. Legal aspects are not the most important aspects of artificial abortion. Social, ethical or ideological aspects are of the same importance but this diploma thesis cannot analyse all of them. The main issue with artificial abortion is whether it is possible to force a pregnant woman to carry a child and give birth to a child when she cannot or does not want ...

Multicollinearity may lead to artificial interaction: an example from a cross sectional study of biomarkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sithisarankul, P; Weaver, V M; Diener-West, M; Strickland, P T

1997-06-01

Collinearity is the situation which arises in multiple regression when some or all of the explanatory variables are so highly correlated with one another that it becomes very difficult, if not impossible, to disentangle their influences and obtain a reasonably precise estimate of their effects. Suppressor variable is one of the extreme situations of collinearity that one variable can substantially increase the multiple correlation when combined with a variable that is only modestly correlated with the response variable. In this study, we describe the process by which we disentangled and discovered multicollinearity and its consequences, namely artificial interaction, using the data from cross-sectional quantification of several biomarkers. We showed how the collinearity between one biomarker (blood lead level) and another (urinary trans, trans-muconic acid) and their interaction (blood lead level* urinary trans, trans-muconic acid) can lead to the observed artificial interaction on the third biomarker (urinary 5-aminolevulinic acid).

Artificial intelligence in radiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosny, Ahmed; Parmar, Chintan; Quackenbush, John; Schwartz, Lawrence H; Aerts, Hugo J W L

2018-05-17

Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, particularly deep learning, have demonstrated remarkable progress in image-recognition tasks. Methods ranging from convolutional neural networks to variational autoencoders have found myriad applications in the medical image analysis field, propelling it forward at a rapid pace. Historically, in radiology practice, trained physicians visually assessed medical images for the detection, characterization and monitoring of diseases. AI methods excel at automatically recognizing complex patterns in imaging data and providing quantitative, rather than qualitative, assessments of radiographic characteristics. In this Opinion article, we establish a general understanding of AI methods, particularly those pertaining to image-based tasks. We explore how these methods could impact multiple facets of radiology, with a general focus on applications in oncology, and demonstrate ways in which these methods are advancing the field. Finally, we discuss the challenges facing clinical implementation and provide our perspective on how the domain could be advanced.

Run don't walk: locomotor performance of geckos on wet substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, Alyssa Y; Ohlemacher, Jocelyn; Knight, Ashley; Niewiarowski, Peter H

2015-08-01

The gecko adhesive system has been under particular scrutiny for over a decade, as the field has recently attracted attention for its application to bio-inspired design. However, little is known about how the adhesive system behaves in ecologically relevant conditions. Geckos inhabit a variety of environments, many of which are characterized by high temperature, humidity and rain. The van der Waals-based gecko adhesive system should be particularly challenged by wet substrates because water can disrupt the intimate contact necessary for adhesion. While a few previous studies have focused on the clinging ability of geckos on wet substrates, we tested a dynamic performance characteristic, sprint velocity. To better understand how substrate wettability and running orientation affect locomotor performance of multiple species on wet substrates, we measured average sprint velocity of five species of gecko on substrates that were either hydrophilic or intermediately wetting and oriented either vertically or horizontally. Surprisingly, we found no indication that wet substrates impact average sprint velocity over 1 m, and rather, in some species, sprint velocity was increased on wet substrates rather than reduced. When investigating physical characteristics and behavior that may be associated with running on wet substrates, such as total number of stops, slips and wet toes at the completion of a race, we found that there may be habitat-related differences between some species. Our results show that in general, unlike clinging and walking, geckos running along wet substrates suffer no significant loss in locomotor performance over short distances. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Bacterial growth and substrate degradation by BTX-oxidizing culture in response to salt stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Chi-Yuan; Lin, Ching-Hsing

2006-01-01

Interactions between microbial growth and substrate degradation are important in determining the performance of trickle-bed bioreactors (TBB), especially when salt is added to reduce biomass formation in order to alleviate media clogging. This study was aimed at quantifying salinity effects on bacterial growth and substrate degradation, and at acquiring kinetic information in order to improve the design and operation of TBB. Experiment works began by cultivating a mixed culture in a chemostat reactor receiving artificial influent containing a mixture of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX), followed by using the enrichment culture to degrade the individual BTX substrates under a particular salinity, which ranged 0-50 g l(-1) in batch mode. Then, the measured concentrations of biomass and residual substrate versus time were analyzed with the microbial kinetics; moreover, the obtained microbial kinetic constants under various salinities were modeled using noncompetitive inhibition kinetics. For the three substrates the observed bacterial yields appeared to be decreased from 0.51-0.74 to 0.20-0.22 mg mg(-1) and the maximum specific rate of substrate utilization, q, declined from 0.25-0.42 to 0.07-0.11 h(-1), as the salinity increased from 0 to 50 NaCl g l(-1). The NaCl acted as noncompetitive inhibitor, where the modeling inhibitions of the coefficients, K ( T(S)), were 22.7-29.7 g l(-1) for substrate degradation and K ( T(mu)), 13.0-19.0 g l(-1), for biomass formation. The calculated ratios for the bacterial maintenance rate, m (S), to q, further indicated that the percentage energy spent on maintenance increased from 19-24 to 86-91% as salinity level increased from 0 to 50 g l(-1). These results revealed that the bacterial growth was more inhibited than substrate degradation by the BTX oxidizers under the tested salinity levels. The findings from this study demonstrate the potential of applying NaCl salt to control excessive biomass formation in biotrickling filters.

Assessment of triglyceride and cholesterol in overweight people based on multiple linear regression and artificial intelligence model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jing; Yu, Jiong; Hao, Guangshu; Wang, Dan; Sun, Yanni; Lu, Jianxin; Cao, Hongcui; Lin, Feiyan

2017-02-20

The prevalence of high hyperlipemia is increasing around the world. Our aims are to analyze the relationship of triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (TC) with indexes of liver function and kidney function, and to develop a prediction model of TG, TC in overweight people. A total of 302 adult healthy subjects and 273 overweight subjects were enrolled in this study. The levels of fasting indexes of TG (fs-TG), TC (fs-TC), blood glucose, liver function, and kidney function were measured and analyzed by correlation analysis and multiple linear regression (MRL). The back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) was applied to develop prediction models of fs-TG and fs-TC. The results showed there was significant difference in biochemical indexes between healthy people and overweight people. The correlation analysis showed fs-TG was related to weight, height, blood glucose, and indexes of liver and kidney function; while fs-TC was correlated with age, indexes of liver function (P < 0.01). The MRL analysis indicated regression equations of fs-TG and fs-TC both had statistic significant (P < 0.01) when included independent indexes. The BP-ANN model of fs-TG reached training goal at 59 epoch, while fs-TC model achieved high prediction accuracy after training 1000 epoch. In conclusions, there was high relationship of fs-TG and fs-TC with weight, height, age, blood glucose, indexes of liver function and kidney function. Based on related variables, the indexes of fs-TG and fs-TC can be predicted by BP-ANN models in overweight people.

Air Quality Forecasting through Different Statistical and Artificial Intelligence Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, D.; Goyal, P.

2014-12-01

Urban air pollution forecasting has emerged as an acute problem in recent years because there are sever environmental degradation due to increase in harmful air pollutants in the ambient atmosphere. In this study, there are different types of statistical as well as artificial intelligence techniques are used for forecasting and analysis of air pollution over Delhi urban area. These techniques are principle component analysis (PCA), multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) and the forecasting are observed in good agreement with the observed concentrations through Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at different locations in Delhi. But such methods suffers from disadvantages like they provide limited accuracy as they are unable to predict the extreme points i.e. the pollution maximum and minimum cut-offs cannot be determined using such approach. Also, such methods are inefficient approach for better output forecasting. But with the advancement in technology and research, an alternative to the above traditional methods has been proposed i.e. the coupling of statistical techniques with artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used for forecasting purposes. The coupling of PCA, ANN and fuzzy logic is used for forecasting of air pollutant over Delhi urban area. The statistical measures e.g., correlation coefficient (R), normalized mean square error (NMSE), fractional bias (FB) and index of agreement (IOA) of the proposed model are observed in better agreement with the all other models. Hence, the coupling of statistical and artificial intelligence can be use for the forecasting of air pollutant over urban area.

Artificial Hydration and Nutrition

Science.gov (United States)

... Crisis Situations Pets and Animals myhealthfinder Food and Nutrition Healthy Food Choices Weight Loss and Diet Plans ... Your Health Resources Healthcare Management Artificial Hydration and Nutrition Artificial Hydration and Nutrition Share Print Patients who ...

Artificial Evolution for the Detection of Group Identities in Complex Artificial Societies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grappiolo, Corrado; Togelius, Julian; Yannakakis, Georgios N.

2013-01-01

This paper aims at detecting the presence of group structures in complex artificial societies by solely observing and analysing the interactions occurring among the artificial agents. Our approach combines: (1) an unsupervised method for clustering interactions into two possible classes, namely in...

Artificial intelligence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perret-Galix, D.

1992-01-01

A vivid example of the growing need for frontier physics experiments to make use of frontier technology is in the field of artificial intelligence and related themes. This was reflected in the second international workshop on 'Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems in High Energy and Nuclear Physics' which took place from 13-18 January at France Telecom's Agelonde site at La Londe des Maures, Provence. It was the second in a series, the first having been held at Lyon in 1990

Artificial neural networks for spatial distribution of fuel assemblies in reload of PWR reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Edyene; Castro, Victor F.; Velásquez, Carlos E.; Pereira, Claubia, E-mail: claubia@nuclear.ufmg.br [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Técnicas Nucleares

2017-07-01

An artificial neural network methodology is being developed in order to find an optimum spatial distribution of the fuel assemblies in a nuclear reactor core during reload. The main bounding parameter of the modelling was the neutron multiplication factor, k{sub ef{sub f}}. The characteristics of the network are defined by the nuclear parameters: cycle, burnup, enrichment, fuel type, and average power peak of each element. These parameters were obtained by the ORNL nuclear code package SCALE6.0. As for the artificial neural network, the ANN Feedforward Multi{sub L}ayer{sub P}erceptron with various layers and neurons were constructed. Three algorithms were used and tested: LM (Levenberg-Marquardt), SCG (Scaled Conjugate Gradient) and BayR (Bayesian Regularization). Artificial neural network have implemented using MATLAB 2015a version. As preliminary results, the spatial distribution of the fuel assemblies in the core using a neural network was slightly better than the standard core. (author)

Artificial neural networks for spatial distribution of fuel assemblies in reload of PWR reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, Edyene; Castro, Victor F.; Velásquez, Carlos E.; Pereira, Claubia

2017-01-01

An artificial neural network methodology is being developed in order to find an optimum spatial distribution of the fuel assemblies in a nuclear reactor core during reload. The main bounding parameter of the modelling was the neutron multiplication factor, k ef f . The characteristics of the network are defined by the nuclear parameters: cycle, burnup, enrichment, fuel type, and average power peak of each element. These parameters were obtained by the ORNL nuclear code package SCALE6.0. As for the artificial neural network, the ANN Feedforward Multi L ayer P erceptron with various layers and neurons were constructed. Three algorithms were used and tested: LM (Levenberg-Marquardt), SCG (Scaled Conjugate Gradient) and BayR (Bayesian Regularization). Artificial neural network have implemented using MATLAB 2015a version. As preliminary results, the spatial distribution of the fuel assemblies in the core using a neural network was slightly better than the standard core. (author)

Heart failure analysis dashboard for patient's remote monitoring combining multiple artificial intelligence technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Guidi, G; Pettenati, M C; Miniati, R; Iadanza, E

2012-01-01

In this paper we describe an Heart Failure analysis Dashboard that, combined with a handy device for the automatic acquisition of a set of patient's clinical parameters, allows to support telemonitoring functions. The Dashboard's intelligent core is a Computer Decision Support System designed to assist the clinical decision of non-specialist caring personnel, and it is based on three functional parts: Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Follow-up management. Four Artificial Intelligence-based techniques are compared for providing diagnosis function: a Neural Network, a Support Vector Machine, a Classification Tree and a Fuzzy Expert System whose rules are produced by a Genetic Algorithm. State of the art algorithms are used to support a score-based prognosis function. The patient's Follow-up is used to refine the diagnosis.

Prediction of the antimicrobial activity of walnut (Juglans regia L.) kernel aqueous extracts using artificial neural network and multiple linear regression.

Science.gov (United States)

Kavuncuoglu, Hatice; Kavuncuoglu, Erhan; Karatas, Seyda Merve; Benli, Büsra; Sagdic, Osman; Yalcin, Hasan

2018-04-09

The mathematical model was established to determine the diameter of inhibition zone of the walnut extract on the twelve bacterial species. Type of extraction, concentration, and pathogens were taken as input variables. Two models were used with the aim of designing this system. One of them was developed with artificial neural networks (ANN), and the other was formed with multiple linear regression (MLR). Four common training algorithms were used. Levenberg-Marquardt (LM), Bayesian regulation (BR), scaled conjugate gradient (SCG) and resilient back propagation (RP) were investigated, and the algorithms were compared. Root mean squared error and correlation coefficient were evaluated as performance criteria. When these criteria were analyzed, ANN showed high prediction performance, while MLR showed low prediction performance. As a result, it is seen that when the different input values are provided to the system developed with ANN, the most accurate inhibition zone (IZ) estimates were obtained. The results of this study could offer new perspectives, particularly in the field of microbiology, because these could be applied to other type of extraction, concentrations, and pathogens, without resorting to experiments. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Substrate-Integrated Waveguide PCB Leaky-Wave Antenna Design Providing Multiple Steerable Beams in the V-Band

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthias Steeg

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A periodic leaky-wave antenna (LWA design based on low loss substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW technology with inset half-wave microstrip antennas is presented. The developed LWA operates in the V-band between 50 and 70 GHz and has been fabricated using standard printed circuit board (PCB technology. The presented LWA is highly functional and very compact supporting 1D beam steering and multibeam operation with only a single radio frequency (RF feeding port. Within the operational 50–70 GHz bandwidth, the LWA scans through broadside, providing over 40° H-plane beam steering. When operated within the 57–66 GHz band, the maximum steering angle is 18.2°. The maximum gain of the fabricated LWAs is 15.4 dBi with only a small gain variation of +/−1.5 dB across the operational bandwidth. The beam steering and multibeam capability of the fabricated LWA is further utilized to support mobile users in a 60 GHz hot-spot. For a single user, a maximum wireless on-off keying (OOK data rate of 2.5 Gbit/s is demonstrated. Multibeam operation is achieved using the LWA in combination with multiple dense wavelength division multiplexing (WDM channels and remote optical heterodyning. Experimentally, multibeam operation supporting three users within a 57–66 GHz hot-spot with a total wireless cell capacity of 3 Gbit/s is achieved.

Influence of Pupation Substrate on Mass Production and Fitness of Adult Anastrepha obliqua Macquart (Diptera: Tephritidae) for Sterile Insect Technique Application.

Science.gov (United States)

Aceituno-Medina, Marysol; Rivera-Ciprian, José Pedro; Hernández, Emilio

2017-12-05

Tephritid mass-rearing systems require an artificial substrate for pupation. Pupation substrate characteristics influence the quality of insects produced. Coconut fiber, as an alternative to the conventional pupation substrate vermiculite, was evaluated for Anastrepha obliqua Macquart (Diptera: Tephritidae) pupation behavior (pupation patterns, distribution, respiration rate, and pupal weight) and adult fitness (adult eclosion time, flight ability, and male mating competitiveness). Pupation percentage at 24 h, pupal weight, and flight ability were not significantly affected by substrate type. Adult eclosion levels of 50% were reached at 29.7 and 41.6 h for coconut fiber and vermiculite, respectively. Pupae distribution patterns differed between substrates because the larval aggregation level was reduced during the pupation process in coconut fiber. The pupae aggregation was three times greater in vermiculite than in coconut fiber. A higher respiratory rate in the last days of pupation and adult eclosion were recorded in the insects maintained in coconut fiber. Coconut fiber suitability as a pupation substrate for quality mass production of pupae and its implications for sterile insect technique are discussed. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reliability improvement of a-Si:H thin film transistors on plastic substrate with saturation in deep state after multiple bending cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, M.H.; Chen, P.-G.; Hsu, C.-C.

2013-01-01

For flexible electronic applications, the disordered bonds of a-Si:H may generate a redistribution of trapped states with mechanical strain. During mechanical strain, the deep states are redistributed in a Gaussian distribution and are dissimilar to ordinary acceptor-like deep states, which manifest with exponential distributions. The redistributed deep states may saturate with multiple mechanical bending cycles, and it would improve the reliability with drain current stress of a-Si:H TFTs (thin film transistors) on flexible substrates. We conclude that it is possible to produce low-cost and highly uniform active-matrix organic light emitting diodes systems for use in flexible display applications using a-Si:H TFTs array backplanes. - Highlights: • The stress stability of a-Si:H TFTs (thin-film transistors) was improved after bending cycles. • The saturated deep states after bending were confirmed. • The simulation and extracted gap state density of a-Si:H TFT under strain was calculated

Global patterns and substrate-based mechanisms of the terrestrial nitrogen cycle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niu, Shuli; Classen, Aimee Taylor; Dukes, Jeffrey S.

2016-01-01

availability but increase exponentially and become the dominant fate of N at high loading rates. The original N saturation hypothesis emphasises sequential N saturation from plant uptake to soil retention before N losses occur. However, biogeochemical models that simulate simultaneous competition for soil N...... substrates by multiple processes match the observed patterns of N losses better than models based on sequential competition. To enable better prediction of terrestrial N cycle responses to N loading, we recommend that future research identifies the response functions of different N processes to substrate...

The Japanese artificial organs scene: current status.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitamura, Yoshinori; Murabayashi, Shun

2005-08-01

Artificial organs and regenerative medicine are the subjects of very active research and development (R&D) in Japan and various artificial organs are widely used in patients. Results of the R&D are presented at the annual conference of the Japanese Society for Artificial Organs (JSAO). Progress in the fields of artificial organs and regenerative medicine are reviewed annually in the Japanese Journal of Artificial Organs. The official English-language journal of JSAO, Journal of Artificial Organs, also publishes many original articles by Japanese researchers. Although the annual conference and the publications of JSAO provide the world with update information on artificial organs and regenerative medicine in Japan, the information is not always understood appropriately in the rest of the world, mainly due to language problems. This article therefore introduces the current status of artificial organs and regenerative medicine in Japan. Artificial hearts and metabolic support systems are reviewed here and other interesting areas such as regenerative medicine can be found elsewhere.

A comparison of methods for demonstrating artificial bone lesions; conventional versus computer tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heller, M.; Wenk, M.; Jend, H.H.

1984-01-01

Conventional tomography (T) and computer tomography (CT) were used for examining 97 artificial bone lesions at various sites. The purpose of the study was to determine how far CT can replace T in the diagnosis of skeletal abnormalities. The results have shown that modern CT, particularly in its high resolution form, equals T and provides additional information (substrate of a lesion, its relationship to neighbouring tissues, simultaneous demonstration of soft tissue etc.). These cannot be shown successfully by T. It follows that CT is indicated as the primary method of examination for lesions of the facial skeleton, skull base, spine, pelvis and, to some extent, extremities. (orig.) [de

Stability Test of Partially Purified Bromelain from Pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr) Core Extract in Artificial Stomach Fluid

Science.gov (United States)

Setiasih, S.; Adimas, A. Ch. D.; Dzikria, V.; Hudiyono, S.

2018-01-01

This study aimed to isolate and purify bromelain from pineapple core (Ananascomosus (L.) Merr) accompanied by a stability test of its enzyme activity in artificial gastric juice. Purification steps start with fractionation by a precipitation method were carried out stepwise using several concentration of ammonium sulfate salt, followed by dialysis prosess and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose column. Each step of purification produced an increasing specific activity in enzyme fraction, starting with crude extract, respectively: 0.276 U/mg; 14.591 U/mg; and 16.05 U/mg. Bromelain fraction with the highest level of purity was obtained in 50-80% ammonium sulphate fraction after dialyzed in the amount of 58.15 times compared to the crude extract. Further purification of the enzyme by DEAE-cellulose column produced bromelain which had a purity level 160-fold compared to crude enzyme. The result of bromelain stability test in artificial stomach juice by milk clotting units assay bromelain fraction have proteolytic activity in clotting milk substrate. Exposing bromelain fraction in artificial stomach juice which gave the highest core bromelain proteolytic activity was achieved at estimated volume of 0.4-0.5 mL. Exposure in a period of reaction time to artificial stomach juice that contained pepsin showed relatively stable proteolytic activity in the first 4 hours.

Optimizing sliver quality using Artificial Neural Networks in ring spinning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samar Ahmed Mohsen Abd-Ellatif

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Sliver evenness is a very important parameter affecting the quality of the yarn produced. Therefore, controlling the sliver evenness is of major importance. Auto-levelers mounted on modern Drawing Frames should be accurately adjusted to help to achieve this task. The Leveling Action Point (LAP is one of the important auto-leveling parameters which highly influence the evenness of the slivers produced. Its adjustment is therefore of a crucial importance. In this research work, Artificial Neural Networks are applied to predict the optimum value of the LAP under different productions and material conditions. Five models are developed and tested for their ability to predict the optimum value of the LAP from the most influencing fiber and process parameters. As a final step, a statistical multiple regression model was developed to conduct a comparison between the performance of the developed Artificial Neural Network model and the currently applied statistical techniques.

RF plasma cleaning of silicon substrates with high-density polyethylene contamination

Science.gov (United States)

Cagomoc, Charisse Marie D.; De Leon, Mark Jeffry D.; Ebuen, Anna Sophia M.; Gilos, Marlo Nicole R.; Vasquez, Magdaleno R., Jr.

2018-01-01

Upon contact with a polymeric material, microparticles from the polymer may adhere to a silicon (Si) substrate during device processing. The adhesion contaminates the surface and, in turn, leads to defects in the fabricated Si-based microelectronic devices. In this study, Si substrates with artificially induced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) contamination was exposed to 13.56 MHz radio frequency (RF) plasma utilizing argon and oxygen gas admixtures at a power density of 5.6 W/cm2 and a working pressure of 110 Pa for up to 6 min of treatment. Optical microscopy studies revealed the removal of up to 74% of the polymer contamination upon plasma exposure. Surface free energy (SFE) increased owing to the removal of contaminants as well as the formation of polar groups on the Si surface after plasma treatment. Atomic force microscopy scans showed a decrease in surface roughness from 12.25 nm for contaminated samples to 0.77 nm after plasma cleaning. The smoothening effect can be attributed to the removal of HDPE particles from the surface. In addition, scanning electron microscope images showed that there was a decrease in the amount of HDPE contaminants adhering onto the surface after plasma exposure.

Online unsupervised formation of cell assemblies for the encoding of multiple cognitive maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Salihoglu, Utku; Bersini, Hugues; Yamaguchi, Yoko; Molter, Colin

2009-01-01

Since their introduction sixty years ago, cell assemblies have proved to be a powerful paradigm for brain information processing. After their introduction in artificial intelligence, cell assemblies became commonly used in computational neuroscience as a neural substrate for content addressable memories. However, the mechanisms underlying their formation are poorly understood and, so far, there is no biologically plausible algorithms which can explain how external stimuli can be online stored in cell assemblies. We addressed this question in a previous paper [Salihoglu, U., Bersini, H., Yamaguchi, Y., Molter, C., (2009). A model for the cognitive map formation: Application of the retroaxonal theory. In Proc. IEEE international joint conference on neural networks], were, based on biologically plausible mechanisms, a novel unsupervised algorithm for online cell assemblies' creation was developed. The procedure involved simultaneously, a fast Hebbian/anti-Hebbian learning of the network's recurrent connections for the creation of new cell assemblies, and a slower feedback signal which stabilized the cell assemblies by learning the feedforward input connections. Here, we first quantify the role played by the retroaxonal feedback mechanism. Then, we show how multiple cognitive maps, composed by a set of orthogonal input stimuli, can be encoded in the network. As a result, when facing a previously learned input, the system is able to retrieve the cognitive map it belongs to. As a consequence, ambiguous inputs which could belong to multiple cognitive maps can be disambiguated by the knowledge of the context, i.e. the cognitive map.

Soft computing in artificial intelligence

CERN Document Server

Matson, Eric

2014-01-01

This book explores the concept of artificial intelligence based on knowledge-based algorithms. Given the current hardware and software technologies and artificial intelligence theories, we can think of how efficient to provide a solution, how best to implement a model and how successful to achieve it. This edition provides readers with the most recent progress and novel solutions in artificial intelligence. This book aims at presenting the research results and solutions of applications in relevance with artificial intelligence technologies. We propose to researchers and practitioners some methods to advance the intelligent systems and apply artificial intelligence to specific or general purpose. This book consists of 13 contributions that feature fuzzy (r, s)-minimal pre- and β-open sets, handling big coocurrence matrices, Xie-Beni-type fuzzy cluster validation, fuzzy c-regression models, combination of genetic algorithm and ant colony optimization, building expert system, fuzzy logic and neural network, ind...

Tyrosine 105 and threonine 212 at outermost substrate binding subsites -6 and +4 control substrate specificity, oligosaccharide cleavage patterns, and multiple binding modes of barley alpha-amylase 1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bak-Jensen, K.S.; André, G.; Gottschalk, T.E.

2004-01-01

and oligosaccharides, respectively. Bond cleavage analysis of oligosaccharide degradation by wild-type and mutant AMY1 supports that Tyr105 is critical for binding at subsite -6. Substrate binding is improved by T212(Y/W) introduced at subsite +4 and the [Y105A/ T212(Y/W)] AMY1 double mutants synergistically enhanced......The role in activity of outer regions in the substrate binding cleft in alpha-amylases is illustrated by mutational analysis of Tyr(105) and Thr(212) localized at subsites - 6 and +4 ( substrate cleavage occurs between subsites -1 and +1) in barley alpha-amylase 1 (AMY1). Tyr(105) is conserved...... in plant alpha-amylases whereas Thr(212) varies in these and related enzymes. Compared with wild-type AMY1, the subsite -6 mutant Y105A has 140, 15, and 1% activity (k(cat)/K-m) on starch, amylose DP17, and 2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl β-D-maltoheptaoside, whereas T212Y at subsite +4 has 32, 370, and 90...

Ex situ protection of the European mudminnow (Umbra krameri Walbaum, 1792: Spawning substrate preference for larvae rearing under controlled conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kucska Balázs

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Captive breeding programs of endangered fish species, such as the European mudminnow Umbra krameri, are essential for population restoration. To improve captive spawning and larvae rearing under controlled conditions, two experiments were carried out. In the first, the spawning substrate preference was tested in triplicate, where five different types of artificial surface were provided for mudminnow pairs:(isand, (iiartificial plants, (iiigravel, (ivsand + artificial plants and(vgravel + artificial plants. All fish preferred the gravel + artificial plant combination, which indicates that this type of surface could be the most appropriate for spawning in captivity. In the second trial, three feeding protocols were tested in triplicate under controlled conditions. In the first treatment fish were fed exclusively with Artemia nauplii; in the second treatment fish were fed with Artemiafor the first ten days then Artemia was gradually replaced with dry feed; for the third group the transition period started after 5 days of Artemia feeding. Although the survival rate of larvae could be maintained at a high level in some of the feeding protocols, a strong decrease in the growth rate was obvious in all diets containing dry food, which means that live food is essential for the first three weeks of mudminnow larvae rearing.

Influence of nutrient substrates on the expression of cellulases in Cerambyx cerdo L. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae larvae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavlović R.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The expression and distribution of digestive cellulases along the midgut of Cerambyx cerdo larvae were analyzed for the first time and are presented in this article. Four groups of larvae were examined: larvae developed in the wild; larvae taken from the wild and successively reared on an artificial diet based on polenta; and larvae hatched in the laboratory and reared on two different artificial diets. Seven endocellulase and seven β-D-glucosidase isoforms were detected in all midgut extracts of C. cerdo with a zymogram after native PAGE. We observed that C. cerdo larvae are capable of producing cellulase isoforms with different PAGE mobilities depending on the nutrient substrate. From our findings it can be assumed that, depending on the distribution of endocellulase and β-D-glucosidase, cellulose molecules are first fragmented in the anterior and middle midgut by endo-β-1,4-glucanase; subsequently, the obtained fragments are broken down by β-D-glucosidase mostly in middle midgut.

An artificial-vision responsive to patient motions during computer controlled radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalend, A.M.; Shimoga, K.; Kanade, T.; Greenberger, J.S.

1997-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: Automated precision radiotherapy using multiple conformal and modulated beams, requires monitoring of patient movements during irradiation. Immobilizers relying on patient cooperating in cradles have somewhat reduced positional uncertainties, but others including breathing are largely unknown. We built an artificial vision (AV) device for real-time vision of patient movements, their tracking and quantification. Method and Materials: The Artificial Vision System's 'acuity' and 'reflex' were evaluated in terms of imaged skin spatial resolutions and temporal dispersions measured using a mannequin and a fiduciated harmonic oscillator placed at 100cm isocenter. The device traced skin motion even in poorly lighted rooms without use of explicit skin fiduciation, or using standard radiotherapy skin tattoos. Results: The AV system tracked human skin at vision rates approaching 30Hz and sensitivity of 2mm. It successfully identified and tracked independent skin marks, either natural tattoos or artificial fiducials. Three alert levels triggered when patient movement exceeded preset displacements (2mm/30Hz), motion velocities (5m/sec) or acceleration (2m/sec 2 ). Conclusion: The AV system trigger should suit for patient ventilatory gating and safety interlocking of treatment accelerators, in order to modulate, interrupt, or abort radiation during dynamic therapy

Artificial defects detection and location during welding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asty, M.

1978-01-01

Welding control by acoustic emission allows defects detection as soon as they are created. Acoustic testing saves time and gives better quality assurance in the case of multiple pass welding of plates. A welded joint was performed on A533B steel plates 250 mm thick by submerged arc welding. Artificial defects were implanted to determine significative parameters of acoustic reception. In operating conditions a significant acoustic activity takes place only during welding as shown by preliminary tests. At the same time an important noise is created by the arc, scories cooling and metal solidification and cooling. These problems are solved by an original processing in time-space detecting and locating defects with a good approximation [fr

Artificial Intelligence

CERN Document Server

Warwick, Kevin

2011-01-01

if AI is outside your field, or you know something of the subject and would like to know more then Artificial Intelligence: The Basics is a brilliant primer.' - Nick Smith, Engineering and Technology Magazine November 2011 Artificial Intelligence: The Basics is a concise and cutting-edge introduction to the fast moving world of AI. The author Kevin Warwick, a pioneer in the field, examines issues of what it means to be man or machine and looks at advances in robotics which have blurred the boundaries. Topics covered include: how intelligence can be defined whether machines can 'think' sensory

Charlas sobre inteligencia artificial

OpenAIRE

Álvarez Sánchez, José Ramón; Ferrández Vicente, José Manuel; Paz López, Félix de la

2014-01-01

Serie: Informática en Radio 3 La Inteligencia Artificial es una de las ciencias que causa mayor impacto en la sociedad, mucho más si tenemos en cuenta que cambiará el futuro de la humanidad. En España existen actualmente un nutrido grupo de equipos de investigación relacionados con las tecnologías de computación natural-artificial que aúnan sus esfuerzos a través de la RTNAC la Red Temática en Tecnologías de Computación Natural-Artificial . La UNED participa en todas sus actividades desde ...

Artificial Intelligence Project

Science.gov (United States)

1990-01-01

Symposium on Aritificial Intelligence and Software Engineering Working Notes, March 1989. Blumenthal, Brad, "An Architecture for Automating...Artificial Intelligence Project Final Technical Report ARO Contract: DAAG29-84-K-OGO Artificial Intelligence LaboratO"ry The University of Texas at...Austin N>.. ~ ~ JA 1/I 1991 n~~~ Austin, Texas 78712 ________k A,.tificial Intelligence Project i Final Technical Report ARO Contract: DAAG29-84-K-0060

Highly Stretchable, Biocompatible, Striated Substrate Made from Fugitive Glue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Li

2015-06-01

Full Text Available We developed a novel substrate made from fugitive glue (styrenic block copolymer that can be used to analyze the effects of large strains on biological samples. The substrate has the following attributes: (1 It is easy to make from inexpensive components; (2 It is transparent and can be used in optical microscopy; (3 It is extremely stretchable as it can be stretched up to 700% strain; (4 It can be micro-molded, for example we created micro-ridges that are 6 μm high and 13 μm wide; (5 It is adhesive to biological fibers (we tested fibrin fibers, and can be used to uniformly stretch those fibers; (6 It is non-toxic to cells (we tested human mammary epithelial cells; (7 It can tolerate various salt concentrations up to 5 M NaCl and low (pH 0 and high (pH 14 pH values. Stretching of this extraordinary stretchable substrate is relatively uniform and thus, can be used to test multiple cells or fibers in parallel under the same conditions.

Beyond AI: Artificial Dreams Conference

CERN Document Server

Zackova, Eva; Kelemen, Jozef; Beyond Artificial Intelligence : The Disappearing Human-Machine Divide

2015-01-01

This book is an edited collection of chapters based on the papers presented at the conference “Beyond AI: Artificial Dreams” held in Pilsen in November 2012. The aim of the conference was to question deep-rooted ideas of artificial intelligence and cast critical reflection on methods standing at its foundations.  Artificial Dreams epitomize our controversial quest for non-biological intelligence, and therefore the contributors of this book tried to fully exploit such a controversy in their respective chapters, which resulted in an interdisciplinary dialogue between experts from engineering, natural sciences and humanities.   While pursuing the Artificial Dreams, it has become clear that it is still more and more difficult to draw a clear divide between human and machine. And therefore this book tries to portrait such an image of what lies beyond artificial intelligence: we can see the disappearing human-machine divide, a very important phenomenon of nowadays technological society, the phenomenon which i...

Artificial Photosynthesis: Beyond Mimicking Nature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dau, Holger; Fujita, Etsuko; Sun, Licheng

2017-01-01

In this Editorial, Guest Editors Holger Dau, Etsuko Fujita, and Licheng Sun introduce the Special Issue of ChemSusChem on “Artificial Photosynthesis for Sustainable Fuels”. Here, they discuss the need for non-fossil based fuels, introduce both biological and artificial photosynthesis, and outline various important concepts in artificial photosynthesis, including molecular and solid-state catalysts for water oxidation and hydrogen evolution, catalytic CO 2 reduction, and photoelectrochemical systems.

Abundance of non-native crabs in intertidal habitats of New England with natural and artificial structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina M. Lovely

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Marine habitats containing complex physical structure (e.g., crevices can provide shelter from predation for benthic invertebrates. To examine effects of natural and artificial structure on the abundance of intertidal juvenile crabs, 2 experiments were conducted in Kingston Bay, Massachusetts, USA, from July to September, 2012. In the first experiment, structure was manipulated in a two-factor design that was placed in the high intertidal for 3 one-week periods to test for both substrate type (sand vs. rock and the presence or absence of artificial structure (mesh grow-out bags used in aquaculture, ∼0.5 m2 with 62 mm2 mesh openings. The Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus, and small individuals of the green crab, Carcinus maenas, were observed only in the treatments of rocks and mesh bag plus rocks. Most green crabs were small (<6 mm in carapace width whereas H. sanguineus occurred in a wide range of sizes. In the second experiment, 3 levels of oyster-shell treatments were established using grow-out bags placed on a muddy sand substrate in the low intertidal zone: mesh grow-out bags without shells, grow-out bags with oyster shells, and grow-out bags containing live oysters. Replicate bags were deployed weekly for 7 weeks in a randomized complete block design. All crabs collected in the bags were juvenile C. maenas (1–15 mm carapace width, and numbers of crabs differed 6-fold among treatments, with most crabs present in bags with live oysters (29.5 ± 10.6 m−2 [mean ± S.D.] and fewest in bags without shells (4.9 ± 3.7 m−2. Both C. maenas and H. sanguineus occurred in habitats with natural structure (cobble rocks. The attraction of juvenile C. maenas to artificial structure consisting of plastic mesh bags containing both oyster shells and living oysters could potentially impact oyster aquaculture operations.

Parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjelstad, Astrid; Rasmussen, Knut Einar; Parmer, Marthe Petrine

2013-01-01

This paper reports development of a new approach towards analytical liquid-liquid-liquid membrane extraction termed parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction. A donor plate and acceptor plate create a sandwich, in which each sample (human plasma) and acceptor solution is separated by an arti......This paper reports development of a new approach towards analytical liquid-liquid-liquid membrane extraction termed parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction. A donor plate and acceptor plate create a sandwich, in which each sample (human plasma) and acceptor solution is separated...... by an artificial liquid membrane. Parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction is a modification of hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction, where the hollow fibers are replaced by flat membranes in a 96-well plate format....

A small-scale, rolled-membrane microfluidic artificial lung designed towards future large area manufacturing.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, A J; Marks, L H; Goudie, M J; Rojas-Pena, A; Handa, H; Potkay, J A

2017-03-01

Artificial lungs have been used in the clinic for multiple decades to supplement patient pulmonary function. Recently, small-scale microfluidic artificial lungs (μAL) have been demonstrated with large surface area to blood volume ratios, biomimetic blood flow paths, and pressure drops compatible with pumpless operation. Initial small-scale microfluidic devices with blood flow rates in the μ l/min to ml/min range have exhibited excellent gas transfer efficiencies; however, current manufacturing techniques may not be suitable for scaling up to human applications. Here, we present a new manufacturing technology for a microfluidic artificial lung in which the structure is assembled via a continuous "rolling" and bonding procedure from a single, patterned layer of polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS). This method is demonstrated in a small-scale four-layer device, but is expected to easily scale to larger area devices. The presented devices have a biomimetic branching blood flow network, 10  μ m tall artificial capillaries, and a 66  μ m thick gas transfer membrane. Gas transfer efficiency in blood was evaluated over a range of blood flow rates (0.1-1.25 ml/min) for two different sweep gases (pure O 2 , atmospheric air). The achieved gas transfer data closely follow predicted theoretical values for oxygenation and CO 2 removal, while pressure drop is marginally higher than predicted. This work is the first step in developing a scalable method for creating large area microfluidic artificial lungs. Although designed for microfluidic artificial lungs, the presented technique is expected to result in the first manufacturing method capable of simply and easily creating large area microfluidic devices from PDMS.

Artificial Gravity: Will it Preserve Bone Health on Long-Duration Missions?

Science.gov (United States)

Davis-Street, Janis; Paloski, William H.

2005-01-01

Prolonged microgravity exposure disrupts bone, muscle, and cardiovascular homeostasis, sensory-motor coordination, immune function, and behavioral performance. Bone loss, in particular, remains a serious impediment to the success of exploration-class missions by increasing the risks of bone fracture and renal stone formation for crew members. Current countermeasures, consisting primarily of resistive and aerobic exercise, have not yet proven fully successful for preventing bone loss during long-duration spaceflight. While other bone-specific countermeasures, such as pharmacological therapy and dietary modifications, are under consideration, countermeasure approaches that simultaneously address multiple physiologic systems may be more desirable for exploration-class missions, particularly if they can provide effective protection at reduced mission resource requirements (up-mass, power, crew time, etc). The most robust of the multi-system approaches under consideration, artificial gravity (AG), could prevent all of the microgravity-related physiological changes from occurring. The potential methods for realizing an artificial gravity countermeasure are reviewed, as well as selected animal and human studies evaluating the effects of artificial gravity on bone function. Future plans for the study of the multi-system effects of artificial gravity include a joint, cooperative international effort that will systematically seek an optimal prescription for intermittent AG to preserve bone, muscle, and cardiovascular function in human subjects deconditioned by 6 degree head-down-tilt-bed rest. It is concluded that AG has great promise as a multi-system countermeasure, but that further research is required to determine the appropriate parameters for implementation of such a countermeasure for exploration-class missions.

Artificial organs versus regenerative medicine: is it true?

Science.gov (United States)

Nosé, Yukihiko; Okubo, Hisashi

2003-09-01

Individuals engaged in the fields of artificial kidney and artificial heart have often mistakenly stated that "the era of artificial organs is over; regenerative medicine is the future." Contrarily, we do not believe artificial organs and regenerative medicine are different medical technologies. As a matter of fact, artificial organs developed during the last 50 years have been used as a bridge to regeneration. The only difference between regenerative medicine and artificial organs is that artificial organs for the bridge to regeneration promote tissue regeneration in situ, instead of outside the body (for example, vascular prostheses, neuroprostheses, bladder substitutes, skin prostheses, bone prostheses, cartilage prostheses, ligament prostheses, etc.). All of these artificial organs are successful because tissue regeneration over a man-made prosthesis is established inside the patient's body (artificial organs to support regeneration). Another usage of the group of artificial organs for the bridge to regeneration is to sustain the functions of the patient's diseased organs during the regeneration process of the body's healthy tissues and/or organs. This particular group includes artificial kidney, hepatic assist, respiratory assist, and circulatory assist. Proof of regeneration of these healthy tissues and/or organs is demonstrated in the short-term recovery of end-stage organ failure patients (artificial organs for bridge to regeneration). A third group of artificial organs for the bridge to regeneration accelerates the regenerating process of the patient's healthy tissues and organs. This group includes neurostimulators, artificial blood (red cells) blood oxygenators, and plasmapheresis devices, including hemodiafiltrators. So-called "therapeutic artificial organs" fall into this category (artificial organs to accelerate regeneration). Thus, almost all of today's artificial organs are useful in the bridge to regeneration of healthy natural tissues and organs

Thin SiGe virtual substrates for Ge heterostructures integration on silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cecchi, S.; Chrastina, D.; Frigerio, J.; Isella, G.; Gatti, E.; Guzzi, M.; Müller Gubler, E.; Paul, D. J.

2014-01-01

The possibility to reduce the thickness of the SiGe virtual substrate, required for the integration of Ge heterostructures on Si, without heavily affecting the crystal quality is becoming fundamental in several applications. In this work, we present 1 μm thick Si 1−x Ge x buffers (with x > 0.7) having different designs which could be suitable for applications requiring a thin virtual substrate. The rationale is to reduce the lattice mismatch at the interface with the Si substrate by introducing composition steps and/or partial grading. The relatively low growth temperature (475 °C) makes this approach appealing for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor integration. For all the investigated designs, a reduction of the threading dislocation density compared to constant composition Si 1−x Ge x layers was observed. The best buffer in terms of defects reduction was used as a virtual substrate for the deposition of a Ge/SiGe multiple quantum well structure. Room temperature optical absorption and photoluminescence analysis performed on nominally identical quantum wells grown on both a thick graded virtual substrate and the selected thin buffer demonstrates a comparable optical quality, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed approach

Profiling Y561-dependent and -independent substrates of CSF-1R in epithelial cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melodie L Knowlton

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs activate multiple downstream cytosolic tyrosine kinases following ligand stimulation. SRC family kinases (SFKs, which are recruited to activated RTKs through SH2 domain interactions with RTK autophosphorylation sites, are targets of many subfamilies of RTKs. To date, there has not been a systematic analysis of the downstream substrates of such receptor-activated SFKs. Here, we conducted quantitative mass spectrometry utilizing stable isotope labeling (SILAC analysis to profile candidate SRC-substrates induced by the CSF-1R tyrosine kinase by comparing the phosphotyrosine-containing peptides from cells expressing either CSF-1R or a mutant form of this RTK that is unable to bind to SFKs. This analysis identified previously uncharacterized changes in tyrosine phosphorylation induced by CSF-1R in mammary epithelial cells as well as a set of candidate substrates dependent on SRC recruitment to CSF-1R. Many of these candidates may be direct SRC targets as the amino acids flanking the phosphorylation sites in these proteins are similar to known SRC kinase phosphorylation motifs. The putative SRC-dependent proteins include known SRC substrates as well as previously unrecognized SRC targets. The collection of substrates includes proteins involved in multiple cellular processes including cell-cell adhesion, endocytosis, and signal transduction. Analyses of phosphoproteomic data from breast and lung cancer patient samples identified a subset of the SRC-dependent phosphorylation sites as being strongly correlated with SRC activation, which represent candidate markers of SRC activation downstream of receptor tyrosine kinases in human tumors. In summary, our data reveal quantitative site-specific changes in tyrosine phosphorylation induced by CSF-1R activation in epithelial cells and identify many candidate SRC-dependent substrates phosphorylated downstream of an RTK.

Artificial Intelligence in Space Platforms.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-12-01

computer algorithms, there still appears to be a need for Artificial Inteligence techniques in the navigation area. The reason is that navigaion, in...RD-RI32 679 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN SPACE PLRTFORNSMU AIR FORCE 1/𔃼 INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PRTTERSON AFB OH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING M A WRIGHT DEC 94...i4 Preface The purpose of this study was to analyze the feasibility of implementing Artificial Intelligence techniques to increase autonomy for

Trimaran Resistance Artificial Neural Network

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

11th International Conference on Fast Sea Transportation FAST 2011, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, September 2011 Trimaran Resistance Artificial Neural Network Richard...Trimaran Resistance Artificial Neural Network 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e... Artificial Neural Network and is restricted to the center and side-hull configurations tested. The value in the parametric model is that it is able to

Artificial Intelligence and Moral intelligence

OpenAIRE

Laura Pana

2008-01-01

We discuss the thesis that the implementation of a moral code in the behaviour of artificial intelligent systems needs a specific form of human and artificial intelligence, not just an abstract intelligence. We present intelligence as a system with an internal structure and the structural levels of the moral system, as well as certain characteristics of artificial intelligent agents which can/must be treated as 1- individual entities (with a complex, specialized, autonomous or selfdetermined,...

Artificial Intelligence and Economic Theories

OpenAIRE

Marwala, Tshilidzi; Hurwitz, Evan

2017-01-01

The advent of artificial intelligence has changed many disciplines such as engineering, social science and economics. Artificial intelligence is a computational technique which is inspired by natural intelligence such as the swarming of birds, the working of the brain and the pathfinding of the ants. These techniques have impact on economic theories. This book studies the impact of artificial intelligence on economic theories, a subject that has not been extensively studied. The theories that...

Internet advertising of artificial tanning in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Team, Victoria; Markovic, Milica

2006-08-01

Artificial tanning, defined as deliberate exposure to ultraviolet rays produced by artificial tanning devices, is a new and emerging public health issue in Australia and globally. Epidemiological research suggests that artificial tanning may contribute to the incidence of melanoma, nonmelanoma skin cancer as well as other health problems. Given that Australia has a high incidence of skin cancer, we have undertaken a study to explore how artificial tanning has been promoted to its users. The aim was to analyze the completeness and accuracy of information about artificial tanning. A content analysis of web sites of tanning salons and distributors of tanning equipment in Australia was conducted. A total of 22 web sites were analyzed. None of the solarium operators or distributors of equipment provided full information about the risks of artificial tanning. Fifty-nine percent of web advertisements had no information and 41% provided only partial information regarding the risks of artificial tanning. Pictures with the image of bronze-tanned bodies, predominantly women, were used by all web advertisers. In light of the success of sun-safety campaigns in Australia, the findings of future epidemiological research on the prevalence of artificial tanning and sociological and anthropological research on why people utilize artificial tanning should be a basis for developing effective targeted health promotion on the elimination of artificial tanning in the country.

Artificial neural networks for automation of Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy experiments and data analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barradas, N.P.; Vieira, A.; Patricio, R.

2002-01-01

We present an algorithm based on artificial neural networks able to determine optimized experimental conditions for Rutherford backscattering measurements of Ge-implanted Si. The algorithm can be implemented for any other element implanted into a lighter substrate. It is foreseeable that the method developed in this work can be applied to still many other systems. The algorithm presented is a push-button black box, and does not require any human intervention. It is thus suited for automated control of an experimental setup, given an interface to the relevant hardware. Once the experimental conditions are optimized, the algorithm analyzes the final data obtained, and determines the desired parameters. The method is thus also suited for automated analysis of the data. The algorithm presented can be easily extended to other ion beam analysis techniques. Finally, it is suggested how the artificial neural networks required for automated control and analysis of experiments could be automatically generated. This would be suited for automated generation of the required computer code. Thus could RBS be done without experimentalists, data analysts, or programmers, with only technicians to keep the machines running

Energy profiling of demersal fish: a case-study in wind farm artificial reefs.

Science.gov (United States)

De Troch, Marleen; Reubens, Jan T; Heirman, Elke; Degraer, Steven; Vincx, Magda

2013-12-01

The construction of wind farms introduces artificial hard substrates in sandy sediments. As Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and pouting (Trisopterus luscus) tend to aggregate in order to feed around these reefs, energy profiling and trophic markers were applied to study their feeding ecology in a wind farm in the Belgian part of the North Sea. The proximate composition (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) differed significantly between liver and muscle tissue but not between fish species or between their potential prey species. Atlantic cod showed to consume more energy than pouting. The latter had a higher overall energy reserve and can theoretically survive twice as long on the available energy than cod. In autumn, both fish species could survive longer on their energy than in spring. Polyunsaturated fatty acids were found in high concentrations in fish liver. The prey species Jassa and Pisidia were both rich in EPA while Jassa had a higher DHA content than Pisidia. Energy profiling supported the statement that wind farm artificial reefs are suitable feeding ground for both fish species. Sufficient energy levels were recorded and there is no indication of competition.

Enhancement of juvenile Caribbean spiny lobsters: an evaluation of changes in multiple response variables with the addition of large artificial shelters.

Science.gov (United States)

Briones-Fourzán, Patricia; Lozano-Alvarez, Enrique; Negrete-Soto, Fernando; Barradas-Ortiz, Cecilia

2007-03-01

Shortage of natural crevice shelters may produce population bottlenecks in juvenile Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus), a socially gregarious species. We conducted a field experiment to test enhancement of a local population of juvenile P. argus with the addition of artificial shelters ("casitas") that mimic large crevices (1.1 m(2) in surface area and 3.8 cm in height). Changes in density and biomass of juvenile lobsters 15-50 mm carapace length (CL) were assessed with a multiple before-after control-impact (MBACI) analysis. Separate analyses were also conducted on small (15-35 mm CL) and large (35.1-50 mm CL) juveniles to assess size-related effects. First, we carried out 13 lobster surveys on nine fixed 1-ha sites over a shallow reef lagoon ("before" period). Then, we deployed ten casitas in each of five sites and left four sites as controls, and conducted 22 further surveys ("after" period). Deployment of casitas resulted in a sixfold increase in juvenile density (76% contributed by small and 24% by large juveniles) and a sevenfold increase in biomass (40 and 60%, respectively). Capture-recapture results revealed that enhancement was achieved not by promoting individual growth but by increasing survival, persistence, and foraging ranges of small and large juveniles. Casitas both mitigated shortage of natural shelter and increased sociality, allowing for cohabitation of smaller, more vulnerable juveniles with larger conspecifics that have greater defensive abilities. Casitas may help enhance local populations of juvenile P. argus in Caribbean seagrass habitats, typically poor in natural crevice shelters. The use of MBACI and the simultaneous assessment of multiple interrelated response variables may be a powerful analytical approach to test shelter limitation in other species and to examine the function of structural habitat in other systems.

Crack identification by artificial neural network

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwu, C.B.; Liang, Y.C. [National Cheng Kung Univ., Tainan (Taiwan, Province of China). Inst. of Aeronaut. and Astronaut.

1998-04-01

In this paper, a most popular artificial neural network called the back propagation neural network (BPN) is employed to achieve an ideal on-line identification of the crack embedded in a composite plate. Different from the usual dynamic estimate, the parameters used for the present crack identification are the strains of static deformation. It is known that the crack effects are localized which may not be clearly reflected from the boundary information especially when the data is from static deformation only. To remedy this, we use data from multiple-loading modes in which the loading modes may include the opening, shearing and tearing modes. The results show that our method for crack identification is always stable and accurate no matter how far-away of the test data from its training set. (orig.) 8 refs.

Differences in predators of artificial and real songbirds nests: Evidence of bias in artificial nest studies

Science.gov (United States)

Frank R. Thompson; Dirk E. Burhans

2004-01-01

In the past two decades, many researchers have used artificial nest to measure relative rates of nest predation. Recent comparisons show that real and artificial nests may not be depredated at the same rate, but no one has examined the mechanisms underlying these patterns. We determined differences in predator-specific predation rates of real and artificial nests. we...

Collective ratchet effects and reversals for active matter particles on quasi-one-dimensional asymmetric substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

McDermott, Danielle; Olson Reichhardt, Cynthia J; Reichhardt, Charles

2016-10-19

Using computer simulations, we study a two-dimensional system of sterically interacting self-mobile run-and-tumble disk-shaped particles with an underlying periodic quasi-one-dimensional asymmetric substrate, and show that a rich variety of collective active ratchet behaviors arise as a function of particle density, activity, substrate period, and the maximum force exerted by the substrate. The net dc drift, or ratchet transport flux, is nonmonotonic since it increases with increased activity but is diminished by the onset of self-clustering of the active particles. Increasing the particle density decreases the ratchet transport flux for shallow substrates but increases the ratchet transport flux for deep substrates due to collective hopping events. At the highest particle densities, the ratchet motion is destroyed by a self-jamming effect. We show that it is possible to realize reversals of the direction of the net dc drift in the deep substrate limit when multiple rows of active particles can be confined in each substrate minimum, permitting emergent particle-like excitations to appear that experience an inverted effective substrate potential. We map out a phase diagram of the forward and reverse ratchet effects as a function of the particle density, activity, and substrate properties.

Shifts of microbial communities of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivation in a closed artificial ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Youcai; Fu, Yuming; Dong, Chen; Jia, Nannan; Liu, Hong

2016-05-01

The microbial communities of plant ecosystems are in relation to plant growing environment, but the alteration in biodiversity of rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbial communities in closed and controlled environments is unknown. The purpose of this study is to analyze the change regularity of microbial communities with wheat plants dependent-cultivated in a closed artificial ecosystem. The microbial community structures in closed-environment treatment plants were investigated by a culture-dependent approach, polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), and Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing. The results indicated that the number of microbes decreased along with time, and the magnitude of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes were 10(7)-10(8), 10(5), and 10(3)-10(4) CFU/g (dry weight), respectively. The analysis of PCR-DGGE and Illumina Miseq revealed that the wheat leaf surface and near-root substrate had different microbial communities at different periods of wheat ecosystem development and showed that the relative highest diversity of microbial communities appeared at late and middle periods of the plant ecosystem, respectively. The results also indicated that the wheat leaf and substrate had different microbial community compositions, and the wheat substrate had higher richness of microbial community than the leaf. Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, Paenibacillus, Enterobacter, Penicillium, Rhodotorula, Acremonium, and Alternaria were dominant in the wheat leaf samples, and Pedobacter, Flavobacterium, Halomonas, Marinobacter, Salinimicrobium, Lysobacter, Pseudomonas, Halobacillus, Xanthomonas, Acremonium, Monographella, and Penicillium were dominant populations in the wheat near-root substrate samples.

Enhancement of dielectric and ferroelectric properties of PbZrO3/PbTiO3 artificial superlattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Taekjib; Lee, Jaichan

2005-01-01

PbZrO 3 (PZO)/PbTiO 3 (PTO) artificial superlattices have been grown on La 0.5 Sr 0.5 CoO 3 (LSCO) (100)/MgO (100) substrate by pulsed laser deposition with various stacking periods from 1 to 100 unit cells. The PZO/PTO artificial lattice exhibited a diffraction pattern characteristic of a superlattice structure, i.e., a main diffraction peak with satellite peaks. The electrical properties of the superlattices were investigated as a function of the stacking period. The dielectric constant and remnant polarization improved on decreasing the stacking periodicity. The dielectric constant of the superlattice reached 800 at a stacking period of 1unit cell/1unit cell (PZO 1 /PTO 1 ), which is larger than that of the single PZT solid-solution film. Moreover, the remnant polarization reached a maximum, 2Pr = 38.7 μC/cm 2 , at a 2-unit-cell stacking period. Progressive enhancement of dielectric constant and remnant polarization in artificial PZO/PTO superlattice was accompanied by expansion of the (100)-plane spacing on decreasing the stacking periodicity. These results suggest that the lattice strain developed in the PZO/PTO superlattice may have influence on dielectric constant and ferroelectric behavior.

Artificial Astrocytes Improve Neural Network Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Porto-Pazos, Ana B.; Veiguela, Noha; Mesejo, Pablo; Navarrete, Marta; Alvarellos, Alberto; Ibáñez, Oscar; Pazos, Alejandro; Araque, Alfonso

2011-01-01

Compelling evidence indicates the existence of bidirectional communication between astrocytes and neurons. Astrocytes, a type of glial cells classically considered to be passive supportive cells, have been recently demonstrated to be actively involved in the processing and regulation of synaptic information, suggesting that brain function arises from the activity of neuron-glia networks. However, the actual impact of astrocytes in neural network function is largely unknown and its application in artificial intelligence remains untested. We have investigated the consequences of including artificial astrocytes, which present the biologically defined properties involved in astrocyte-neuron communication, on artificial neural network performance. Using connectionist systems and evolutionary algorithms, we have compared the performance of artificial neural networks (NN) and artificial neuron-glia networks (NGN) to solve classification problems. We show that the degree of success of NGN is superior to NN. Analysis of performances of NN with different number of neurons or different architectures indicate that the effects of NGN cannot be accounted for an increased number of network elements, but rather they are specifically due to astrocytes. Furthermore, the relative efficacy of NGN vs. NN increases as the complexity of the network increases. These results indicate that artificial astrocytes improve neural network performance, and established the concept of Artificial Neuron-Glia Networks, which represents a novel concept in Artificial Intelligence with implications in computational science as well as in the understanding of brain function. PMID:21526157

Artificial astrocytes improve neural network performance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana B Porto-Pazos

Full Text Available Compelling evidence indicates the existence of bidirectional communication between astrocytes and neurons. Astrocytes, a type of glial cells classically considered to be passive supportive cells, have been recently demonstrated to be actively involved in the processing and regulation of synaptic information, suggesting that brain function arises from the activity of neuron-glia networks. However, the actual impact of astrocytes in neural network function is largely unknown and its application in artificial intelligence remains untested. We have investigated the consequences of including artificial astrocytes, which present the biologically defined properties involved in astrocyte-neuron communication, on artificial neural network performance. Using connectionist systems and evolutionary algorithms, we have compared the performance of artificial neural networks (NN and artificial neuron-glia networks (NGN to solve classification problems. We show that the degree of success of NGN is superior to NN. Analysis of performances of NN with different number of neurons or different architectures indicate that the effects of NGN cannot be accounted for an increased number of network elements, but rather they are specifically due to astrocytes. Furthermore, the relative efficacy of NGN vs. NN increases as the complexity of the network increases. These results indicate that artificial astrocytes improve neural network performance, and established the concept of Artificial Neuron-Glia Networks, which represents a novel concept in Artificial Intelligence with implications in computational science as well as in the understanding of brain function.

Artificial astrocytes improve neural network performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Porto-Pazos, Ana B; Veiguela, Noha; Mesejo, Pablo; Navarrete, Marta; Alvarellos, Alberto; Ibáñez, Oscar; Pazos, Alejandro; Araque, Alfonso

2011-04-19

Compelling evidence indicates the existence of bidirectional communication between astrocytes and neurons. Astrocytes, a type of glial cells classically considered to be passive supportive cells, have been recently demonstrated to be actively involved in the processing and regulation of synaptic information, suggesting that brain function arises from the activity of neuron-glia networks. However, the actual impact of astrocytes in neural network function is largely unknown and its application in artificial intelligence remains untested. We have investigated the consequences of including artificial astrocytes, which present the biologically defined properties involved in astrocyte-neuron communication, on artificial neural network performance. Using connectionist systems and evolutionary algorithms, we have compared the performance of artificial neural networks (NN) and artificial neuron-glia networks (NGN) to solve classification problems. We show that the degree of success of NGN is superior to NN. Analysis of performances of NN with different number of neurons or different architectures indicate that the effects of NGN cannot be accounted for an increased number of network elements, but rather they are specifically due to astrocytes. Furthermore, the relative efficacy of NGN vs. NN increases as the complexity of the network increases. These results indicate that artificial astrocytes improve neural network performance, and established the concept of Artificial Neuron-Glia Networks, which represents a novel concept in Artificial Intelligence with implications in computational science as well as in the understanding of brain function.

Artificial organ engineering

CERN Document Server

Annesini, Maria Cristina; Piemonte, Vincenzo; Turchetti, Luca

2017-01-01

Artificial organs may be considered as small-scale process plants, in which heat, mass and momentum transfer operations and, possibly, chemical transformations are carried out. This book proposes a novel analysis of artificial organs based on the typical bottom-up approach used in process engineering. Starting from a description of the fundamental physico-chemical phenomena involved in the process, the whole system is rebuilt as an interconnected ensemble of elemental unit operations. Each artificial organ is presented with a short introduction provided by expert clinicians. Devices commonly used in clinical practice are reviewed and their performance is assessed and compared by using a mathematical model based approach. Whilst mathematical modelling is a fundamental tool for quantitative descriptions of clinical devices, models are kept simple to remain focused on the essential features of each process. Postgraduate students and researchers in the field of chemical and biomedical engineering will find that t...

Attempts to lower the detection limits of heavy metals in standardized grass cultures by using alternative growth substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, A.; Mueller, P.; Wagner, G.

1992-01-01

In addition to the use of standardized grass cultures (cf. VDI 3792) within the framework of an effect cadastre, grass cultures were tested on two non-contaminated substrates with nutrient solution in the greenhouse and in the open land during different exposure cycles. The results: As compared to the standard cultures on standardized soil, the cultures have the same or a better growth performance and better dry resistance on the artificial substrates; the blind values and the refore the detection limits in particular for cadmium are by far lower; four-week exposure periods with a two-week overlap have an improved information yield for the same amount of work throughout the investigation period as compared to a two-week exposure. Recommendations are derived from the results for a simplified application of the grass culture method in practice. (orig.) [de

Substrate type as a selective tool against colonization by non-native sessile invertebrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonardo C Cangussu

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Different substrates of varying composition, color, texture and orientation may selectively influence recruitment of sessile invertebrates and thereby influence the resultant community. Thus substrates may act as a barrier to the establishment of non-indigenous species (NIS. In southern Brazil, granite is the main rock forming natural rocky walls that are available for encrusting organisms. In this study we tested whether granite selectively influences recruitment and impedes colonization by introduced and cryptogenic species that are already established on artificial substrates within the region. Plates of rough cut granite and of polyethylene were made available each month under a pier at a yacht club in Paranaguá Bay. A community is already established on concrete columns and fiber glass floats on the piers. After one, two and twelve months, the faunal composition of the plates was compared between the two treatments and other artificial substrates. Granite was recruited by all the seven introduced species found in the Bay and by 18 of 26 cryptogenic species and therefore is ineffective as a barrier to NIS colonization.Substratos de diferentes materiais, cores, texturas e orientação podem influenciar seletivamente no recrutamento de invertebrados sésseis e, assim, influenciar a comunidade resultante. Deste modo, o substrato pode funcionar como barreira contra o estabelecimento de espécies não nativas (NIS, na sigla em inglês. No sul do Brasil, o granito é a principal rocha formadora de costões rochosos naturais disponíveis para organismos incrustantes. Nesta investigação, nós testamos se o granito seleciona o recrutamento de espécies e se poderia, assim, impedir a colonização de espécies introduzidas ou criptogênicas já estabelecidas em substratos artificiais na região. Placas não polidas de granito e de polietileno foram submersas a cada mês em um píer de um iate clube na Baía de Paranaguá. Há uma comunidade j

Introduction to Artificial Neural Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Jan

1999-01-01

The note addresses introduction to signal analysis and classification based on artificial feed-forward neural networks.......The note addresses introduction to signal analysis and classification based on artificial feed-forward neural networks....

PROSPER: an integrated feature-based tool for predicting protease substrate cleavage sites.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiangning Song

Full Text Available The ability to catalytically cleave protein substrates after synthesis is fundamental for all forms of life. Accordingly, site-specific proteolysis is one of the most important post-translational modifications. The key to understanding the physiological role of a protease is to identify its natural substrate(s. Knowledge of the substrate specificity of a protease can dramatically improve our ability to predict its target protein substrates, but this information must be utilized in an effective manner in order to efficiently identify protein substrates by in silico approaches. To address this problem, we present PROSPER, an integrated feature-based server for in silico identification of protease substrates and their cleavage sites for twenty-four different proteases. PROSPER utilizes established specificity information for these proteases (derived from the MEROPS database with a machine learning approach to predict protease cleavage sites by using different, but complementary sequence and structure characteristics. Features used by PROSPER include local amino acid sequence profile, predicted secondary structure, solvent accessibility and predicted native disorder. Thus, for proteases with known amino acid specificity, PROSPER provides a convenient, pre-prepared tool for use in identifying protein substrates for the enzymes. Systematic prediction analysis for the twenty-four proteases thus far included in the database revealed that the features we have included in the tool strongly improve performance in terms of cleavage site prediction, as evidenced by their contribution to performance improvement in terms of identifying known cleavage sites in substrates for these enzymes. In comparison with two state-of-the-art prediction tools, PoPS and SitePrediction, PROSPER achieves greater accuracy and coverage. To our knowledge, PROSPER is the first comprehensive server capable of predicting cleavage sites of multiple proteases within a single substrate

Detection of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. basilici in substrates and roots by PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

Pugliese, M; Ferrocino, I; Gullino, M L; Garibaldi, A

2013-01-01

Fusarium oxysporum is a soil-borne fungus that causes vascular wilts in a wide variety of plant species. Basil is recognized as an ecological niche for Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. basilici (FOB) and this fungus is now present in most countries where basil is cultivated. The rapid identification of the species affecting basil plants is necessary to define a successful method for crop protection. The aim of this study was to develop a PCR method for the rapid detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. basilici in substrates. The specificity of the primers used was tested using the DNA extracted directly from substrate samples. Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. basilici was artificially inoculated with decreasing amounts in a commercial substrate (sphagnum peat moss) and in a mixture with 40% of municipal compost, after steam disinfestation. Basil seeds (cv. Fine verde) were sown in pots that were laid on a bench in the greenhouse. At time 0 and after 7, 14 and 21 days from the inoculation, substrate and root samples were collected and prepared for microbial analysis and for the DNA extraction. DNA extraction was carried out using NucleoSpin Soil Kit (Macherey-Nagel, Germany). PCR amplification for the specific detection was carried out using primer sets Bik 1 (5'-ATT CAA GAG CTA AAG GTC C-3') and Bik 4 (5'-TTT GAC CAA GAT AGA TGC C-3') for the first PCR, while primers Bik 1 + Bik 2 (5'-AAA GGT AGT ATA TCG GAG G-3') for the nested PCR to increase detection sensitivity. Disease incidence was also assessed 21 days after seeding. The results showed the presence of amplified fragments of the expected size when the concentration of F. oxysporum f.sp. basilici was at least 3.5 Log CFU g(-1) by using DNA extract directly from substrate, before roots were infected by the pathogen. The detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. basilici by PCR method developed in this study is certainly simple and fast and can be useful for its reliable detection in substrate samples, but not to guarantee that

Dynamics of Preferential Substrate Recognition in HIV-1 Protease: Redefining the Substrate Envelope

Science.gov (United States)

Özen, Ayşegül; Haliloğlu, Türkan; Schiffer, Celia A.

2011-01-01

HIV-1 protease (PR) permits viral maturation by processing the Gag and Gag-Pro-Pol polyproteins. Though HIV-1 PR inhibitors (PIs) are used in combination antiviral therapy, the emergence of drug resistance has limited their efficacy. The rapid evolution of HIV-1 necessitates the consideration of drug resistance in novel drug-design strategies. Drug-resistant HIV-1 PR variants, while no longer efficiently inhibited, continue to efficiently hydrolyze the natural viral substrates. Though highly diverse in sequence, the HIV-1 PR substrates bind in a conserved three-dimensional shape we defined as the “substrate envelope”. We previously showed that resistance mutations arise where PIs protrude beyond the substrate envelope, as these regions are crucial for drug binding but not for substrate recognition. Here, we extend this model by considering the role of protein dynamics in the interaction of HIV-1 PR with its substrates. Seven molecular dynamics simulations of PR-substrate complexes were performed to estimate the conformational flexibility of substrates in their complexes. Interdependency of the substrate-protease interactions may compensate for the variations in cleavage-site sequences, and explain how a diverse set of sequences can be recognized as substrates by the same enzyme. This diversity may be essential for regulating sequential processing of substrates. We also define a dynamic substrate envelope as a more accurate representation of PR-substrate interactions. This dynamic substrate envelope, described by a probability distribution function, is a powerful tool for drug design efforts targeting ensembles of resistant HIV-1 PR variants with the aim of developing drugs that are less susceptible to resistance. PMID:21762811

How to teach artificial organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Zapanta, Conrad M; Borovetz, Harvey S; Lysaght, Michael J; Manning, Keefe B

2011-01-01

Artificial organs education is often an overlooked field for many bioengineering and biomedical engineering students. The purpose of this article is to describe three different approaches to teaching artificial organs. This article can serve as a reference for those who wish to offer a similar course at their own institutions or incorporate these ideas into existing courses. Artificial organ classes typically fulfill several ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) criteria, including those specific to bioengineering and biomedical engineering programs.

Artificial Neural Network Analysis System

Science.gov (United States)

2001-02-27

Contract No. DASG60-00-M-0201 Purchase request no.: Foot in the Door-01 Title Name: Artificial Neural Network Analysis System Company: Atlantic... Artificial Neural Network Analysis System 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Powell, Bruce C 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER...34) 27-02-2001 Report Type N/A Dates Covered (from... to) ("DD MON YYYY") 28-10-2000 27-02-2001 Title and Subtitle Artificial Neural Network Analysis

A Sensitive and Robust Enzyme Kinetic Experiment Using Microplates and Fluorogenic Ester Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, R. Jeremy; Hoops, Geoffrey C.; Savas, Christopher J.; Kartje, Zachary; Lavis, Luke D.

2015-01-01

Enzyme kinetics measurements are a standard component of undergraduate biochemistry laboratories. The combination of serine hydrolases and fluorogenic enzyme substrates provides a rapid, sensitive, and general method for measuring enzyme kinetics in an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory. In this method, the kinetic activity of multiple protein…

Artificial Psychology: The Psychology of AI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James A. Crowder

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Having artificially intelligent machines that think, learn, reason, experience, and can function autonomously, without supervision, is one of the most intriguing goals in all of Computer Science. As the types of problems we would like machines to solve get more complex, it is becoming a necessary goal as well. One of the many problems associated with this goal is that what learning and reasoning are have so many possible meanings that the solution can easily get lost in the sea of opinions and options. The goal of this paper is to establish some foundational principles, theory, and concepts that we feel are the backbone of real, autonomous Artificial Intelligence. With this fully autonomous, learning, reasoning, artificially intelligent system (an artificial brain, comes the need to possess constructs in its hardware and software that mimic processes and subsystems that exist within the human brain, including intuitive and emotional memory concepts. Presented here is a discussion of the psychological constructs of artificial intelligence and how they might play out in an artificial mind.

Artificial Intelligence in Civil Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pengzhen Lu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science, involved in the research, design, and application of intelligent computer. Traditional methods for modeling and optimizing complex structure systems require huge amounts of computing resources, and artificial-intelligence-based solutions can often provide valuable alternatives for efficiently solving problems in the civil engineering. This paper summarizes recently developed methods and theories in the developing direction for applications of artificial intelligence in civil engineering, including evolutionary computation, neural networks, fuzzy systems, expert system, reasoning, classification, and learning, as well as others like chaos theory, cuckoo search, firefly algorithm, knowledge-based engineering, and simulated annealing. The main research trends are also pointed out in the end. The paper provides an overview of the advances of artificial intelligence applied in civil engineering.

Combining Solvent Isotope Effects with Substrate Isotope Effects in Mechanistic Studies of Alcohol and Amine Oxidation by Enzymes*

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzpatrick, Paul F.

2014-01-01

Oxidation of alcohols and amines is catalyzed by multiple families of flavin-and pyridine nucleotide-dependent enzymes. Measurement of solvent isotope effects provides a unique mechanistic probe of the timing of the cleavage of the OH and NH bonds, necessary information for a complete description of the catalytic mechanism. The inherent ambiguities in interpretation of solvent isotope effects can be significantly decreased if isotope effects arising from isotopically labeled substrates are measured in combination with solvent isotope effects. The application of combined solvent and substrate (mainly deuterium) isotope effects to multiple enzymes is described here to illustrate the range of mechanistic insights that such an approach can provide. PMID:25448013

Spectroellipsometric detection of silicon substrate damage caused by radiofrequency sputtering of niobium oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Lohner, Tivadar; Serényi, Miklós; Szilágyi, Edit; Zolnai, Zsolt; Czigány, Zsolt; Khánh, Nguyen Quoc; Petrik, Péter; Fried, Miklós

2017-11-01

Substrate surface damage induced by deposition of metal atoms by radiofrequency (rf) sputtering or ion beam sputtering onto single-crystalline silicon (c-Si) surface has been characterized earlier by electrical measurements. The question arises whether it is possible to characterize surface damage using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). In our experiments niobium oxide layers were deposited by rf sputtering on c-Si substrates in gas mixture of oxygen and argon. Multiple angle of incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements were performed, a four-layer optical model (surface roughness layer, niobium oxide layer, native silicon oxide layer and ion implantation-amorphized silicon [i-a-Si] layer on a c-Si substrate) was created in order to evaluate the spectra. The evaluations yielded thicknesses of several nm for the i-a-Si layer. Better agreement could be achieved between the measured and the generated spectra by inserting a mixed layer (with components of c-Si and i-a-Si applying the effective medium approximation) between the silicon oxide layer and the c-Si substrate. High depth resolution Rutherford backscattering (RBS) measurements were performed to investigate the interface disorder between the deposited niobium oxide layer and the c-Si substrate. Atomic resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy investigation was applied to visualize the details of the damaged subsurface region of the substrate.

Multiple paternity in the cultured yellow pond turtles (Mauremys mutica).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xin-Cheng; Zhao, Jian; Li, Wei; Wei, Cheng-Qing; Zhu, Xin-Ping

2017-08-01

As a result of hunting and habitat loss, wild populations of the yellow pond turtle, Mauremys mutica, are decreasing. The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers M. mutica to be an endangered species. All studied freshwater turtles have polyandrous mating with multiple paternity. To survey the mating strategies of M. mutica, 1year's genetic data of parents and all offspring in an artificially captive population were analyzed. Two groups of multiplex PCR containing 16 microsatellite loci were used to analyze the paternity of 302 hatchlings from 132 parents and from 159 clutches. The genetic data indicated that multiple paternity is rare in M. mutica, occurring in only seven of 138 clutches. Although the frequency of multiple paternity was only 5.07%, results of the present research indicate that M. mutica has a polyandrous mating system. In the breeding season, the successive clutches of 34 females each had the same paternity as the previous clutches. It was observed that four males (f85, f58, f87, and f76) had more than 20 offspring each, totaling 99 and representing 32.78% of all offspring. This finding implies that paternity is competitive in this artificially captive population and might bias the genetic diversity of the offspring. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polymeric membrane materials for artificial organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawakami, Hiroyoshi

2008-01-01

Many polymeric materials have already been used in the field of artificial organs. However, the materials used in artificial organs are not necessarily created with the best material selectivity and materials design; therefore, the development of synthesized polymeric membrane materials for artificial organs based on well-defined designs is required. The approaches to the development of biocompatible polymeric materials fall into three categories: (1) control of physicochemical characteristics on material surfaces, (2) modification of material surfaces using biomolecules, and (3) construction of biomimetic membrane surfaces. This review will describe current issues regarding polymeric membrane materials for use in artificial organs.

Artificial reefs: “Attraction versus Production”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Barros Fagundes Netto

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The production of fish is the most common reason for the construction and installation of an artificial reef. More recently, environmental concerns and conservation of biological resources have been instrumental to the formulation of new goals of the research. One of the issues to be resolved is the biological function of “attraction vs. production” as a result of the use of artificial reefs. The uncertainty as to the answer to the question whether the artificial reefs will or not benefit the development of fish stocks could be solved if the artificial reefs would be managed as marine protected areas.

Progress and Challenge of Artificial Intelligence

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zhong-Zhi Shi; Nan-Ning Zheng

2006-01-01

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is generally considered to be a subfield of computer science, that is concerned to attempt simulation, extension and expansion of human intelligence. Artificial intelligence has enjoyed tremendous success over the last fifty years. In this paper we only focus on visual perception, granular computing, agent computing, semantic grid. Human-level intelligence is the long-term goal of artificial intelligence. We should do joint research on basic theory and technology of intelligence by brain science, cognitive science, artificial intelligence and others. A new cross discipline intelligence science is undergoing a rapid development. Future challenges are given in final section.

Tribocorrosion behaviour of nanostructured titanium substrates processed by high-pressure torsion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faghihi, S [Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Division, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Room 117, Shahrak-e Pajoohesh, km 15, Tehran-Karaj Highway, Tehran, PO Box 14965/161 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Li, D [Department of Engineering Physics, Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, QC, H3C 3A7 (Canada); Szpunar, J A, E-mail: sfaghihi@nigeb.ac.ir [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A9 (Canada)

2010-12-03

Aseptic loosening induced by wear particles from artificial bearing materials is one of the main causes of malfunctioning in total hip replacements. With the increase in young and active patients, complications in revision surgeries and immense health care costs, there is considerable interest in wear-resistant materials that can endure longer in the harsh and corrosive body environment. Here, the tribological behaviour of nanostructured titanium substrates processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) is investigated and compared with the coarse-grained samples. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals that a nanostructured sample has a grain size of 5-10 nm compared to that of {approx} 10 {mu}m and {approx} 50 {mu}m for untreated and annealed substrates, respectively. Dry and wet wear tests were performed using a linear reciprocating ball-on-flat tribometer. Nanostructured samples show the best dry wear resistance and the lowest wear rate in the electrolyte. There was significantly lower plastic deformation and no change in preferred orientation of nanostructured samples attributable to the wear process. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) shows lower corrosion resistance for nanostructured samples. However, under the action of both wear and corrosion the nanostructured samples show superior performance and that makes them an attractive candidate for applications in which wear and corrosion act simultaneously.

Tribocorrosion behaviour of nanostructured titanium substrates processed by high-pressure torsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faghihi, S; Li, D; Szpunar, J A

2010-01-01

Aseptic loosening induced by wear particles from artificial bearing materials is one of the main causes of malfunctioning in total hip replacements. With the increase in young and active patients, complications in revision surgeries and immense health care costs, there is considerable interest in wear-resistant materials that can endure longer in the harsh and corrosive body environment. Here, the tribological behaviour of nanostructured titanium substrates processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) is investigated and compared with the coarse-grained samples. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals that a nanostructured sample has a grain size of 5-10 nm compared to that of ∼ 10 μm and ∼ 50 μm for untreated and annealed substrates, respectively. Dry and wet wear tests were performed using a linear reciprocating ball-on-flat tribometer. Nanostructured samples show the best dry wear resistance and the lowest wear rate in the electrolyte. There was significantly lower plastic deformation and no change in preferred orientation of nanostructured samples attributable to the wear process. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) shows lower corrosion resistance for nanostructured samples. However, under the action of both wear and corrosion the nanostructured samples show superior performance and that makes them an attractive candidate for applications in which wear and corrosion act simultaneously.

Tribocorrosion behaviour of nanostructured titanium substrates processed by high-pressure torsion

Science.gov (United States)

Faghihi, S.; Li, D.; Szpunar, J. A.

2010-12-01

Aseptic loosening induced by wear particles from artificial bearing materials is one of the main causes of malfunctioning in total hip replacements. With the increase in young and active patients, complications in revision surgeries and immense health care costs, there is considerable interest in wear-resistant materials that can endure longer in the harsh and corrosive body environment. Here, the tribological behaviour of nanostructured titanium substrates processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) is investigated and compared with the coarse-grained samples. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals that a nanostructured sample has a grain size of 5-10 nm compared to that of ~ 10 µm and ~ 50 µm for untreated and annealed substrates, respectively. Dry and wet wear tests were performed using a linear reciprocating ball-on-flat tribometer. Nanostructured samples show the best dry wear resistance and the lowest wear rate in the electrolyte. There was significantly lower plastic deformation and no change in preferred orientation of nanostructured samples attributable to the wear process. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) shows lower corrosion resistance for nanostructured samples. However, under the action of both wear and corrosion the nanostructured samples show superior performance and that makes them an attractive candidate for applications in which wear and corrosion act simultaneously.

Substrate system for spray forming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chu, Men G. (Export, PA); Chernicoff, William P. (Harrisburg, PA)

2002-01-01

A substrate system for receiving a deposit of sprayed metal droplets including a movable outer substrate on which the sprayed metal droplets are deposited. The substrate system also includes an inner substrate disposed adjacent the outer substrate where the sprayed metal droplets are deposited on the outer substrate. The inner substrate includes zones of differing thermal conductivity to resist substrate layer porosity and to resist formation of large grains and coarse constituent particles in a bulk layer of the metal droplets which have accumulated on the outer substrate. A spray forming apparatus and associated method of spray forming a molten metal to form a metal product using the substrate system of the invention is also provided.

Dynamic cardiomyoplasty using artificial muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Yasuyuki; Daitoku, Kazuyuki; Minakawa, Masahito; Fukui, Kozo; Fukuda, Ikuo

2008-01-01

Dynamic cardiomyoplasty using latissimus dorsi muscle was previously used to compensate for congestive heart failure. Now, however, this method is not acceptable because the long-term result was not as expected owing to fatigue of the skeletal muscle. BioMetal fiber developed by Toki Corporation is one of the artificial muscles activated by electric current. The behavior of this fiber is similar to that of organic muscle. We made an artificial muscle like the latissimus dorsi using BioMetal fiber and tested whether we could use this new muscle as a cardiac supporting device. Testing one Biometal fiber showed the following performance: practical use maximal generative force was 30 g, exercise variation was 50%, and the standard driving current was 220 mA. We created a 4 x 12-cm tabular artificial muscle using 8 BioMetal fibers as a cardiac support device. We also made a simulation circuit composed of a 6 x 8-cm soft bag with unidirectional valves, reservoir, and connecting tube. The simulation circuit was filled with water and the soft bag was wrapped with the artificial muscle device. After powering the device electrically at 9 V with a current of 220 mA for each fiber, we measured the inside pressure and observed the movement of the artificial device. The artificial muscle contracted in 0.5 s for peak time and squeezed the soft bag. The peak pressure inside the soft bag was measured as 10 mmHg. Although further work will be needed to enhance the speed of deformability and movement simulating contraction, we conclude that artificial muscle may be potentially useful as a cardiac assistance device that can be developed for dynamic cardiomyoplasty.

Introduction to Concepts in Artificial Neural Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Niebur, Dagmar

1995-01-01

This introduction to artificial neural networks summarizes some basic concepts of computational neuroscience and the resulting models of artificial neurons. The terminology of biological and artificial neurons, biological and machine learning and neural processing is introduced. The concepts of supervised and unsupervised learning are explained with examples from the power system area. Finally, a taxonomy of different types of neurons and different classes of artificial neural networks is presented.

Fabrication of Organic Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells on Flexible Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Calderon, Gabriel; Merced-Sanabria, Milzaida; Carradero-Santiago, Carolyn; Vedrine-Pauléus, Josee

2015-03-01

The active layer for the organic solar cells fabricated is composed of P3HT:PCBM, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as electron donor and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester(PCBM) as electron acceptor. These polymers were used due to their promising characteristics for devices such as bulk heterojunction solar devices. We used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates, a highly flexible plastic, with indium tin oxide (ITO) as the transparent conducting anode for the device, and UV lithography technique to pattern the ITO; this is to facilitate multiple devices on a single substrate. The fabrication process for pattern transfer incorporates developing and etching processes. We diluted the HCl and DI water to etch out the ITO. PEDOT:PSS and active layer of P3HT:PCBM were deposited on (3.0 sq-cm) patterned of ITO/PET by spin coating method. The cathode was thermally evaporated with Al. We characterized the device using a sourcemeter. We also simulated portions of the device using PET on graphene as the substrate.

Artificial microRNAs and their applications in plant molecular biology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pérez-Quintero Álvaro Luis

2010-11-01

Full Text Available

Artificial organs and transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Splendiani, G; Cipriani, S; Vega, A; Casciani, C U

2003-05-01

Nowadays artificial devices are not able to totally and undefinitely replace the loss of function of all vital organs and artificial organs can be used only to bridge the time to transplantation, which must be considered the first choice in the therapeutical approach for many chronic diseases. Since general population aging process is leading to an increase of organ demand, the gap between performed and requested transplantation is hard to fill. Xenotransplantation is nowadays only an experimental alternative solution and we have to do our best using available artificial organs to increase and improve the survival of patients waiting for transplantation. In this meeting we particularly dealt about organ function replacing therapy, especially regarding the kidney, heart, liver, pancreas and ear.

Efficiency and resistance of the artificial oxalate protection treatment on marble against chemical weathering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doherty, B.; Pamplona, M.; Selvaggi, R.; Miliani, C.; Matteini, M.; Sgamellotti, A.; Brunetti, B.

2007-01-01

The artificial oxalate protection method was analyzed in laboratory experiments in order to achieve an optimum treatment application and concentration giving rise to its most effective protective nature. Spectroscopic (Fourier transform infrared, Micro-Raman and UV-vis colorimetry), microscopic (scanning electron microscope) and contact-angle analyses were carried out to characterize Carrara marble samples before and after application of the treatment to validate its efficiency. The resistance effects against chemical weathering were subsequently observed in a lab-controlled weak acid rain experiment. An acid spray at pH 5.5, representative of normal rain was used to provoke degrade of natural marble, marble treated with the artificial oxalate protective at concentrations of 0.4 and 5% and marble treated with a commercial organic silicon product. Run-off solutions sampled at timely intervals were tested for any change in pH followed by ion chromatography measurements for the presence of calcium ions in solution. The chromatography results of the oxalate treatment applied at a 5% concentration are analogous to an organic commercial product indicating its validity as a method for the conservation of carbonate substrates conferring protection to stone materials against acid environments

Efficiency and resistance of the artificial oxalate protection treatment on marble against chemical weathering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doherty, B. [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, via Elce di Sotto, 8, I-60123 Perugia (Italy); Pamplona, M. [Centro de Petrologia e Geoquimica do Instituto Superior Tecnico Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon (Portugal); Selvaggi, R. [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, via Elce di Sotto, 8, I-60123 Perugia (Italy); Miliani, C. [Istituto CNR di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari (ISTM), Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, via Elce di Sotto, 8, I-60123 Perugia (Italy)]. E-mail: miliani@thch.unipg.it; Matteini, M. [CNR Istituto, Conservazione e Valorizzazione dei Beni Culturali (ICVBC), Via Madonna del Piano, 10, Edifico C-50019, Florence (Italy); Sgamellotti, A. [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, via Elce di Sotto, 8, I-60123 Perugia (Italy); Istituto CNR di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari (ISTM), Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, via Elce di Sotto, 8, I-60123 Perugia (Italy); Brunetti, B. [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, via Elce di Sotto, 8, I-60123 Perugia (Italy)

2007-03-15

The artificial oxalate protection method was analyzed in laboratory experiments in order to achieve an optimum treatment application and concentration giving rise to its most effective protective nature. Spectroscopic (Fourier transform infrared, Micro-Raman and UV-vis colorimetry), microscopic (scanning electron microscope) and contact-angle analyses were carried out to characterize Carrara marble samples before and after application of the treatment to validate its efficiency. The resistance effects against chemical weathering were subsequently observed in a lab-controlled weak acid rain experiment. An acid spray at pH 5.5, representative of normal rain was used to provoke degrade of natural marble, marble treated with the artificial oxalate protective at concentrations of 0.4 and 5% and marble treated with a commercial organic silicon product. Run-off solutions sampled at timely intervals were tested for any change in pH followed by ion chromatography measurements for the presence of calcium ions in solution. The chromatography results of the oxalate treatment applied at a 5% concentration are analogous to an organic commercial product indicating its validity as a method for the conservation of carbonate substrates conferring protection to stone materials against acid environments.

Artificial senses for characterization of food quality

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

HUANG Yan-bo; LAN Yu-bin; R.E. Lacey

2004-01-01

Food quality is of primary concern in the food industry and to the consumer. Systems that mimic human senses have been developed and applied to the characterization of food quality. The five primary senses are: vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch.In the characterization of food quality, people assess the samples sensorially and differentiate "good" from "bad" on a continuum.However, the human sensory system is subjective, with mental and physical inconsistencies, and needs time to work. Artificial senses such as machine vision, the electronic ear, electronic nose, electronic tongue, artificial mouth and even artificial the head have been developed that mimic the human senses. These artificial senses are coordinated individually or collectively by a pattern recognition technique, typically artificial neural networks, which have been developed based on studies of the mechanism of the human brain. Such a structure has been used to formulate methods for rapid characterization of food quality. This research presents and discusses individual artificial sensing systems. With the concept of multi-sensor data fusion these sensor systems can work collectively in some way. Two such fused systems, artificial mouth and artificial head, are described and discussed. It indicates that each of the individual systems has their own artificially sensing ability to differentiate food samples. It further indicates that with a more complete mimic of human intelligence the fused systems are more powerful than the individual systems in differentiation of food samples.

Vertical epitaxial wire-on-wire growth of Ge/Si on Si(100) substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Tomohiro; Zhang, Zhang; Shingubara, Shoso; Senz, Stephan; Gösele, Ulrich

2009-04-01

Vertically aligned epitaxial Ge/Si heterostructure nanowire arrays on Si(100) substrates were prepared by a two-step chemical vapor deposition method in anodic aluminum oxide templates. n-Butylgermane vapor was employed as new safer precursor for Ge nanowire growth instead of germane. First a Si nanowire was grown by the vapor liquid solid growth mechanism using Au as catalyst and silane. The second step was the growth of Ge nanowires on top of the Si nanowires. The method presented will allow preparing epitaxially grown vertical heterostructure nanowires consisting of multiple materials on an arbitrary substrate avoiding undesired lateral growth.

Lake Sturgeon, Lake Whitefish, and Walleye egg deposition patterns with response to fish spawning substrate restoration in the St. Clair–Detroit River system

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Jason L.; Pritt, Jeremy J.; Roseman, Edward; Prichard, Carson G.; Craig, Jaquelyn M.; Kennedy, Gregory W.; Manny, Bruce A.

2018-01-01

Egg deposition and use of restored spawning substrates by lithophilic fishes (e.g., Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens, Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis, and Walleye Sander vitreus) were assessed throughout the St. Clair–Detroit River system from 2005 to 2016. Bayesian models were used to quantify egg abundance and presence/absence relative to site-specific variables (e.g., depth, velocity, and artificial spawning reef presence) and temperature to evaluate fish use of restored artificial spawning reefs and assess patterns in egg deposition. Lake Whitefish and Walleye egg abundance, probability of detection, and probability of occupancy were assessed with detection-adjusted methods; Lake Sturgeon egg abundance and probability of occurrence were assessed using delta-lognormal methods. The models indicated that the probability of Walleye eggs occupying a site increased with water velocity and that the rate of increase decreased with depth, whereas Lake Whitefish egg occupancy was not correlated with any of the attributes considered. Egg deposition by Lake Whitefish and Walleyes was greater at sites with high water velocities and was lower over artificial spawning reefs. Lake Sturgeon eggs were collected least frequently but were more likely to be collected over artificial spawning reefs and in greater abundances than elsewhere. Detection-adjusted egg abundances were not greater over artificial spawning reefs, indicating that these projects may not directly benefit spawning Walleyes and Lake Whitefish. However, 98% of the Lake Sturgeon eggs observed were collected over artificial spawning reefs, supporting the hypothesis that the reefs provided spawning sites for Lake Sturgeon and could mitigate historic losses of Lake Sturgeon spawning habitat.

Application of Artificial Neural Networks for estimating index floods

Science.gov (United States)

Šimor, Viliam; Hlavčová, Kamila; Kohnová, Silvia; Szolgay, Ján

2012-12-01

This article presents an application of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) and multiple regression models for estimating mean annual maximum discharge (index flood) at ungauged sites. Both approaches were tested for 145 small basins in Slovakia in areas ranging from 20 to 300 km2. Using the objective clustering method, the catchments were divided into ten homogeneous pooling groups; for each pooling group, mutually independent predictors (catchment characteristics) were selected for both models. The neural network was applied as a simple multilayer perceptron with one hidden layer and with a back propagation learning algorithm. Hyperbolic tangents were used as an activation function in the hidden layer. Estimating index floods by the multiple regression models were based on deriving relationships between the index floods and catchment predictors. The efficiencies of both approaches were tested by the Nash-Sutcliffe and a correlation coefficients. The results showed the comparative applicability of both models with slightly better results for the index floods achieved using the ANNs methodology.

Modelling substrate specificity and enantioselectivity for lipases and esterases by substrate-imprinted docking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tyagi Sadhna

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Previously, ways to adapt docking programs that were developed for modelling inhibitor-receptor interaction have been explored. Two main issues were discussed. First, when trying to model catalysis a reaction intermediate of the substrate is expected to provide more valid information than the ground state of the substrate. Second, the incorporation of protein flexibility is essential for reliable predictions. Results Here we present a predictive and robust method to model substrate specificity and enantioselectivity of lipases and esterases that uses reaction intermediates and incorporates protein flexibility. Substrate-imprinted docking starts with covalent docking of reaction intermediates, followed by geometry optimisation of the resulting enzyme-substrate complex. After a second round of docking the same substrate into the geometry-optimised structures, productive poses are identified by geometric filter criteria and ranked by their docking scores. Substrate-imprinted docking was applied in order to model (i enantioselectivity of Candida antarctica lipase B and a W104A mutant, (ii enantioselectivity and substrate specificity of Candida rugosa lipase and Burkholderia cepacia lipase, and (iii substrate specificity of an acetyl- and a butyrylcholine esterase toward the substrates acetyl- and butyrylcholine. Conclusion The experimentally observed differences in selectivity and specificity of the enzymes were reproduced with an accuracy of 81%. The method was robust toward small differences in initial structures (different crystallisation conditions or a co-crystallised ligand, although large displacements of catalytic residues often resulted in substrate poses that did not pass the geometric filter criteria.

Artificial humidification for the mechanically ventilated patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Selvaraj, N

Caring for patients who are mechanically ventilated poses many challenges for critical care nurses. It is important to humidify the patient's airways artificially to prevent complications such as ventilator-associated pneumonia. There is no gold standard to determine which type of humidification is best for patients who are artificially ventilated. This article provides an overview of commonly used artificial humidification for mechanically ventilated patients and discusses nurses' responsibilities in caring for patients receiving artificial humidification.

Experimental and simulation study of growth of TiO2 films on different substrates and its applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ghogare, Trupti T.; Kartha, Moses J.; Kendre, Subhash D.; Pathan, Habib M.

2018-04-01

Monte-Carlo Ballistic Deposition simulations have done on substrates with different initial roughness. The grown films were observed to be porous. The initial growths of the films with seed like initiations are observed for substrate with high initial roughness. In order to confirm this effect TiO2 films were deposited on different substrates using chemical bath deposition. The surface morphological and optical properties were measured using scanning electron microscopy and a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Flower like porous structure are obtained on glass substrate and continuous porous morphology is formed on ITO substrate. The morphology of the surfaces was successfully reconstructed and the surface porosity was calculated after digitalising images and reconstructed the surfaces. The TiO2 film formed on ITO is observed to be 10% more porous than on the film formed on glass substrate. Diffusion Limited Aggregation simulations with multiple seeds confirms that the observed flower like structure formed are due to the screening effects of the diffusing ion by already deposited particles.

How can cells sense the elasticity of a substrate? An analysis using a cell tensegrity model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G De Santis

2011-10-01

Full Text Available A eukaryotic cell attaches and spreads on substrates, whether it is the extracellular matrix naturally produced by the cell itself, or artificial materials, such as tissue-engineered scaffolds. Attachment and spreading require the cell to apply forces in the nN range to the substrate via adhesion sites, and these forces are balanced by the elastic response of the substrate. This mechanical interaction is one determinant of cell morphology and, ultimately, cell phenotype. In this paper we use a finite element model of a cell, with a tensegrity structure to model the cytoskeleton of actin filaments and microtubules, to explore the way cells sense the stiffness of the substrate and thereby adapt to it. To support the computational results, an analytical 1D model is developed for comparison. We find that (i the tensegrity hypothesis of the cytoskeleton is sufficient to explain the matrix-elasticity sensing, (ii cell sensitivity is not constant but has a bell-shaped distribution over the physiological matrix-elasticity range, and (iii the position of the sensitivity peak over the matrix-elasticity range depends on the cytoskeletal structure and in particular on the F-actin organisation. Our model suggests that F-actin reorganisation observed in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs in response to change of matrix elasticity is a structural-remodelling process that shifts the sensitivity peak towards the new value of matrix elasticity. This finding discloses a potential regulatory role of scaffold stiffness for cell differentiation.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Economic Theory

OpenAIRE

Tshilidzi Marwala

2015-01-01

Artificial intelligence has impacted many aspects of human life. This paper studies the impact of artificial intelligence on economic theory. In particular we study the impact of artificial intelligence on the theory of bounded rationality, efficient market hypothesis and prospect theory.

Aragonite coating solutions (ACS) based on artificial seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tas, A. Cuneyt

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Developed completely inorganic solutions for the deposition of monolayers of aragonite spherules (or ooids). • Solutions mimicked the artificial seawater. • Biomimetic crystallization was performed at the tropical sea surface temperature of 30 °C. - Abstract: Aragonite (CaCO 3 , calcium carbonate) is an abundant biomaterial of marine life. It is the dominant inorganic phase of coral reefs, mollusc bivalve shells and the stalactites or stalagmites of geological sediments. Inorganic and initially precipitate-free aragonite coating solutions (ACS) of pH 7.4 were developed in this study to deposit monolayers of aragonite spherules or ooids on biomaterial (e.g., UHMWPE, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene) surfaces soaked in ACS at 30 °C. The ACS solutions of this study have been developed for the surface engineering of synthetic biomaterials. The abiotic ACS solutions, enriched with calcium and bicarbonate ions at different concentrations, essentially mimicked the artificial seawater composition and started to deposit aragonite after a long (4 h) incubation period at the tropical sea surface temperature of 30 °C. While numerous techniques for the solution deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 ), of low thermodynamic solubility, on synthetic biomaterials have been demonstrated, procedures related to the solution-based surface deposition of high solubility aragonite remained uncommon. Monolayers of aragonite ooids deposited at 30 °C on UHMWPE substrates soaked in organic-free ACS solutions were found to possess nano-structures similar to the mortar-and-brick-type botryoids observed in biogenic marine shells. Samples were characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR, ICP-AES and contact angle goniometry

Aragonite coating solutions (ACS) based on artificial seawater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tas, A. Cuneyt, E-mail: c_tas@hotmail.com

2015-03-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Developed completely inorganic solutions for the deposition of monolayers of aragonite spherules (or ooids). • Solutions mimicked the artificial seawater. • Biomimetic crystallization was performed at the tropical sea surface temperature of 30 °C. - Abstract: Aragonite (CaCO{sub 3}, calcium carbonate) is an abundant biomaterial of marine life. It is the dominant inorganic phase of coral reefs, mollusc bivalve shells and the stalactites or stalagmites of geological sediments. Inorganic and initially precipitate-free aragonite coating solutions (ACS) of pH 7.4 were developed in this study to deposit monolayers of aragonite spherules or ooids on biomaterial (e.g., UHMWPE, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene) surfaces soaked in ACS at 30 °C. The ACS solutions of this study have been developed for the surface engineering of synthetic biomaterials. The abiotic ACS solutions, enriched with calcium and bicarbonate ions at different concentrations, essentially mimicked the artificial seawater composition and started to deposit aragonite after a long (4 h) incubation period at the tropical sea surface temperature of 30 °C. While numerous techniques for the solution deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca{sub 10}(PO{sub 4}){sub 6}(OH){sub 2}), of low thermodynamic solubility, on synthetic biomaterials have been demonstrated, procedures related to the solution-based surface deposition of high solubility aragonite remained uncommon. Monolayers of aragonite ooids deposited at 30 °C on UHMWPE substrates soaked in organic-free ACS solutions were found to possess nano-structures similar to the mortar-and-brick-type botryoids observed in biogenic marine shells. Samples were characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR, ICP-AES and contact angle goniometry.

An artificial ecosystem model used in the study of social, economic and technological dynamics: An artificial electrical energy market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arjona, D.

1998-01-01

This paper will present the artificial ecosystem as a tool, in the development of multi agent models for the simulation of economic and technological dynamics (as well as other possible applications). This tool is based on the mechanics of an artificial society and consists of autonomous artificial agents that interact with individuals that have different characteristics and behavior and other that have a similar conduct to their own. Initial conditions are assumed not to be controllable, however they can be influenced. The importance of the concept of the ecosystem is in understanding great units in the light of their own components which are relevant for the analysis and become interdependent among themselves and with other essential components that hold the total operation of the system. Ideas for the development of a simulation model based on autonomous intelligent agents are presented. These agents will have a brain that is based on artificial intelligence technologies. The Sand Kings Simulation Model, an artificial ecosystem model developed by the author, is described as well as the application of artificial intelligence to this artificial life model. An application to a real life problem is also offered as an artificial energy market that is currently being developed by the author is described

Modeling the Substrate Skin Effects in Mutual RL Characteristics.,

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. de Roest

2003-12-01

Full Text Available The goal of this work was to model the influence of the substrateskin effects on the distributed mutual impedance per unit lengthparameters of multiple coupled on-chip interconnects. The proposedanalytic model is based on the frequency-dependent distribution of thecurrent in the silicon substrate and the closed form integrationapproach. It is shown that the calculated frequency-dependentdistributed mutual inductance and the associated mutual resistance arein good agreement with the results obtained from CAD-oriented circuitmodeling technique.

Biochemical Characterization and Relative Expression Levels of Multiple Carbohydrate Esterases of the Xylanolytic Rumen Bacterium Prevotella ruminicola 23 Grown on an Ester-Enriched Substrate ▿ †

Science.gov (United States)

Kabel, Mirjam A.; Yeoman, Carl J.; Han, Yejun; Dodd, Dylan; Abbas, Charles A.; de Bont, Jan A. M.; Morrison, Mark; Cann, Isaac K. O.; Mackie, Roderick I.

2011-01-01

We measured expression and used biochemical characterization of multiple carbohydrate esterases by the xylanolytic rumen bacterium Prevotella ruminicola 23 grown on an ester-enriched substrate to gain insight into the carbohydrate esterase activities of this hemicellulolytic rumen bacterium. The P. ruminicola 23 genome contains 16 genes predicted to encode carbohydrate esterase activity, and based on microarray data, four of these were upregulated >2-fold at the transcriptional level during growth on an ester-enriched oligosaccharide (XOSFA,Ac) from corn relative to a nonesterified fraction of corn oligosaccharides (AXOS). Four of the 16 esterases (Xyn10D-Fae1A, Axe1-6A, AxeA1, and Axe7A), including the two most highly induced esterases (Xyn10D-Fae1A and Axe1-6A), were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and biochemically characterized. All four enzymes showed the highest activity at physiologically relevant pH (6 to 7) and temperature (30 to 40°C) ranges. The P. ruminicola 23 Xyn10D-Fae1A (a carbohydrate esterase [CE] family 1 enzyme) released ferulic acid from methylferulate, wheat bran, corn fiber, and XOSFA,Ac, a corn fiber-derived substrate enriched in O-acetyl and ferulic acid esters, but exhibited negligible activity on sugar acetates. As expected, the P. ruminicola Axe1-6A enzyme, which was predicted to possess two distinct esterase family domains (CE1 and CE6), released ferulic acid from the same substrates as Xyn10D-Fae1 and was also able to cleave O-acetyl ester bonds from various acetylated oligosaccharides (AcXOS). The P. ruminicola 23 AxeA1, which is not assigned to a CE family, and Axe7A (CE7) were found to be acetyl esterases that had activity toward a broad range of mostly nonpolymeric acetylated substrates along with AcXOS. All enzymes were inhibited by the proximal location of other side groups like 4-O-methylglucuronic acid, ferulic acid, or acetyl groups. The unique diversity of carbohydrate esterases in P. ruminicola 23

What Is an Artificial Muscle? A Systemic Approach.

OpenAIRE

Bertrand Tondu

2015-01-01

Artificial muscles define a large category of actuators we propose to analyze in a systemic framework by considering any artificial muscle as an open-loop stable system for any output which represents an artificial muscle dimension resulting from its “contraction”, understood in a broad meaning. This approach makes it possible to distinguish the artificial muscle from other actuators and to specify an original model for a linear artificial muscle, according to the theory of linear systems. Su...

Overnight Glucose Control with Dual- and Single-Hormone Artificial Pancreas in Type 1 Diabetes with Hypoglycemia Unawareness: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Abitbol, Alexander; Rabasa-Lhoret, Remi; Messier, Virginie; Legault, Laurent; Smaoui, Mohamad; Cohen, Nathan; Haidar, Ahmad

2018-03-01

The dual-hormone (insulin and glucagon) artificial pancreas may be justifiable in some, but not all, patients. We sought to compare dual- and single-hormone artificial pancreas systems in patients with hypoglycemia unawareness and documented nocturnal hypoglycemia. We conducted a randomized crossover trial comparing the efficacy of dual- and single-hormone artificial pancreas systems in controlling plasma glucose levels over the course of one night's sleep. We recruited 18 adult participants with hypoglycemia unawareness and 17 participants with hypoglycemia awareness, all of whom had documented nocturnal hypoglycemia during 2 weeks of screening. Outcomes were calculated using plasma glucose. In participants with hypoglycemia unawareness, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) percentage of time that plasma glucose was below 4.0 mmol/L was 0% (0-0) on dual-hormone artificial pancreas nights and 0% (0-10) on single-hormone artificial pancreas nights (P = 0.20). Additionally, participants with hypoglycemia unawareness experienced two hypoglycemic events (dual-hormone artificial pancreas nights and three hypoglycemic events on single-hormone artificial pancreas nights. In participants with hypoglycemia awareness, the median (IQR) percentage of time that plasma glucose was below 4.0 mmol/L was 0% (0-0) on both dual- and single-hormone artificial pancreas nights. Hypoglycemia awareness participants experienced zero hypoglycemic events on dual-hormone artificial pancreas nights and one event on single-hormone artificial pancreas nights. In this study, dual-hormone and single-hormone systems performed equally well in preventing nocturnal hypoglycemia in participants with hypoglycemia unawareness. Longer studies over the course of multiple days and nights may be needed to explore possible specific benefits in this population. ClinicalTrials.gov No. NCT02282254.

Reinforcement Learning Based Artificial Immune Classifier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Karakose

2013-01-01

Full Text Available One of the widely used methods for classification that is a decision-making process is artificial immune systems. Artificial immune systems based on natural immunity system can be successfully applied for classification, optimization, recognition, and learning in real-world problems. In this study, a reinforcement learning based artificial immune classifier is proposed as a new approach. This approach uses reinforcement learning to find better antibody with immune operators. The proposed new approach has many contributions according to other methods in the literature such as effectiveness, less memory cell, high accuracy, speed, and data adaptability. The performance of the proposed approach is demonstrated by simulation and experimental results using real data in Matlab and FPGA. Some benchmark data and remote image data are used for experimental results. The comparative results with supervised/unsupervised based artificial immune system, negative selection classifier, and resource limited artificial immune classifier are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed new method.

Artificial intelligence in nanotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Sacha, G M; Varona, P

2013-11-15

During the last decade there has been increasing use of artificial intelligence tools in nanotechnology research. In this paper we review some of these efforts in the context of interpreting scanning probe microscopy, the study of biological nanosystems, the classification of material properties at the nanoscale, theoretical approaches and simulations in nanoscience, and generally in the design of nanodevices. Current trends and future perspectives in the development of nanocomputing hardware that can boost artificial-intelligence-based applications are also discussed. Convergence between artificial intelligence and nanotechnology can shape the path for many technological developments in the field of information sciences that will rely on new computer architectures and data representations, hybrid technologies that use biological entities and nanotechnological devices, bioengineering, neuroscience and a large variety of related disciplines.

Artificial intelligence in nanotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Sacha, G. M.; Varona, P.

2013-11-01

During the last decade there has been increasing use of artificial intelligence tools in nanotechnology research. In this paper we review some of these efforts in the context of interpreting scanning probe microscopy, the study of biological nanosystems, the classification of material properties at the nanoscale, theoretical approaches and simulations in nanoscience, and generally in the design of nanodevices. Current trends and future perspectives in the development of nanocomputing hardware that can boost artificial-intelligence-based applications are also discussed. Convergence between artificial intelligence and nanotechnology can shape the path for many technological developments in the field of information sciences that will rely on new computer architectures and data representations, hybrid technologies that use biological entities and nanotechnological devices, bioengineering, neuroscience and a large variety of related disciplines.

Artificial intelligence in nanotechnology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sacha, G M; Varona, P

2013-01-01

During the last decade there has been increasing use of artificial intelligence tools in nanotechnology research. In this paper we review some of these efforts in the context of interpreting scanning probe microscopy, the study of biological nanosystems, the classification of material properties at the nanoscale, theoretical approaches and simulations in nanoscience, and generally in the design of nanodevices. Current trends and future perspectives in the development of nanocomputing hardware that can boost artificial-intelligence-based applications are also discussed. Convergence between artificial intelligence and nanotechnology can shape the path for many technological developments in the field of information sciences that will rely on new computer architectures and data representations, hybrid technologies that use biological entities and nanotechnological devices, bioengineering, neuroscience and a large variety of related disciplines. (topical review)

Structures of LeuT in bicelles define conformation and substrate binding in a membrane-like context

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hui; Elferich, Johannes; Gouaux, Eric (Oregon HSU)

2012-02-13

Neurotransmitter sodium symporters (NSSs) catalyze the uptake of neurotransmitters into cells, terminating neurotransmission at chemical synapses. Consistent with the role of NSSs in the central nervous system, they are implicated in multiple diseases and disorders. LeuT, from Aquifex aeolicus, is a prokaryotic ortholog of the NSS family and has contributed to our understanding of the structure, mechanism and pharmacology of NSSs. At present, however, the functional state of LeuT in crystals grown in the presence of n-octyl-{beta}-D-glucopyranoside ({beta}-OG) and the number of substrate binding sites are controversial issues. Here we present crystal structures of LeuT grown in DMPC-CHAPSO bicelles and demonstrate that the conformations of LeuT-substrate complexes in lipid bicelles and in {beta}-OG detergent micelles are nearly identical. Furthermore, using crystals grown in bicelles and the substrate leucine or the substrate analog selenomethionine, we find only a single substrate molecule in the primary binding site.

β-galactosidase Production by Aspergillus niger ATCC 9142 Using Inexpensive Substrates in Solid-State Fermentation: Optimization by Orthogonal Arrays Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazemi, Samaneh; Khayati, Gholam; Faezi-Ghasemi, Mohammad

2016-01-01

Enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose is one of the most important biotechnological processes in the food industry, which is accomplished by enzyme β-galactosidase (β-gal, β-D-galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.23), trivial called lactase. Orthogonal arrays design is an appropriate option for the optimization of biotechnological processes for the production of microbial enzymes. Design of experimental (DOE) methodology using Taguchi orthogonal array (OA) was employed to screen the most significant levels of parameters, including the solid substrates (wheat straw, rice straw, and peanut pod), the carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios, the incubation time, and the inducer. The level of β-gal production was measured by a photometric enzyme activity assay using the artificial substrate ortho-Nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside. The results showed that C/N ratio (0.2% [w/v], incubation time (144 hour), and solid substrate (wheat straw) were the best conditions determined by the design of experiments using the Taguchi approach. Our finding showed that the use of rice straw and peanut pod, as solid-state substrates, led to 2.041-folds increase in the production of the enzyme, as compared to rice straw. In addition, the presence of an inducer did not have any significant impact on the enzyme production levels.

Artificial Intelligence--Applications in Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Poirot, James L.; Norris, Cathleen A.

1987-01-01

This first in a projected series of five articles discusses artificial intelligence and its impact on education. Highlights include the history of artificial intelligence and the impact of microcomputers; learning processes; human factors and interfaces; computer assisted instruction and intelligent tutoring systems; logic programing; and expert…

Artificial intelligence in medicine.

OpenAIRE

Ramesh, A. N.; Kambhampati, C.; Monson, J. R. T.; Drew, P. J.

2004-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science capable of analysing complex medical data. Their potential to exploit meaningful relationship with in a data set can be used in the diagnosis, treatment and predicting outcome in many clinical scenarios. METHODS: Medline and internet searches were carried out using the keywords 'artificial intelligence' and 'neural networks (computer)'. Further references were obtained by cross-referencing from key articles. An overview of ...

Artificial intelligence in cardiology

OpenAIRE

Bonderman, Diana

2017-01-01

Summary Decision-making is complex in modern medicine and should ideally be based on available data, structured knowledge and proper interpretation in the context of an individual patient. Automated algorithms, also termed artificial intelligence that are able to extract meaningful patterns from data collections and build decisions upon identified patterns may be useful assistants in clinical decision-making processes. In this article, artificial intelligence-based studies in clinical cardiol...

Intelligence: Real or artificial?

OpenAIRE

Schlinger, Henry D.

1992-01-01

Throughout the history of the artificial intelligence movement, researchers have strived to create computers that could simulate general human intelligence. This paper argues that workers in artificial intelligence have failed to achieve this goal because they adopted the wrong model of human behavior and intelligence, namely a cognitive essentialist model with origins in the traditional philosophies of natural intelligence. An analysis of the word “intelligence” suggests that it originally r...

The artificial neural networks: An approach to artificial intelligence; Un approccio ``biologico`` all`intelligenza artificiale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taraglio, Sergio; Zanela, Andrea [ENEA, Casaccia (Italy). Dipt. Innovazione

1997-05-01

The artificial neural networks try to simulate the functionalities of the nervous system through a complex network of simple computing elements. In this work is presented an introduction to the neural networks and some of their possible applications, especially in the field of Artificial Intelligence.

Ethical Considerations in Artificial Intelligence Courses

OpenAIRE

Burton, Emanuelle; Goldsmith, Judy; Koenig, Sven; Kuipers, Benjamin; Mattei, Nicholas; Walsh, Toby

2017-01-01

The recent surge in interest in ethics in artificial intelligence may leave many educators wondering how to address moral, ethical, and philosophical issues in their AI courses. As instructors we want to develop curriculum that not only prepares students to be artificial intelligence practitioners, but also to understand the moral, ethical, and philosophical impacts that artificial intelligence will have on society. In this article we provide practical case studies and links to resources for ...

Introduction of Artificial Pinning Center into PLD-YBCO Coated Conductor on IBAD and Self-Epitaxial CeO2 Buffered Metal Substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, H.; Yamada, Y.; Ishida, S.; Takahashi, K.; Konishi, M.; Ibi, A.; Miyata, S.; Kato, T.; Hirayama, T.; Shiohara, Y.

2006-01-01

In order to fabricate YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) coated conductors with high critical current density Jc in magnetic fields, we fabricated YBCO coated conductors with artificial pinning centers by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method on a self epitaxial PLD-CeO2 layer and ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD)-Gd2Zr2O7 (GZO) buffered Hastelloy tape. Artificial pinning centers were introduced by the PLD deposition using the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) oxide target (nano-dot method) and YBCO target including YSZ particles (mixed target method). In the experiments using YSZ oxide target, YSZ nano-dots were observed. They were approximately 15 nm in height and 10 nm to 70 nm in diameter. We found that the density of nano-dots was controlled by the number of laser pulses. These samples exhibited higher Jc than YBCO films in magnetic fields. Furthermore, a similar improvement of Jc was observed in the experiments using YBCO target including YSZ particles. TEM observation revealed that columnar nano-structure made of BaZrO3 was formed during YBCO deposition and it was effective for pinning. We call this new epitaxial nano-structure 'bamboo structure' from its anisotropic growth and morphology

Clonación artificial de controladores basados en técnicas de inteligencia artificial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Antonio Ballesteros

2004-11-01

Full Text Available En el presente articulo se expone un avance de anteproyecto, sobre técnicas de inteligencia Artificial, su aplicación a procesos industriales y herramientas para realizar simulación. Se citan algunos trabajos en los cuales hay resultados, y que prestan un soporte lógico para continuar con el desarrollo del proyecto. Ademas, se analiza, la función que cumple el controlador el cual debe ser preciso, confiable y que a su vez reduzca costos. Por estas razones se tomó como base del proyecto un controlador que posea estas características para que se puedan aplicar técnicas de lnteligencia Artificial y poder realizar Ia colación artificial.

Artificial Reefs

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, typically built to promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom, control erosion, block...

Engineering a Light-Attenuating Artificial Iris

Science.gov (United States)

Shareef, Farah J.; Sun, Shan; Kotecha, Mrignayani; Kassem, Iris; Azar, Dimitri; Cho, Michael

2016-01-01

Purpose Discomfort from light exposure leads to photophobia, glare, and poor vision in patients with congenital or trauma-induced iris damage. Commercial artificial iris lenses are static in nature to provide aesthetics without restoring the natural iris's dynamic response to light. A new photo-responsive artificial iris was therefore developed using a photochromic material with self-adaptive light transmission properties and encased in a transparent biocompatible polymer matrix. Methods The implantable artificial iris was designed and engineered using Photopia, a class of photo-responsive materials (termed naphthopyrans) embedded in polyethylene. Photopia was reshaped into annular disks that were spin-coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to form our artificial iris lens of controlled thickness. Results Activated by UV and blue light in approximately 5 seconds with complete reversal in less than 1 minute, the artificial iris demonstrates graded attenuation of up to 40% of visible and 60% of UV light. There optical characteristics are suitable to reversibly regulate the incident light intensity. In vitro cell culture experiments showed up to 60% cell death within 10 days of exposure to Photopia, but no significant cell death observed when cultured with the artificial iris with protective encapsulation. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed these results as there was no apparent leakage of potentially toxic photochromic material from the ophthalmic device. Conclusions Our artificial iris lens mimics the functionality of the natural iris by attenuating light intensity entering the eye with its rapid reversible change in opacity and thus potentially providing an improved treatment option for patients with iris damage. PMID:27116547

Engineering a Light-Attenuating Artificial Iris.

Science.gov (United States)

Shareef, Farah J; Sun, Shan; Kotecha, Mrignayani; Kassem, Iris; Azar, Dimitri; Cho, Michael

2016-04-01

Discomfort from light exposure leads to photophobia, glare, and poor vision in patients with congenital or trauma-induced iris damage. Commercial artificial iris lenses are static in nature to provide aesthetics without restoring the natural iris's dynamic response to light. A new photo-responsive artificial iris was therefore developed using a photochromic material with self-adaptive light transmission properties and encased in a transparent biocompatible polymer matrix. The implantable artificial iris was designed and engineered using Photopia, a class of photo-responsive materials (termed naphthopyrans) embedded in polyethylene. Photopia was reshaped into annular disks that were spin-coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to form our artificial iris lens of controlled thickness. Activated by UV and blue light in approximately 5 seconds with complete reversal in less than 1 minute, the artificial iris demonstrates graded attenuation of up to 40% of visible and 60% of UV light. There optical characteristics are suitable to reversibly regulate the incident light intensity. In vitro cell culture experiments showed up to 60% cell death within 10 days of exposure to Photopia, but no significant cell death observed when cultured with the artificial iris with protective encapsulation. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed these results as there was no apparent leakage of potentially toxic photochromic material from the ophthalmic device. Our artificial iris lens mimics the functionality of the natural iris by attenuating light intensity entering the eye with its rapid reversible change in opacity and thus potentially providing an improved treatment option for patients with iris damage.

The principles of artificial neural network information processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Ru-Wei

1993-01-01

In this article, the basic structure of an artificial neuron is first introduced. In addition, principles of artificial neural network as well as several important artificial neural models such as Perceptron, Back propagation model, Hopfield net, and ART model are briefly discussed and analyzed. Finally, the application of artificial neural network for Chinese Character Recognition is also given. (author)

The principles of artificial neural network information processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Ru-Wei

1993-01-01

In this article, the basic structure of an artificial neuron is first introduced. In addition, principles of artificial neural network as well as several important artificial neural models such as perception, back propagation model, Hopfield net, and ART model are briefly discussed and analyzed. Finally the application of artificial neural network for Chinese character recognition is also given. (author)

Artificial organs 2011: a year in review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2012-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2011 are organized by category and briefly summarized. As the official journal of The International Federation for Artificial Organs, The International Faculty for Artificial Organs, and the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level."Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ replacement, recovery, and regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers, the quality expected from such a journal would not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, Wiley-Blackwell, for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. In this Editor's Review, that historically has been widely well-received by our readership, we aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ replacement, recovery, and regeneration. We look forward to recording further advances in the coming years. © 2012, Copyright the Author. Artificial Organs © 2012, International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Artificial Organs 2012: a year in review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2013-03-01

In this editor's review, articles published in 2012 are organized by category and briefly summarized. We aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ replacement, recovery, and regeneration. As the official journal of the International Federation for Artificial Organs, the International Faculty for Artificial Organs, and the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level." Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ replacement, recovery, and regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide such meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected, and especially to those whose native tongue is not English. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers, the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our publisher, Wiley Periodicals, for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to recording further advances in the coming years. © 2013, Copyright the Author. Artificial Organs © 2013, International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sucrose compared with artificial sweeteners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Lone Brinkmann; Vasilaras, Tatjana H; Astrup, Arne

2014-01-01

There is a lack of appetite studies in free-living subjects supplying the habitual diet with either sucrose or artificially sweetened beverages and foods. Furthermore, the focus of artificial sweeteners has only been on the energy intake (EI) side of the energy-balance equation. The data are from...

Biophysically inspired rational design of structured chimeric substrates for DNAzyme cascade engineering.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew R Lakin

Full Text Available The development of large-scale molecular computational networks is a promising approach to implementing logical decision making at the nanoscale, analogous to cellular signaling and regulatory cascades. DNA strands with catalytic activity (DNAzymes are one means of systematically constructing molecular computation networks with inherent signal amplification. Linking multiple DNAzymes into a computational circuit requires the design of substrate molecules that allow a signal to be passed from one DNAzyme to another through programmed biochemical interactions. In this paper, we chronicle an iterative design process guided by biophysical and kinetic constraints on the desired reaction pathways and use the resulting substrate design to implement heterogeneous DNAzyme signaling cascades. A key aspect of our design process is the use of secondary structure in the substrate molecule to sequester a downstream effector sequence prior to cleavage by an upstream DNAzyme. Our goal was to develop a concrete substrate molecule design to achieve efficient signal propagation with maximal activation and minimal leakage. We have previously employed the resulting design to develop high-performance DNAzyme-based signaling systems with applications in pathogen detection and autonomous theranostics.

Effect of substrate depth and rain-event history on the pollutant abatement of green roofs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidl, Martin; Gromaire, Marie-Christine; Saad, Mohamed; De Gouvello, Bernard

2013-01-01

This study compares the effectiveness of two different thickness of green roof substrate with respect to nutrient and heavy metal retention and release. To understand and evaluate the long term behaviour of green roofs, substrate columns with the same structure and composition as the green roofs, were exposed in laboratory to artificial rain. The roofs act as a sink for C, N, P, zinc and copper for small rain events if the previous period was principally dry. Otherwise the roofs may behave as a source of pollutants, principally for carbon and phosphorus. Both field and column studies showed an important retention for Zn and Cu. The column showed, however, lower SS, DOC and metal concentrations in the percolate than could be observed in the field even if corrected for run-off. This is most probably due to the difference in exposition history and weathering processes. Highlights: • Extensive roof greening can lead to increased DOC and nutrients runoff. • Studied green roofs retained over 80% of atmospheric heavy metal loads (Zn, Cu, Pb). • Substrate layer thickness had no significant impact on metal retention. • Column experiments showed no decrease in the long term heavy metal retention. -- The green roofs tested, showed variable retention capacity for the common pollutants, but were especially efficient in heavy metals retention, which long-term evolution was evaluated in simultaneous column experiments

Metastability and relaxation in tensile SiGe on Ge(001) virtual substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frigerio, Jacopo; Lodari, Mario; Chrastina, Daniel; Mondiali, Valeria; Isella, Giovanni; Bollani, Monica

2014-01-01

We systematically study the heteroepitaxy of SiGe alloys on Ge virtual substrates in order to understand strain relaxation processes and maximize the tensile strain in the SiGe layer. The degree of relaxation is measured by high-resolution x-ray diffraction, and surface morphology is characterized by atomic force microscopy. The results are analyzed in terms of a numerical model, which considers dislocation nucleation, multiplication, thermally activated glide, and strain-dependent blocking. Relaxation is found to be sensitive to growth rate and substrate temperature as well as epilayer misfit and thickness, and growth parameters are found which allow a SiGe film with over 4 GPa of tensile stress to be obtained.

The Correlation between Insertion Depth of Prodisc-C Artificial Disc and Postoperative Kyphotic Deformity: Clinical Importance of Insertion Depth of Artificial Disc.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Do-Youl; Kim, Se-Hoon; Suh, Jung-Keun; Cho, Tai-Hyoung; Chung, Yong-Gu

2012-09-01

This study was designed to investigate the correlation between insertion depth of artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity after Prodisc-C total disc replacement surgery, and the range of artificial disc insertion depth which is effective in preventing postoperative whole cervical or segmental kyphotic deformity. A retrospective radiological analysis was performed in 50 patients who had undergone single level total disc replacement surgery. Records were reviewed to obtain demographic data. Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were assessed to determine C2-7 Cobb's angle and segmental angle and to investigate postoperative kyphotic deformity. A formula was introduced to calculate insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc. Statistical analysis was performed to search the correlation between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity, and to estimate insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc to prevent postoperative kyphotic deformity. In this study no significant statistical correlation was observed between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity regarding C2-7 Cobb's angle. Statistical correlation between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity was observed regarding segmental angle (p<0.05). It failed to estimate proper insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc effective in preventing postoperative kyphotic deformity. Postoperative segmental kyphotic deformity is associated with insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc. Anterior located artificial disc leads to lordotic segmental angle and posterior located artificial disc leads to kyphotic segmental angle postoperatively. But C2-7 Cobb's angle is not affected by artificial disc location after the surgery.

Bioengineering of Artificial Lymphoid Organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nosenko, M A; Drutskaya, M S; Moisenovich, M M; Nedospasov, S A

2016-01-01

This review addresses the issue of bioengineering of artificial lymphoid organs.Progress in this field may help to better understand the nature of the structure-function relations that exist in immune organs. Artifical lymphoid organs may also be advantageous in the therapy or correction of immunodefficiencies, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. The structural organization, development, and function of lymphoid tissue are analyzed with a focus on the role of intercellular contacts and on the cytokine signaling pathways regulating these processes. We describe various polymeric materials, as scaffolds, for artificial tissue engineering. Finally, published studies in which artificial lymphoid organs were generated are reviewed and possible future directions in the field are discussed.

BioArtificial polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Szałata, Kamila; Gumi, Tania

2017-07-01

Nowadays, the polymer science has impact in practically all life areas. Countless benefits coming from the usage of materials with high mechanical and chemical resistance, variety of functionalities and potentiality of modification drive to the development of new application fields. Novel approaches of combining these synthetic substances with biomolecules lead to obtain multifunctional hybrid conjugates which merge the bioactivity of natural component with outstanding properties of artificial polymer. Over the decades, an immense progress in bioartificial composites domain allowed to reach a high level of knowledge in terms of natural-like systems engineering, leading to diverse strategies of biomolecule immobilization. Together with different available options, including covalent and noncovalent attachment, come various challenges, related mainly with maintaining the biological activity of fixed molecules. Even though the amount of applications that achieve commercial status is still not substantial, and is expanding continuously in the disciplines like "smart materials," biosensors, delivery systems, nanoreactors and many others. A huge number of remarkable developments reported in the literature present a potential of bioartificial conjugates as a fabrics with highly controllable structure and multiple functionalities, serving as a powerful nanotechnological tool. This novel approach brings closer biologists, chemists and engineers, who sharing their effort and complementing the knowledge can revolutionize the field of bioartificial polymer science.

Artificial Immune Networks: Models and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xian Shen

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Artificial Immune Systems (AIS, which is inspired by the nature immune system, has been applied for solving complex computational problems in classification, pattern rec- ognition, and optimization. In this paper, the theory of the natural immune system is first briefly introduced. Next, we compare some well-known AIS and their applications. Several representative artificial immune networks models are also dis- cussed. Moreover, we demonstrate the applications of artificial immune networks in various engineering fields.

The Past, Present, and Future of Artificial Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wendy eAguilar

2014-10-01

Full Text Available For millennia people have wondered what makes the living different from the non-living. Beginning in the mid-1980s, artificial life has studied living systems using a synthetic approach: build life in order to understand it better, be it by means of software, hardware, or wetware. This review provides a summary of the advances that led to the development of artificial life, its current research topics, and open problems and opportunities. We classify artificial life research into fourteen themes: origins of life, autonomy, self-organization, adaptation (including evolution, development, and learning, ecology, artificial societies, behavior, computational biology, artificial chemistries, information, living technology, art, and philosophy. Being interdisciplinary, artificial life seems to be losing its boundaries and merging with other fields.

Cooperative effects of fibronectin matrix assembly and initial cell-substrate adhesion strength in cellular self-assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Brennan, James R; Hocking, Denise C

2016-03-01

organize cells into modular building blocks for artificial tissue fabrication. Fibronectin is an ECM protein that plays a key role in tissue formation during embryonic development. Additionally, the cell-mediated process of converting soluble fibronectin into insoluble, ECM-associated fibrils has been shown to initiate cellular self-assembly in vitro. In this study, we examine the relationship between the strength of cell-substrate adhesions and the ability of fibronectin fibril assembly to induce cellular self-assembly. Our results indicate that substrate composition and density play cooperative roles with cell-mediated fibronectin matrix assembly to control the transition of cells from 2D monolayers into 3D multicellular aggregates. Results of this study provide a quantitative approach to build predictive models of cellular self-assembly, as well as a simple cell-culture platform to produce biomimetic units for modular tissue engineering. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interactions of barley alpha-amylase isozymes with Ca2+, substrates and proteinaceous inhibitors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abou Hachem, Maher; Bozonnet, Sophie; Willemoes, Martin

2006-01-01

discovered 'sugar tongs' site in domain C of AMY1 is thus critical for binding to starch granules. Furthermore, mutations of binding sites mostly reduced the degree of multiple attack in amylose hydrolysis. AMY1 has higher substrate affinity than AMY2, but isozyme chimeras with AMY2 domain C and other...

Development of new experimental platform 'MARS'-Multiple Artificial-gravity Research System-to elucidate the impacts of micro/partial gravity on mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiba, Dai; Mizuno, Hiroyasu; Yumoto, Akane; Shimomura, Michihiko; Kobayashi, Hiroe; Morita, Hironobu; Shimbo, Miki; Hamada, Michito; Kudo, Takashi; Shinohara, Masahiro; Asahara, Hiroshi; Shirakawa, Masaki; Takahashi, Satoru

2017-09-07

This Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency project focused on elucidating the impacts of partial gravity (partial g) and microgravity (μg) on mice using newly developed mouse habitat cage units (HCU) that can be installed in the Centrifuge-equipped Biological Experiment Facility in the International Space Station. In the first mission, 12 C57BL/6 J male mice were housed under μg or artificial earth-gravity (1 g). Mouse activity was monitored daily via downlinked videos; μg mice floated inside the HCU, whereas artificial 1 g mice were on their feet on the floor. After 35 days of habitation, all mice were returned to the Earth and processed. Significant decreases were evident in femur bone density and the soleus/gastrocnemius muscle weights of μg mice, whereas artificial 1 g mice maintained the same bone density and muscle weight as mice in the ground control experiment, in which housing conditions in the flight experiment were replicated. These data indicate that these changes were particularly because of gravity. They also present the first evidence that the addition of gravity can prevent decreases in bone density and muscle mass, and that the new platform 'MARS' may provide novel insights on the molecular-mechanisms regulating biological processes controlled by partial g/μg.

Retuning Rieske-type Oxygenases to Expand Substrate Range

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohammadi, Mahmood; Viger, Jean-François; Kumar, Pravindra; Barriault, Diane; Bolin, Jeffrey T.; Sylvestre, Michel (INRS); (Purdue)

2012-09-17

Rieske-type oxygenases are promising biocatalysts for the destruction of persistent pollutants or for the synthesis of fine chemicals. In this work, we explored pathways through which Rieske-type oxygenases evolve to expand their substrate range. BphAE{sub p4}, a variant biphenyl dioxygenase generated from Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 BphAE{sub LB400} by the double substitution T335A/F336M, and BphAE{sub RR41}, obtained by changing Asn{sup 338}, Ile{sup 341}, and Leu{sup 409} of BphAE{sub p4} to Gln{sup 338}, Val{sup 341}, and Phe{sup 409}, metabolize dibenzofuran two and three times faster than BphAE{sub LB400}, respectively. Steady-state kinetic measurements of single- and multiple-substitution mutants of BphAE{sub LB400} showed that the single T335A and the double N338Q/L409F substitutions contribute significantly to enhanced catalytic activity toward dibenzofuran. Analysis of crystal structures showed that the T335A substitution relieves constraints on a segment lining the catalytic cavity, allowing a significant displacement in response to dibenzofuran binding. The combined N338Q/L409F substitutions alter substrate-induced conformational changes of protein groups involved in subunit assembly and in the chemical steps of the reaction. This suggests a responsive induced fit mechanism that retunes the alignment of protein atoms involved in the chemical steps of the reaction. These enzymes can thus expand their substrate range through mutations that alter the constraints or plasticity of the catalytic cavity to accommodate new substrates or that alter the induced fit mechanism required to achieve proper alignment of reaction-critical atoms or groups.

A DISTRIBUTED SMART HOME ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lynggaard, Per

2013-01-01

A majority of the research performed today explore artificial intelligence in smart homes by using a centralized approach where a smart home server performs the necessary calculations. This approach has some disadvantages that can be overcome by shifting focus to a distributed approach where...... the artificial intelligence system is implemented as distributed as agents running parts of the artificial intelligence system. This paper presents a distributed smart home architecture that distributes artificial intelligence in smart homes and discusses the pros and cons of such a concept. The presented...... distributed model is a layered model. Each layer offers a different complexity level of the embedded distributed artificial intelligence. At the lowest layer smart objects exists, they are small cheap embedded microcontroller based smart devices that are powered by batteries. The next layer contains a more...

Biomaterial Substrate-Mediated Multicellular Spheroid Formation and Their Applications in Tissue Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Ting-Chen; Wong, Chui-Wei; Hsieh, Fu-Yu; Hsu, Shan-Hui

2017-12-01

Three-dimentional (3D) multicellular aggregates (spheroids), compared to the traditional 2D monolayer cultured cells, are physiologically more similar to the cells in vivo. So far there are various techniques to generate 3D spheroids. Spheroids obtained from different methods have already been applied to regenerative medicine or cancer research. Among the cell spheroids created by different methods, the substrate-derived spheroids and their forming mechanism are unique. This review focuses on the formation of biomaterial substrate-mediated multicellular spheroids and their applications in tissue engineering and tumor models. First, the authors will describe the special chitosan substrate-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) spheroids and their greater regenerative capacities in various tissues. Second, the authors will describe tumor spheroids derived on chitosan and hyaluronan substrates, which serve as a simple in vitro platform to study 3D tumor models or to perform cancer drug screening. Finally, the authors will mention the self-assembly process for substrate-derived multiple cell spheroids (co-spheroids), which may recapitulate the heterotypic cell-cell interaction for co-cultured cells or crosstalk between different types of cells. These unique multicellular mono-spheroids or co-spheroids represent a category of 3D cell culture with advantages of biomimetic cell-cell interaction, better functionalities, and imaging possibilities. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Artificial intelligence and tutoring systems computational and cognitive approaches to the communication of knowledge

CERN Document Server

Wenger, Etienne

2014-01-01

Artificial Intelligence and Tutoring Systems: Computational and Cognitive Approaches to the Communication of Knowledge focuses on the cognitive approaches, methodologies, principles, and concepts involved in the communication of knowledge. The publication first elaborates on knowledge communication systems, basic issues, and tutorial dialogues. Concerns cover natural reasoning and tutorial dialogues, shift from local strategies to multiple mental models, domain knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, implicit versus explicit encoding of knowledge, knowledge communication, and practical and theoretic

Artificial organs 2010: a year in review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2011-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2010 are organized by category and briefly summarized. As the official journal of The International Federation for Artificial Organs, The International Faculty for Artificial Organs, and the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level."Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide such meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected and especially to those whose native tongue is not English. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, Wiley-Blackwell, for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. In this Editor's Review, that historically has been widely received by our readership, we aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration. We look forward to recording further advances in the coming years. © 2011, Copyright the Author. Artificial Organs © 2011, International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Artificial intelligence for analyzing orthopedic trauma radiographs.

Science.gov (United States)

Olczak, Jakub; Fahlberg, Niklas; Maki, Atsuto; Razavian, Ali Sharif; Jilert, Anthony; Stark, André; Sköldenberg, Olof; Gordon, Max

2017-12-01

Background and purpose - Recent advances in artificial intelligence (deep learning) have shown remarkable performance in classifying non-medical images, and the technology is believed to be the next technological revolution. So far it has never been applied in an orthopedic setting, and in this study we sought to determine the feasibility of using deep learning for skeletal radiographs. Methods - We extracted 256,000 wrist, hand, and ankle radiographs from Danderyd's Hospital and identified 4 classes: fracture, laterality, body part, and exam view. We then selected 5 openly available deep learning networks that were adapted for these images. The most accurate network was benchmarked against a gold standard for fractures. We furthermore compared the network's performance with 2 senior orthopedic surgeons who reviewed images at the same resolution as the network. Results - All networks exhibited an accuracy of at least 90% when identifying laterality, body part, and exam view. The final accuracy for fractures was estimated at 83% for the best performing network. The network performed similarly to senior orthopedic surgeons when presented with images at the same resolution as the network. The 2 reviewer Cohen's kappa under these conditions was 0.76. Interpretation - This study supports the use for orthopedic radiographs of artificial intelligence, which can perform at a human level. While current implementation lacks important features that surgeons require, e.g. risk of dislocation, classifications, measurements, and combining multiple exam views, these problems have technical solutions that are waiting to be implemented for orthopedics.

InGaN multiple-quantum-well epifilms on GaN-sillicon substrates for microcavities and surface-emitting lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, June Key; Cho, Hoon; Kim, Bok Hee; Park, Si Hyun; Gu, Erdan; Watson, Ian; Dawson, Martin

2006-01-01

We report the processing of InGaN/GaN epifilms on GaN-silicon substrates. High-quality InGaN/GaN multi-quantum wells (MQWs) were grown on GaN-silicon substrates, and their membranes were successfully fabricated using a selective wet etching of silicon followed by a dry etching of the AlGaN buffer layer. With atomic force microscope (AFM) measurements and photoluminescence (PL) measurements, we investigated the physical and the optical properties of the InGaN/GaN MQWs membranes. On the InGaN/GaN MQW membranes, dielectric distributed Bragg reflector (DBRs) were successfully deposited, which give, new possibilities for use in GaN microcavity and surface-emitting laser fabrication.

Artificial spatiotemporal touch inputs reveal complementary decoding in neocortical neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Oddo, Calogero M; Mazzoni, Alberto; Spanne, Anton; Enander, Jonas M D; Mogensen, Hannes; Bengtsson, Fredrik; Camboni, Domenico; Micera, Silvestro; Jörntell, Henrik

2017-04-04

Investigations of the mechanisms of touch perception and decoding has been hampered by difficulties in achieving invariant patterns of skin sensor activation. To obtain reproducible spatiotemporal patterns of activation of sensory afferents, we used an artificial fingertip equipped with an array of neuromorphic sensors. The artificial fingertip was used to transduce real-world haptic stimuli into spatiotemporal patterns of spikes. These spike patterns were delivered to the skin afferents of the second digit of rats via an array of stimulation electrodes. Combined with low-noise intra- and extracellular recordings from neocortical neurons in vivo, this approach provided a previously inaccessible high resolution analysis of the representation of tactile information in the neocortical neuronal circuitry. The results indicate high information content in individual neurons and reveal multiple novel neuronal tactile coding features such as heterogeneous and complementary spatiotemporal input selectivity also between neighboring neurons. Such neuronal heterogeneity and complementariness can potentially support a very high decoding capacity in a limited population of neurons. Our results also indicate a potential neuroprosthetic approach to communicate with the brain at a very high resolution and provide a potential novel solution for evaluating the degree or state of neurological disease in animal models.

Gap Filling of Daily Sea Levels by Artificial Neural Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lyubka Pashova

2013-06-01

Full Text Available In the recent years, intelligent methods as artificial neural networks are successfully applied for data analysis from different fields of the geosciences. One of the encountered practical problems is the availability of gaps in the time series that prevent their comprehensive usage for the scientific and practical purposes. The article briefly describes two types of the artificial neural network (ANN architectures - Feed-Forward Backpropagation (FFBP and recurrent Echo state network (ESN. In some cases, the ANN can be used as an alternative on the traditional methods, to fill in missing values in the time series. We have been conducted several experiments to fill the missing values of daily sea levels spanning a 5-years period using both ANN architectures. A multiple linear regression for the same purpose has been also applied. The sea level data are derived from the records of the tide gauge Burgas, which is located on the western Black Sea coast. The achieved results have shown that the performance of ANN models is better than that of the classical one and they are very promising for the real-time interpolation of missing data in the time series.

Artificial Intelligence and Its Importance in Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Tilmann, Martha J.

Artificial intelligence, or the study of ideas that enable computers to be intelligent, is discussed in terms of what it is, what it has done, what it can do, and how it may affect the teaching of tomorrow. An extensive overview of artificial intelligence examines its goals and applications and types of artificial intelligence including (1) expert…

Minimally Naturalistic Artificial Intelligence

OpenAIRE

Hansen, Steven Stenberg

2017-01-01

The rapid advancement of machine learning techniques has re-energized research into general artificial intelligence. While the idea of domain-agnostic meta-learning is appealing, this emerging field must come to terms with its relationship to human cognition and the statistics and structure of the tasks humans perform. The position of this article is that only by aligning our agents' abilities and environments with those of humans do we stand a chance at developing general artificial intellig...

Artificial Muscles: Mechanisms, Applications, and Challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirvakili, Seyed M; Hunter, Ian W

2018-02-01

The area of artificial muscle is a highly interdisciplinary field of research that has evolved rapidly in the last 30 years. Recent advances in nanomaterial fabrication and characterization, specifically carbon nanotubes and nanowires, have had major contributions in the development of artificial muscles. However, what can artificial muscles really do for humans? This question is considered here by first examining nature's solutions to this design problem and then discussing the structure, actuation mechanism, applications, and limitations of recently developed artificial muscles, including highly oriented semicrystalline polymer fibers; nanocomposite actuators; twisted nanofiber yarns; thermally activated shape-memory alloys; ionic-polymer/metal composites; dielectric-elastomer actuators; conducting polymers; stimuli-responsive gels; piezoelectric, electrostrictive, magnetostrictive, and photostrictive actuators; photoexcited actuators; electrostatic actuators; and pneumatic actuators. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Artificial neural network-based model for the prediction of optimal growth and culture conditions for maximum biomass accumulation in multiple shoot cultures of Centella asiatica.

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Archana; Prakash, Om; Mehrotra, Shakti; Khan, Feroz; Mathur, Ajay Kumar; Mathur, Archana

2017-01-01

An artificial neural network (ANN)-based modelling approach is used to determine the synergistic effect of five major components of growth medium (Mg, Cu, Zn, nitrate and sucrose) on improved in vitro biomass yield in multiple shoot cultures of Centella asiatica. The back propagation neural network (BPNN) was employed to predict optimal biomass accumulation in terms of growth index over a defined culture duration of 35 days. The four variable concentrations of five media components, i.e. MgSO 4 (0, 0.75, 1.5, 3.0 mM), ZnSO 4 (0, 15, 30, 60 μM), CuSO 4 (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 μM), NO 3 (20, 30, 40, 60 mM) and sucrose (1, 3, 5, 7 %, w/v) were taken as inputs for the ANN model. The designed model was evaluated by performing three different sets of validation experiments that indicated a greater similarity between the target and predicted dataset. The results of the modelling experiment suggested that 1.5 mM Mg, 30 μM Zn, 0.1 μM Cu, 40 mM NO 3 and 6 % (w/v) sucrose were the respective optimal concentrations of the tested medium components for achieving maximum growth index of 1654.46 with high centelloside yield (62.37 mg DW/culture) in the cultured multiple shoots. This study can facilitate the generation of higher biomass of uniform, clean, good quality C. asiatica herb that can efficiently be utilized by pharmaceutical industries.

SAFETY OF MIXED ARTIFICIAL NUTRITION IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE MULTISYSTEM CRANIOCEREBRAL TRAUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. P. Shakotko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT. Early initiation of artificial nutrition is one of the important components of intensive care for those affected with SMCT. The priority is given to enteral nutrition (EN. Parenteral nutrition (PN is indicated in order to cover estimated needs in various substrates when EN cannot be performed or is inadequate. However, it must be taken into account that in addition to positive effects, PN may be followed by a number of complications: hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, impaired pulmonary function, increased thrombogenesis..PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. To assess the safety of PN, used as a component of mixed artificial nutrition in victims with SMCT.MATERIAL AND METHODS. Twenty patients with SMCT, conscious state up to GCS 6-13 and severity of the condition ISS 30-55 upon admission were examined. The age of victims was 40.2±13.1 years, the ratio of men/women was 17/3. All the victims had the diagnosis of brain contusion. In 9 patients, acute subdural hematomas were revealed. They underwent decompressive craniotomy and hematoma removal. The energy consumption was calculated using the Harris-Benedict equation with correction coefficients and indirect calorimetry (IC method. IC was performed 24 hours a day also calculating respiratory coefficient. Nitrogen balance was studied to assess the severity of hypercatabolism. Enteral nutrition was initiated in all victims starting from day 2 after the injury. In connection with the impossibility of complete compensation of protein-energy requirements by EN, on day 8.8±1.3, PN was added. A three-component mixture of Nutriflex Lipid 70/180 (B. Braun, Germany, 625 ml was used. The concentration of triglycerides (TG and glucose in venous blood plasma was assessed daily, as well as the ratio of oxygen tension in the arterial blood to the oxygen fraction in the inhaled mixture (PaO2 /FiO2 .RESULTS. All patients had hypercatabolism prior to initiation of mixed artificial nutrition, and its severity lowered

7 CFR 51.2542 - U.S. Artificially Opened.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Pistachio Nuts in the Shell § 51.2542 U.S. Artificially Opened. “U.S. Artificially Opened” consists of artificially opened pistachio nuts in the shell which meet...

Bayesian artificial intelligence

CERN Document Server

Korb, Kevin B

2003-01-01

As the power of Bayesian techniques has become more fully realized, the field of artificial intelligence has embraced Bayesian methodology and integrated it to the point where an introduction to Bayesian techniques is now a core course in many computer science programs. Unlike other books on the subject, Bayesian Artificial Intelligence keeps mathematical detail to a minimum and covers a broad range of topics. The authors integrate all of Bayesian net technology and learning Bayesian net technology and apply them both to knowledge engineering. They emphasize understanding and intuition but also provide the algorithms and technical background needed for applications. Software, exercises, and solutions are available on the authors' website.

Multi-Modal Inference in Animacy Perception for Artificial Object

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kohske Takahashi

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Sometimes we feel animacy for artificial objects and their motion. Animals usually interact with environments through multiple sensory modalities. Here we investigated how the sensory responsiveness of artificial objects to the environment would contribute to animacy judgment for them. In a 90-s trial, observers freely viewed four objects moving in a virtual 3D space. The objects, whose position and motion were determined following Perlin-noise series, kept drifting independently in the space. Visual flashes, auditory bursts, or synchronous flashes and bursts appeared with 1–2 s intervals. The first object abruptly accelerated their motion just after visual flashes, giving an impression of responding to the flash. The second object responded to bursts. The third object responded to synchronous flashes and bursts. The forth object accelerated at a random timing independent of flashes and bursts. The observers rated how strongly they felt animacy for each object. The results showed that the object responding to the auditory bursts was rated as having weaker animacy compared to the other objects. This implies that sensory modality through which an object interacts with the environment may be a factor for animacy perception in the object and may serve as the basis of multi-modal and cross-modal inference of animacy.

Artificial intelligence in power system optimization

CERN Document Server

Ongsakul, Weerakorn

2013-01-01

With the considerable increase of AI applications, AI is being increasingly used to solve optimization problems in engineering. In the past two decades, the applications of artificial intelligence in power systems have attracted much research. This book covers the current level of applications of artificial intelligence to the optimization problems in power systems. This book serves as a textbook for graduate students in electric power system management and is also be useful for those who are interested in using artificial intelligence in power system optimization.

Embodied artificial agents for understanding human social cognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Wykowska, Agnieszka; Chaminade, Thierry; Cheng, Gordon

2016-05-05

In this paper, we propose that experimental protocols involving artificial agents, in particular the embodied humanoid robots, provide insightful information regarding social cognitive mechanisms in the human brain. Using artificial agents allows for manipulation and control of various parameters of behaviour, appearance and expressiveness in one of the interaction partners (the artificial agent), and for examining effect of these parameters on the other interaction partner (the human). At the same time, using artificial agents means introducing the presence of artificial, yet human-like, systems into the human social sphere. This allows for testing in a controlled, but ecologically valid, manner human fundamental mechanisms of social cognition both at the behavioural and at the neural level. This paper will review existing literature that reports studies in which artificial embodied agents have been used to study social cognition and will address the question of whether various mechanisms of social cognition (ranging from lower- to higher-order cognitive processes) are evoked by artificial agents to the same extent as by natural agents, humans in particular. Increasing the understanding of how behavioural and neural mechanisms of social cognition respond to artificial anthropomorphic agents provides empirical answers to the conundrum 'What is a social agent?' © 2016 The Authors.

Artificial fish skin of self-powered micro-electromechanical systems hair cells for sensing hydrodynamic flow phenomena.

Science.gov (United States)

Asadnia, Mohsen; Kottapalli, Ajay Giri Prakash; Miao, Jianmin; Warkiani, Majid Ebrahimi; Triantafyllou, Michael S

2015-10-06

Using biological sensors, aquatic animals like fishes are capable of performing impressive behaviours such as super-manoeuvrability, hydrodynamic flow 'vision' and object localization with a success unmatched by human-engineered technologies. Inspired by the multiple functionalities of the ubiquitous lateral-line sensors of fishes, we developed flexible and surface-mountable arrays of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) artificial hair cell flow sensors. This paper reports the development of the MEMS artificial versions of superficial and canal neuromasts and experimental characterization of their unique flow-sensing roles. Our MEMS flow sensors feature a stereolithographically fabricated polymer hair cell mounted on Pb(Zr(0.52)Ti(0.48))O3 micro-diaphragm with floating bottom electrode. Canal-inspired versions are developed by mounting a polymer canal with pores that guide external flows to the hair cells embedded in the canal. Experimental results conducted employing our MEMS artificial superficial neuromasts (SNs) demonstrated a high sensitivity and very low threshold detection limit of 22 mV/(mm s(-1)) and 8.2 µm s(-1), respectively, for an oscillating dipole stimulus vibrating at 35 Hz. Flexible arrays of such superficial sensors were demonstrated to localize an underwater dipole stimulus. Comparative experimental studies revealed a high-pass filtering nature of the canal encapsulated sensors with a cut-off frequency of 10 Hz and a flat frequency response of artificial SNs. Flexible arrays of self-powered, miniaturized, light-weight, low-cost and robust artificial lateral-line systems could enhance the capabilities of underwater vehicles. © 2015 The Author(s).

Principles of artificial intelligence

CERN Document Server

Nilsson, Nils J

1980-01-01

A classic introduction to artificial intelligence intended to bridge the gap between theory and practice, Principles of Artificial Intelligence describes fundamental AI ideas that underlie applications such as natural language processing, automatic programming, robotics, machine vision, automatic theorem proving, and intelligent data retrieval. Rather than focusing on the subject matter of the applications, the book is organized around general computational concepts involving the kinds of data structures used, the types of operations performed on the data structures, and the properties of th

Biological Effects Of Artificial Illumination

Science.gov (United States)

Corth, Richard

1980-10-01

We are increasingly being warned of the possible effects of so called "polluted" light, that is light that differs in spectral content from that of sunlight. We should be concerned, we are told, because all animals and plants have evolved under this natural daylight and therefore any difference between that illuminant and the artificial illuminants that are on the market today, is suspect. The usual presentation of the differences between the sunlight and the artificial illuminants are as shown in Figure 1. Here we are shown the spectral power distribution of sunlight and Cool White fluorescent light. The spectral power distributions of each have been normalized to some convenient wavelength so that each can be seen and easily compared on the same figure. But this presentation is misleading for one does not experience artificial illuminants at the same intensity as one experiences sunlight. Sunlight intensities are ordinarily found to be in the 8000 to 10,000 footcandle range whereas artificial illuminants are rarely experienced at intensity levels greater than 100 footcandles. Therefore a representative difference between the two types of illumination conditions is more accurately represented as in Figure 2. Thus if evolutionary adaptations require that humans and other animals be exposed to sunlight to ensure wellbeing, it is clear that one must be exposed to sunlight intensities. It is not feasible to expect that artificially illuminated environments will be lit to the same intensity as sunlight

Artificial tears potpourri: a literature review

Science.gov (United States)

Moshirfar, Majid; Pierson, Kasey; Hanamaikai, Kamalani; Santiago-Caban, Luis; Muthappan, Valliammai; Passi, Samuel F

2014-01-01

Numerous brands and types of artificial tears are available on the market for the treatment of dysfunctional tear syndrome. Past literature has focused on comparing the components of these products on patient’s clinical improvement. The wide array of products on the market presents challenges to both clinicians and patients when trying to choose between available tear replacement therapies. Different formulations affect patients based on etiology and severity of disease. In order to provide an unbiased comparison between available tear replacement therapies, we conducted a literature review of existing studies and National Institutes of Health clinical trials on commercially available, brand name artificial tears. Outcomes evaluated in each study, as well as the percent of patients showing clinical and symptomatic improvement, were analyzed. Fifty-one studies evaluating different brands of artificial tears, and their efficacy were identified. Out of the 51 studies, 18 were comparison studies testing brand name artificial tears directly against each other. Nearly all formulations of artificial tears provided significant benefit to patients with dysfunctional tear syndrome, but some proved superior to others. From the study data, a recommended treatment flowchart was derived. PMID:25114502

Fluorescein transport properties across artificial lipid membranes, Caco-2 cell monolayers and rat jejunum.

Science.gov (United States)

Berginc, Katja; Zakelj, Simon; Levstik, Lea; Ursic, Darko; Kristl, Albin

2007-05-01

Membrane transport characteristics of a paracellular permeability marker fluorescein were evaluated using artificial membrane, Caco-2 cell monolayers and rat jejunum, all mounted in side-by-side diffusion cells. Modified Ringer buffers with varied pH values were applied as incubation salines on both sides of artificial membrane, cell culture monolayers or rat jejunum. Passive transport according to pH partition theory was determined using all three permeability models. In addition to that, active transport of fluorescein in the M-S (mucosal-to-serosal) direction through rat jejunum was observed. The highest M-S P(app) values regarding the active transport through the rat jejunum were observed in incubation saline with pH 6.5. Fluorescein transport through the rat jejunum was inhibited by DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid) and alpha-CHC (alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid). Thus, we assume that two pH-dependent influx transporters could be involved in the fluorescein membrane transport through the intestinal (jejunal) epithelium. One is very likely an MCT (monocarboxylic acid cotransporter) isoform, inhibited by specific MCT inhibitor alpha-CHC, while the involvement of the second one with overlapping substrate/inhibitor specificities (most probably a member of the organic anion-transporting polypeptide family, inhibited at least partially by DIDS) could not be excluded.

Artificial Organs 2015: A Year in Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2016-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2015 are organized by category and briefly summarized. We aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration. As the official journal of The International Federation for Artificial Organs, The International Faculty for Artificial Organs, the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, the International Society for Pediatric Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Support, and the Vienna International Workshop on Functional Electrical Stimulation, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level." Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for providing their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of their time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers, the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, John Wiley & Sons for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to reporting further advances in the coming years. Copyright © 2016 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Artificial Organs 2013: a year in review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2014-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2013 are organized by category and briefly summarized. We aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration. As the official journal of The International Federation for Artificial Organs, The International Faculty for Artificial Organs, the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, the International Society for Pediatric Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Support, and the Vienna International Workshop on Functional Electrical Stimulation, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level". Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide so meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected and especially to those whose native tongue is not English. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, Wiley Periodicals, for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to recording further advances in the coming years. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation.

In situ demonstration and characteristic analysis of the protease components from marine bacteria using substrate immersing zymography.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dan; Yang, XingHao; Huang, JiaFeng; Wu, RiBang; Wu, CuiLing; He, HaiLun; Li, Hao

2015-01-01

Zymography is a widely used technique for the study of proteolytic activities on the basis of protein substrate degradation. In this study, substrate immersing zymography was used in analyzing proteolysis of extracellular proteases. Instead of being added directly into a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gel, the substrates were added into the immersing solution after electrophoresis. Substrate immersing zymography could accurately determine the molecular weight of trypsin, and band intensities were linearly related to the amount of protease. The diversity of extracellular proteases produced by different marine bacteria was analyzed by substrate immersing zymography, and large variations of proteolysis were evidenced. The proteolytic activity of Pseudoalteromonas strains was more complicated than that of other strains. Five Pseudoalteromonas strains and five Vibrio strains were further analyzed by substrate immersing zymography with different substrates (casein and gelatin), and multiple caseinolytic and gelatinolytic profiles were detected. The extracellular proteolytic profiles of Pseudoalteromonas strains exhibited a large intraspecific variation. Molecular weight (Mw) of the main protease secreted by Vibrio was 35 kDa. Additionally, the time-related change trends of the activities of extracellular proteases produced by Pseudoalteromonas sp. SJN2 were analyzed by substrate immersing zymography. These results implied the potential application of substrate immersing zymography for the analysis of the diversity of bacterial extracellular proteases.

Artificial Intelligence in Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Kipp W; Torres Soto, Jessica; Glicksberg, Benjamin S; Shameer, Khader; Miotto, Riccardo; Ali, Mohsin; Ashley, Euan; Dudley, Joel T

2018-06-12

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are poised to influence nearly every aspect of the human condition, and cardiology is not an exception to this trend. This paper provides a guide for clinicians on relevant aspects of artificial intelligence and machine learning, reviews selected applications of these methods in cardiology to date, and identifies how cardiovascular medicine could incorporate artificial intelligence in the future. In particular, the paper first reviews predictive modeling concepts relevant to cardiology such as feature selection and frequent pitfalls such as improper dichotomization. Second, it discusses common algorithms used in supervised learning and reviews selected applications in cardiology and related disciplines. Third, it describes the advent of deep learning and related methods collectively called unsupervised learning, provides contextual examples both in general medicine and in cardiovascular medicine, and then explains how these methods could be applied to enable precision cardiology and improve patient outcomes. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transport modeling: An artificial immune system approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teodorović Dušan

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes an artificial immune system approach (AIS to modeling time-dependent (dynamic, real time transportation phenomenon characterized by uncertainty. The basic idea behind this research is to develop the Artificial Immune System, which generates a set of antibodies (decisions, control actions that altogether can successfully cover a wide range of potential situations. The proposed artificial immune system develops antibodies (the best control strategies for different antigens (different traffic "scenarios". This task is performed using some of the optimization or heuristics techniques. Then a set of antibodies is combined to create Artificial Immune System. The developed Artificial Immune transportation systems are able to generalize, adapt, and learn based on new knowledge and new information. Applications of the systems are considered for airline yield management, the stochastic vehicle routing, and real-time traffic control at the isolated intersection. The preliminary research results are very promising.

Artificial Intelligence for the Artificial Kidney: Pointers to the Future of a Personalized Hemodialysis Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hueso, Miguel; Vellido, Alfredo; Montero, Nuria; Barbieri, Carlo; Ramos, Rosa; Angoso, Manuel; Cruzado, Josep Maria; Jonsson, Anders

2018-02-01

Current dialysis devices are not able to react when unexpected changes occur during dialysis treatment or to learn about experience for therapy personalization. Furthermore, great efforts are dedicated to develop miniaturized artificial kidneys to achieve a continuous and personalized dialysis therapy, in order to improve the patient's quality of life. These innovative dialysis devices will require a real-time monitoring of equipment alarms, dialysis parameters, and patient-related data to ensure patient safety and to allow instantaneous changes of the dialysis prescription for the assessment of their adequacy. The analysis and evaluation of the resulting large-scale data sets enters the realm of "big data" and will require real-time predictive models. These may come from the fields of machine learning and computational intelligence, both included in artificial intelligence, a branch of engineering involved with the creation of devices that simulate intelligent behavior. The incorporation of artificial intelligence should provide a fully new approach to data analysis, enabling future advances in personalized dialysis therapies. With the purpose to learn about the present and potential future impact on medicine from experts in artificial intelligence and machine learning, a scientific meeting was organized in the Hospital Universitari Bellvitge (L'Hospitalet, Barcelona). As an outcome of that meeting, the aim of this review is to investigate artificial intel ligence experiences on dialysis, with a focus on potential barriers, challenges, and prospects for future applications of these technologies. Artificial intelligence research on dialysis is still in an early stage, and the main challenge relies on interpretability and/or comprehensibility of data models when applied to decision making. Artificial neural networks and medical decision support systems have been used to make predictions about anemia, total body water, or intradialysis hypotension and are promising

Community structure and palaeoecological implications of calcareous encrusters on artificial substrates across a Mexican Caribbean reef

Science.gov (United States)

Hepburn, L. J.; Blanchon, P.; Murphy, G.; Cousins, L.; Perry, C. T.

2015-03-01

Calcareous encrusters stabilize and bind reef framework and contribute significantly to reef function and biodiversity. Their calcareous skeletons have good preservation potential which, together with well-constrained habitat preferences, makes them useful indicators of past environmental conditions. However, our knowledge of environmental tolerances and spatial distribution trends of encrusters remains limited. Here, we determine the distributional trends and environmental tolerances of calcareous encrusters and delineate the relevance of particular species/genera for palaeoecological reconstructions. Artificial microhabitats were created to mimic exposed, partially cryptic, and cryptic habitats in various orientations for periods of 1 and 2 yr. Calcareous encruster coverage was high, especially in cryptic habitats (95 %), and clear successional trends were observed over time. Total encruster carbonate production was intermediate (range 72.8-476.3 g m-2 yr-1). Encruster species and growth morphology exhibited a defined zonation in response to reef sub-environment, microhabitat, and environmental factors such as light and wave exposure. Linear regression identified three coralline algae genera, as well as Homotrema rubrum, Planorbulina spp., and cemented bivalves as those most likely to occur in particular habitats. Therefore, the presence of these species may be used with greater confidence in distinguishing palaeomicroenvironments.

ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL INTELLIGENCE IN ANTHROPOGENIC EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey F. Sergeev

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the present article we show the link between both artificial and natural intelligence and the system’s complexity during the life-cycle. Autopoetic’s type of living systems determines the differences between natural and artificial intelligence; artificial environments have an influence to the intelligence abilities development. We present the «diffusion intellect» concept where the diffusion intellect is considered as a synergistic unity of natural and artificial intellect in organized environments. 

Computed Flow Through An Artificial Heart And Valve

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Stuart E.; Kwak, Dochan; Kiris, Cetin; Chang, I-Dee

1994-01-01

NASA technical memorandum discusses computations of flow of blood through artificial heart and through tilting-disk artificial heart valve. Represents further progress in research described in "Numerical Simulation of Flow Through an Artificial Heart" (ARC-12478). One purpose of research to exploit advanced techniques of computational fluid dynamics and capabilities of supercomputers to gain understanding of complicated internal flows of viscous, essentially incompressible fluids like blood. Another to use understanding to design better artificial hearts and valves.

Artificial sensory organs: latest progress.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Tatsuo; Inada, Yuji; Shigeno, Keiji

2018-03-01

This study introduces the latest progress on the study of artificial sensory organs, with a special emphasis on the clinical results of artificial nerves and the concept of in situ tissue engineering. Peripheral nerves have a strong potential for regeneration. An artificial nerve uses this potential to recover a damaged peripheral nerve. The polyglycolic acid collagen tube (PGA-C tube) is a bio-absorbable tube stuffed with collagen of multi-chamber structure that consists of thin collagen films. The clinical application of the PGA-C tube began in 2002 in Japan. The number of PGA-C tubes used is now beyond 300, and satisfactory results have been reported on peripheral nerve repairs. This PGA-C tube is also effective for patients suffering from neuropathic pain.

The application and development of artificial intelligence in smart clothing

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Xiong

2018-03-01

This paper mainly introduces the application of artificial intelligence in intelligent clothing. Starting from the development trend of artificial intelligence, analysis the prospects for development in smart clothing with artificial intelligence. Summarize the design key of artificial intelligence in smart clothing. Analysis the feasibility of artificial intelligence in smart clothing.

Advanced Applications of Neural Networks and Artificial Intelligence: A Review

OpenAIRE

Koushal Kumar; Gour Sundar Mitra Thakur

2012-01-01

Artificial Neural Network is a branch of Artificial intelligence and has been accepted as a new computing technology in computer science fields. This paper reviews the field of Artificial intelligence and focusing on recent applications which uses Artificial Neural Networks (ANN’s) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). It also considers the integration of neural networks with other computing methods Such as fuzzy logic to enhance the interpretation ability of data. Artificial Neural Networks is c...

Artificial intelligence executive summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wamsley, S.J.; Purvis, E.E. III

1984-01-01

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a high technology field that can be used to provide problem solving diagnosis, guidance and for support resolution of problems. It is not a stand alone discipline, but can also be applied to develop data bases for retention of the expertise that is required for its own knowledge base. This provides a way to retain knowledge that otherwise may be lost. Artificial Intelligence Methodology can provide an automated construction management decision support system, thereby restoring the manager's emphasis to project management

Verifying the performance of artificial neural network and multiple linear regression in predicting the mean seasonal municipal solid waste generation rate: A case study of Fars province, Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Azadi, Sama; Karimi-Jashni, Ayoub

2016-02-01

Predicting the mass of solid waste generation plays an important role in integrated solid waste management plans. In this study, the performance of two predictive models, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) was verified to predict mean Seasonal Municipal Solid Waste Generation (SMSWG) rate. The accuracy of the proposed models is illustrated through a case study of 20 cities located in Fars Province, Iran. Four performance measures, MAE, MAPE, RMSE and R were used to evaluate the performance of these models. The MLR, as a conventional model, showed poor prediction performance. On the other hand, the results indicated that the ANN model, as a non-linear model, has a higher predictive accuracy when it comes to prediction of the mean SMSWG rate. As a result, in order to develop a more cost-effective strategy for waste management in the future, the ANN model could be used to predict the mean SMSWG rate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated cassette-to-cassette substrate handling system

Science.gov (United States)

Kraus, Joseph Arthur; Boyer, Jeremy James; Mack, Joseph; DeChellis, Michael; Koo, Michael

2014-03-18

An automated cassette-to-cassette substrate handling system includes a cassette storage module for storing a plurality of substrates in cassettes before and after processing. A substrate carrier storage module stores a plurality of substrate carriers. A substrate carrier loading/unloading module loads substrates from the cassette storage module onto the plurality of substrate carriers and unloads substrates from the plurality of substrate carriers to the cassette storage module. A transport mechanism transports the plurality of substrates between the cassette storage module and the plurality of substrate carriers and transports the plurality of substrate carriers between the substrate carrier loading/unloading module and a processing chamber. A vision system recognizes recesses in the plurality of substrate carriers corresponding to empty substrate positions in the substrate carrier. A processor receives data from the vision system and instructs the transport mechanism to transport substrates to positions on the substrate carrier in response to the received data.

Performance of artificial neural networks and genetical evolved artificial neural networks unfolding techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz R, J. M.; Martinez B, M. R.; Vega C, H. R.; Gallego D, E.; Lorente F, A.; Mendez V, R.; Los Arcos M, J. M.; Guerrero A, J. E.

2011-01-01

With the Bonner spheres spectrometer neutron spectrum is obtained through an unfolding procedure. Monte Carlo methods, Regularization, Parametrization, Least-squares, and Maximum Entropy are some of the techniques utilized for unfolding. In the last decade methods based on Artificial Intelligence Technology have been used. Approaches based on Genetic Algorithms and Artificial Neural Networks (Ann) have been developed in order to overcome the drawbacks of previous techniques. Nevertheless the advantages of Ann still it has some drawbacks mainly in the design process of the network, vg the optimum selection of the architectural and learning Ann parameters. In recent years the use of hybrid technologies, combining Ann and genetic algorithms, has been utilized to. In this work, several Ann topologies were trained and tested using Ann and Genetically Evolved Artificial Neural Networks in the aim to unfold neutron spectra using the count rates of a Bonner sphere spectrometer. Here, a comparative study of both procedures has been carried out. (Author)

Conserved regions of ribonucleoprotein ribonuclease MRP are involved in interactions with its substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Esakova, Olga; Perederina, Anna; Berezin, Igor; Krasilnikov, Andrey S

2013-08-01

Ribonuclease (RNase) MRP is a ubiquitous and essential site-specific eukaryotic endoribonuclease involved in the metabolism of a wide range of RNA molecules. RNase MRP is a ribonucleoprotein with a large catalytic RNA moiety that is closely related to the RNA component of RNase P, and multiple proteins, most of which are shared with RNase P. Here, we report the results of an ultraviolet-cross-linking analysis of interactions between a photoreactive RNase MRP substrate and the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNase MRP holoenzyme. The results show that the substrate interacts with phylogenetically conserved RNA elements universally found in all enzymes of the RNase P/MRP family, as well as with a phylogenetically conserved RNA region that is unique to RNase MRP, and demonstrate that four RNase MRP protein components, all shared with RNase P, interact with the substrate. Implications for the structural organization of RNase MRP and the roles of its components are discussed.

Multiple infrared bands absorber based on multilayer gratings

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaoyi; Gao, Jinsong; Yang, Haigui; Wang, Xiaoyi; Guo, Chengli

2018-03-01

The present study offers an Ag/Si multilayer-grating microstructure based on an Si substrate. The microstructure exhibits designable narrowband absorption in multiple infrared wavebands, especially in mid- and long-wave infrared atmospheric windows. We investigate its resonance mode mechanism, and calculate the resonance wavelengths by the Fabry-Perot and metal-insulator-metal theories for comparison with the simulation results. Furthermore, we summarize the controlling rules of the absorption peak wavelength of the microstructure to provide a new method for generating a Si-based device with multiple working bands in infrared.

Artificial intelligence in astronomy - a forecast.

Science.gov (United States)

Adorf, H. M.

Since several years artificial intelligence techniques are being actively used in astronomy, particularly within the Hubble Space Telescope project. This contribution reviews achievements, analyses some problems of using artificial intelligence in an astronomical environment, and projects current AI programming trends into the future.

[Influence of the substrate composition in extensive green roof on the effluent quality].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yu-Lin; Li, Tian; Gu, Jun-Qing

2014-11-01

By monitoring the effluent quality from different green roof assemblies during several artificial rain events, the main pollutant characteristics and the influence of substrate composition in extensive green roof on the effluent quality were studied. Results showed that the main pollutants in the effluent were N, P and COD; with the increase of cumulative rain, the concentrations of pollutants in the effluent decreased, which had obvious leaching effect; The average concentrations of heavy metals in the early effluent from all assemblies reached drinking water standard, including the assemblies using crushed bricks; When garden soil and compost were used as organic matter, the assemblies had serious leaching of nutrient substance. After the accumulated rainfall reached 150 mm, the TN, TP and COD concentrations of effluent were 2.93, 0.73 and 78 mg x L(-1), respectively, which exceeded the Surface water V class limit. By means of application of the Water Treatment Residual, the leaching of TP from green planting soil was decreased by about 60%. The inorganic compound soil had better effluent quality, however we also need to judge whether the substrate could be applied in extensive green roof or not, by analyzing its ability of water quantity reduction and the plant growth situation.

Artificial Lipid Membranes: Past, Present, and Future.

Science.gov (United States)

Siontorou, Christina G; Nikoleli, Georgia-Paraskevi; Nikolelis, Dimitrios P; Karapetis, Stefanos K

2017-07-26

The multifaceted role of biological membranes prompted early the development of artificial lipid-based models with a primary view of reconstituting the natural functions in vitro so as to study and exploit chemoreception for sensor engineering. Over the years, a fair amount of knowledge on the artificial lipid membranes, as both, suspended or supported lipid films and liposomes, has been disseminated and has helped to diversify and expand initial scopes. Artificial lipid membranes can be constructed by several methods, stabilized by various means, functionalized in a variety of ways, experimented upon intensively, and broadly utilized in sensor development, drug testing, drug discovery or as molecular tools and research probes for elucidating the mechanics and the mechanisms of biological membranes. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art, discusses the diversity of applications, and presents future perspectives. The newly-introduced field of artificial cells further broadens the applicability of artificial membranes in studying the evolution of life.

Implanted artificial heart with radioisotope power source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shumakov, V I; Griaznov, G M; Zhemchuzhnikov, G N; Kiselev, I M; Osipov, A P

1983-02-01

An atomic artificial heart for orthotopic implantation was developed with the following characteristics: volume, 1.2 L; weight, 1.5 kg; radioisotope power, 45 W; operating life, up to 5 years; hemodynamics, similar to natural hemodynamics. The artificial heart includes a thermal drive with systems for regulating power, feeding steam into the cylinders, return of the condensate to the steam generator, and delivery of power to the ventricles and heat container. The artificial heart is placed in an artificial pericardium partially filled with physiologic solution. It uses a steam engine with two operating cylinders that separately drive the left and right ventricles. There is no electronic control system in the proposed design. The operation of the heat engine is controlled, with preservation of autoregulation by the vascular system of the body. The separate drives for the ventricles is of primary importance as it provides for operation of the artificial heart through control of cardiac activity by venous return. Experimental testing on a hydromechanical bench demonstrated effective autoregulation.

Antithrombotic artificial organs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takamatsu, T; Fukada, E; Saegusa, M; Hasegawa, T

1971-07-12

A new antithrombotic material useful for making artificial organs (artificial blood vessel, artificial heart, etc.) can be prepared by graft-polymerizing an acrylic ester (methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, etc.) with a synthetic fiber (teflon, etc.). The graft-polymerization can be carried out by means of gamma radiation with cobalt 60 (dose rate 2.6x10/sup 3/ r/min., total dose 8x10/sup 4/ to 3.5x10/sup 5/ r). A graft ratio of 5 to 80% is attainable. In one example, a tubular sample made of teflon fiber having an inner diameter of 5 to 10 mm was immersed into methyl methacrylate in an ampoule in the absence of air and exposed to cobalt 60 gamma ray at the dose rate of 3.18x10/sup 3/ rad/min. After extraction with acetone, the sample was dried. The total dose was 3.5x10/sup 5/ rad and the graft ratio was ca. 25%. The sample was transplanted to vena cava of dog. No formation of thrombus was observed by autopsy (4 months after the transplantation). In control (teflon tube not graft-polymerized) thrombus was observed by autopsy 7 days after the transplantation.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Studies in Water Resources

OpenAIRE

Ay, Murat; Özyıldırım, Serhat

2018-01-01

Artificial intelligence has been extensively used in many areas such as computer science,robotics, engineering, medicine, translation, economics, business, and psychology. Variousstudies in the literature show that the artificial intelligence in modeling approaches give closeresults to the real data for solution of linear, non-linear, and other systems. In this study, wereviewed the current state-of-the-art and progress on the modelling of artificial intelligence forwater variables: rainfall-...

Artificial Organs 2017: A Year in Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2018-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2017 are organized by category and summarized. We provide a brief reflection of the research and progress in artificial organs intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of these technologies and methods. Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level." Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. Peer-reviewed Special Issues this year included contributions from the 12th International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion edited by Dr. Akif Undar, Artificial Oxygen Carriers edited by Drs. Akira Kawaguchi and Jan Simoni, the 24th Congress of the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support edited by Dr. Toru Masuzawa, Challenges in the Field of Biomedical Devices: A Multidisciplinary Perspective edited by Dr. Vincenzo Piemonte and colleagues and Functional Electrical Stimulation edited by Dr. Winfried Mayr and colleagues. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, John Wiley & Sons for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to reporting further advances in the coming years. © 2018 International Center for

Dodecyltriphenylphosphonium inhibits multiple drug resistance in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Knorre, Dmitry A; Markova, Olga V; Smirnova, Ekaterina A; Karavaeva, Iuliia E; Sokolov, Svyatoslav S; Severin, Fedor F

2014-08-08

Multiple drug resistance pumps are potential drug targets. Here we asked whether the lipophilic cation dodecyltriphenylphosphonium (C12TPP) can interfere with their functioning. First, we found that suppression of ABC transporter gene PDR5 increases the toxicity of C12TPP in yeast. Second, C12TPP appeared to prevent the efflux of rhodamine 6G - a fluorescent substrate of Pdr5p. Moreover, C12TPP increased the cytostatic effects of some other known Pdr5p substrates. The chemical nature of C12TPP suggests that after Pdr5p-driven extrusion the molecules return to the plasma membrane and then into the cytosol, thus effectively competing with other substrates of the pump. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Artificial Intelligence and Artificial Life%人工智能与人工生命

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

班晓娟; 王昭顺; 刘宏伟; 涂序彦

2002-01-01

人工生命(Artificial Life)是一门正在迅速发展的新兴学科.将人工智能(Artificial Intelligence)方法与人工生命方法相结合,是目前人工智能研究的新方向.该文介绍了人工生命的概念和研究方法,分析了人工智能目前的困难以及人工生命与人工智能的区别与联系,并介绍了几种二者结合的实例.

Artificial Intelligence in Civil Engineering

OpenAIRE

Lu, Pengzhen; Chen, Shengyong; Zheng, Yujun

2012-01-01

Artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science, involved in the research, design, and application of intelligent computer. Traditional methods for modeling and optimizing complex structure systems require huge amounts of computing resources, and artificial-intelligence-based solutions can often provide valuable alternatives for efficiently solving problems in the civil engineering. This paper summarizes recently developed methods and theories in the developing direction for applicati...

An ankle-foot orthosis powered by artificial pneumatic muscles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferris, Daniel P; Czerniecki, Joseph M; Hannaford, Blake

2005-05-01

We developed a pneumatically powered orthosis for the human ankle joint. The orthosis consisted of a carbon fiber shell, hinge joint, and two artificial pneumatic muscles. One artificial pneumatic muscle provided plantar flexion torque and the second one provided dorsiflexion torque. Computer software adjusted air pressure in each artificial muscle independently so that artificial muscle force was proportional to rectified low-pass-filtered electromyography (EMG) amplitude (i.e., proportional myoelectric control). Tibialis anterior EMG activated the artificial dorsiflexor and soleus EMG activated the artificial plantar flexor. We collected joint kinematic and artificial muscle force data as one healthy participant walked on a treadmill with the orthosis. Peak plantar flexor torque provided by the orthosis was 70 Nm, and peak dorsiflexor torque provided by the orthosis was 38 Nm. The orthosis could be useful for basic science studies on human locomotion or possibly for gait rehabilitation after neurological injury.

Artificial intelligence in cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonderman, Diana

2017-12-01

Decision-making is complex in modern medicine and should ideally be based on available data, structured knowledge and proper interpretation in the context of an individual patient. Automated algorithms, also termed artificial intelligence that are able to extract meaningful patterns from data collections and build decisions upon identified patterns may be useful assistants in clinical decision-making processes. In this article, artificial intelligence-based studies in clinical cardiology are reviewed. The text also touches on the ethical issues and speculates on the future roles of automated algorithms versus clinicians in cardiology and medicine in general.

Spatially Resolved Artificial Chemistry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fellermann, Harold

2009-01-01

Although spatial structures can play a crucial role in chemical systems and can drastically alter the outcome of reactions, the traditional framework of artificial chemistry is a well-stirred tank reactor with no spatial representation in mind. Advanced method development in physical chemistry has...... made a class of models accessible to the realms of artificial chemistry that represent reacting molecules in a coarse-grained fashion in continuous space. This chapter introduces the mathematical models of Brownian dynamics (BD) and dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) for molecular motion and reaction...

Spatially Resolved Artificial Chemistry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fellermann, Harold

2009-01-01

made a class of models accessible to the realms of artificial chemistry that represent reacting molecules in a coarse-grained fashion in continuous space. This chapter introduces the mathematical models of Brownian dynamics (BD) and dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) for molecular motion and reaction......Although spatial structures can play a crucial role in chemical systems and can drastically alter the outcome of reactions, the traditional framework of artificial chemistry is a well-stirred tank reactor with no spatial representation in mind. Advanced method development in physical chemistry has...

Effect of chlorhexidine pretreatment on bond strength durability of caries-affected dentin over 2-year aging in artificial saliva and under simulated intrapulpal pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Mobarak, E H

2011-01-01

To evaluate the influence of 2% and 5% chlorhexidine (CHX) pretreatment on bond durability of a self-etching adhesive to normal (ND) and caries-affected (AD) dentin after 2-years of aging in artificial saliva and under simulated intrapulpal pressure (IPP). One hundred twenty freshly extracted carious teeth were ground to expose ND and AD. Specimens were distributed into three equal groups (n=40) according to whether the dentin substrates were pretreated with 2% or 5% CHX or with water (control). Clearfil SE Bond (Kuraray) was applied to both substrates and composite cylinders (0.9 mm diameter and 0.7 mm height) were formed. Pretreatment and bonding were done while the specimens were subjected to 15 mm Hg IPP. After curing, specimens were aged in artificial saliva at 37°C and under IPP at 20 mm Hg until being tested after 24 hours or 2 years (n=20/group). Microshear bond strength was evaluated. Failure modes were determined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) at 400× magnification. Data were statistically analyzed using three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA); one-way ANOVA tests, and t-test (paged specimens, the 5% CHX group had the highest value followed by the 2% CHX and control groups, although the difference was statistically insignificant. For AD aged specimens, the 5% CHX group revealed statistically higher bond values compared to the 2% CHX and control groups. Fracture modes were predominately adhesive and mixed. Different interfacial silver depositions were recorded. Two percent or 5% CHX pretreatment has no adverse effect on the 24-hour bonding to ND and AD. Five percent CHX was able to diminish the loss in bonding to AD after 2years of aging in artificial saliva and under simulated IPP.

21 CFR 145.181 - Artificially sweetened canned pineapple.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Artificially sweetened canned pineapple. 145.181... § 145.181 Artificially sweetened canned pineapple. (a) Artificially sweetened canned pineapple is the food that conforms to the definition and standard of identity prescribed for canned pineapple by § 145...

Carbon nanotube substrates and catalyzed hot stamp for polishing and patterning the substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuhuang [Evanston, IL; Hauge, Robert H [Houston, TX; Schmidt, Howard K [Houston, TX; Kim, Myung Jong [Houston, TX; Kittrell, W Carter [Houston, TX

2009-09-08

The present invention is generally directed to catalyzed hot stamp methods for polishing and/or patterning carbon nanotube-containing substrates. In some embodiments, the substrate, as a carbon nanotube fiber end, is brought into contact with a hot stamp (typically at 200-800.degree. C.), and is kept in contact with the hot stamp until the morphology/patterns on the hot stamp have been transferred to the substrate. In some embodiments, the hot stamp is made of material comprising one or more transition metals (Fe, Ni, Co, Pt, Ag, Au, etc.), which can catalyze the etching reaction of carbon with H.sub.2, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2O, and/or O.sub.2. Such methods can (1) polish the carbon nanotube-containing substrate with a microscopically smooth finish, and/or (2) transfer pre-defined patterns from the hot stamp to the substrate. Such polished or patterned carbon nanotube substrates can find application as carbon nanotube electrodes, field emitters, and field emitter arrays for displays and electron sources.

Growth and properties of blue/green InGaN/GaN MQWs on Si(111) substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kang Jea; Oh, Tae Su; Kim, Tae Ki; Yang, Gye Mo; Lim, Kee Young

2005-01-01

InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) were grown on highly tensile-strained GaN films on Si(111) substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Due to the large difference of lattice constant and thermal expansion coefficient between GaN and Si, GaN growth on Si(111) substrate usually leads to an initially high dislocation density and cracks. We demonstrate low dislocation-density and crack-free GaN films grown on Si(111) substrate by introducing an AlN/GaN strain-compensation layer and Si x N y dislocation masking layer. Blue/green-emitting InGaN/GaN MQW heterostructures have been successfully grown on Si(111) substrates. Two sets of InGaN/GaN MQWs with different In solid composition and number of pairs grown between 820 .deg. C and 900 .deg. C were studied by high-resolution X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The emission wavelengths of InGaN MQW structures were significantly dependent on growth temperature.

Synthetic biology and the moral significance of artificial life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Andreas

2016-01-01

, Powell and Savulescu's definition of artificial life does not capture all core projects of synthetic biology or the ethical concerns that have been voiced, and their definition of moral significance fails to take into account the possibility that creating artificial life is conditionally acceptable......I discuss the moral significance of artificial life within synthetic biology via a discussion of Douglas, Powell and Savulescu's paper 'Is the creation of artificial life morally significant’. I argue that the definitions of 'artificial life’ and of 'moral significance’ are too narrow. Douglas...

Luminescence of highly excited nonpolar a-plane GaN and AlGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jursenas, S.; Kuokstis, E.; Miasojedovas, S.; Kurilcik, G.; Zukauskas, A.; Chen, C.Q.; Yang, J.W.; Adivarahan, V.; Asif Khan, M.

2004-01-01

Carrier recombination dynamics in polar and nonpolar GaN epilayers and GaN/AlGaN multiple quantum wells grown over sapphire substrates with a various crystallographic orientation were studied under high photoexcitation by 20 ps laser pulses. The transient luminescence featured a significant enhancement on nonradiative recombination of free carriers for nonpolar a-plane GaN epilayers compared to conventional c-plane samples. The epitaxial layer overgrowth technique was demonstrated to significantly improve the quality of nonpolar a-plane films. This was proved by more than 40-fold increase in luminescence decay time (430 ps compared to ≤ 10 ps in the ordinary a-plane epilayer). Under high-excitation regime, a complete screening of built-in electric field by free carriers in multiple quantum wells grown on c-plane and r-plane sapphire substrates was achieved. Under such high excitation, luminescence efficiency and carrier lifetime of multiple quantum wells were shown to be determined by the substrate quality. (author)

Artificial Intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, David R; Palacios-González, César; Harris, John

2016-04-01

It seems natural to think that the same prudential and ethical reasons for mutual respect and tolerance that one has vis-à-vis other human persons would hold toward newly encountered paradigmatic but nonhuman biological persons. One also tends to think that they would have similar reasons for treating we humans as creatures that count morally in our own right. This line of thought transcends biological boundaries-namely, with regard to artificially (super)intelligent persons-but is this a safe assumption? The issue concerns ultimate moral significance: the significance possessed by human persons, persons from other planets, and hypothetical nonorganic persons in the form of artificial intelligence (AI). This article investigates why our possible relations to AI persons could be more complicated than they first might appear, given that they might possess a radically different nature to us, to the point that civilized or peaceful coexistence in a determinate geographical space could be impossible to achieve.

Current topics in glycemic control by wearable artificial pancreas or bedside artificial pancreas with closed-loop system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanazaki, Kazuhiro; Munekage, Masaya; Kitagawa, Hiroyuki; Yatabe, Tomoaki; Munekage, Eri; Shiga, Mai; Maeda, Hiromichi; Namikawa, Tsutomu

2016-09-01

The incidence of diabetes is increasing at an unprecedented pace and has become a serious health concern worldwide during the last two decades. Despite this, adequate glycemic control using an artificial pancreas has not been established, although the 21st century has seen rapid developments in this area. Herein, we review current topics in glycemic control for both the wearable artificial pancreas for type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients and the bedside artificial pancreas for surgical diabetic patients. In type 1 diabetic patients, nocturnal hypoglycemia associated with insulin therapy remains a serious problem that could be addressed by the recent development of a wearable artificial pancreas. This smart phone-like device, comprising a real-time, continuous glucose monitoring system and insulin pump system, could potentially significantly reduce nocturnal hypoglycemia compared with conventional glycemic control. Of particular interest in this space are the recent inventions of a low-glucose suspend feature in the portable systems that automatically stops insulin delivery 2 h following a glucose sensor value <70 mg/dL and a bio-hormonal pump system consisting of insulin and glucagon pumps. Perioperative tight glycemic control using a bedside artificial pancreas with the closed-loop system has also proved safe and effective for not only avoiding hypoglycemia, but also for reducing blood glucose level variability resulting in good surgical outcomes. We hope that a more sophisticated artificial pancreas with closed-loop system will now be taken up for routine use worldwide, providing enormous relief for patients suffering from uncontrolled hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and/or variability in blood glucose concentrations.

Artificial humidification for the mechanically ventilated patient

OpenAIRE

Selvaraj, Nelson

2010-01-01

Caring for patients who are mechanically ventilated poses many\\ud challenges for critical care nurses. It is important to humidify the\\ud patient’s airways artificially to prevent complications such as\\ud ventilator-associated pneumonia. There is no gold standard to\\ud determine which type of humidification is best for patients who\\ud are artificially ventilated. This article provides an overview of\\ud commonly used artificial humidification for mechanically ventilated\\ud patients and discuss...

Bayesian Model Averaging of Artificial Intelligence Models for Hydraulic Conductivity Estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Nadiri, A.; Chitsazan, N.; Tsai, F. T.; Asghari Moghaddam, A.

2012-12-01

This research presents a Bayesian artificial intelligence model averaging (BAIMA) method that incorporates multiple artificial intelligence (AI) models to estimate hydraulic conductivity and evaluate estimation uncertainties. Uncertainty in the AI model outputs stems from error in model input as well as non-uniqueness in selecting different AI methods. Using one single AI model tends to bias the estimation and underestimate uncertainty. BAIMA employs Bayesian model averaging (BMA) technique to address the issue of using one single AI model for estimation. BAIMA estimates hydraulic conductivity by averaging the outputs of AI models according to their model weights. In this study, the model weights were determined using the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) that follows the parsimony principle. BAIMA calculates the within-model variances to account for uncertainty propagation from input data to AI model output. Between-model variances are evaluated to account for uncertainty due to model non-uniqueness. We employed Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy logic (TS-FL), artificial neural network (ANN) and neurofuzzy (NF) to estimate hydraulic conductivity for the Tasuj plain aquifer, Iran. BAIMA combined three AI models and produced better fitting than individual models. While NF was expected to be the best AI model owing to its utilization of both TS-FL and ANN models, the NF model is nearly discarded by the parsimony principle. The TS-FL model and the ANN model showed equal importance although their hydraulic conductivity estimates were quite different. This resulted in significant between-model variances that are normally ignored by using one AI model.

Modeling the long-term effect of winter cover crops on nitrate transport in artificially drained fields across the Midwest U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

A fall-planted cover crop is a management practice with multiple benefits including reducing nitrate losses from artificially drained fields. We used the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) to simulate the impact of a cereal rye cover crop on reducing nitrate losses from drained fields across five...

Unmasking tandem site interaction in human acetylcholinesterase. Substrate activation with a cationic acetanilide substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Joseph L; Cusack, Bernadette; Davies, Matthew P; Fauq, Abdul; Rosenberry, Terrone L

2003-05-13

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) contains a narrow and deep active site gorge with two sites of ligand binding, an acylation site (or A-site) at the base of the gorge, and a peripheral site (or P-site) near the gorge entrance. The P-site contributes to catalytic efficiency by transiently binding substrates on their way to the acylation site, where a short-lived acyl enzyme intermediate is produced. A conformational interaction between the A- and P-sites has recently been found to modulate ligand affinities. We now demonstrate that this interaction is of functional importance by showing that the acetylation rate constant of a substrate bound to the A-site is increased by a factor a when a second molecule of substrate binds to the P-site. This demonstration became feasible through the introduction of a new acetanilide substrate analogue of acetylcholine, 3-(acetamido)-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium (ATMA), for which a = 4. This substrate has a low acetylation rate constant and equilibrates with the catalytic site, allowing a tractable algebraic solution to the rate equation for substrate hydrolysis. ATMA affinities for the A- and P-sites deduced from the kinetic analysis were confirmed by fluorescence titration with thioflavin T as a reporter ligand. Values of a >1 give rise to a hydrolysis profile called substrate activation, and the AChE site-specific mutant W86F, and to a lesser extent wild-type human AChE itself, showed substrate activation with acetylthiocholine as the substrate. Substrate activation was incorporated into a previous catalytic scheme for AChE in which a bound P-site ligand can also block product dissociation from the A-site, and two additional features of the AChE catalytic pathway were revealed. First, the ability of a bound P-site ligand to increase the substrate acetylation rate constant varied with the structure of the ligand: thioflavin T accelerated ATMA acetylation by a factor a(2) of 1.3, while propidium failed to accelerate. Second, catalytic rate

Mechanical Characterization of Polydopamine-Assisted Silver Deposition on Polymer Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Cordes, Amanda Laurence

Inspired by the adhesive proteins in marine mussels, polydopamine has become a popular adhesive ad-layer for surface functionalization of a variety of substrates. Based on the chemistry of the dopamine monomer, amine and thiol functional groups are hypothesized to increase adhesion between polymer substrates and polydopamine thin films. This hypothesis was the central motivation for development of a tailorable thiol-ene system in order to study the effects of substrate chemistry on polydopamine adhesion. While polydopamine-adhered silver has been studied on a variety of substrates, no in depth mechanical characterization has been performed and to date, no research has been published on thiol-enes coated in polydopamine-adhered silver. The purpose of this study was to characterize the mechanical durability and adhesion properties of a polydopamine-adhered silver film on commercial substrates and a tailorable thiol-ene system. Polydopamine and silver coatings were deposited on a variety of polymer substrates through a simple dip-coat process. The polydopamine forms a thin uniform adhesive layer and the silver deposits in a discontinuous manner with a nanoparticle sized base layer covering the full surface and micron-sized clusters adhered sporadically on top. Mechanical tensile testing was performed to characterize the durability of the silver coating on commercial polymers. Coated nylon and HDPE showed no signs of degradation or delamination of the polydopamine-adhered silver coating up to 30% strain although both substrates showed large plastic deformation. Peel tests were performed on both commercial polymers as well as a tailorable thiol-ene system. Results support the hypothesis that polydopamine adhesion is increased with the presence of functional groups. Parts of the HDPE sample were cleanly peeled, but silver patches were left sporadically across the surface pointing to weaker adhesion between polyethylene and polydopamine. A high adhesive strength tape was

Microbial ecology of extreme environments: Antarctic dry valley yeasts and growth in substrate-limited habitats

Science.gov (United States)

Vishniac, H. S.

1982-01-01

The success of the Antarctic Dry Valley yeasts presumeably results from adaptations to multiple stresses, to low temperatures and substrate-limitation as well as prolonged resting periods enforced by low water availability. Previous investigations have suggested that the crucial stress is substrate limitation. Specific adaptations may be pinpointed by comparing the physiology of the Cryptococcus vishniacii complex, the yeasts of the Tyrol Valley, with their congeners from other habitats. Progress was made in methods of isolation and definition of ecological niches, in the design of experiments in competition for limited substrate, and in establishing the relationships of the Cryptococcus vishniacii complex with other yeasts. In the course of investigating relationships, a new method for 25SrRNA homology was developed. For the first time it appears that 25SrRNA homology may reflect parallel or convergent evolution.

Realizing InGaN monolithic solar-photoelectrochemical cells for artificial photosynthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dahal, R.; Pantha, B. N.; Li, J.; Lin, J. Y.; Jiang, H. X., E-mail: hx.jiang@ttu.edu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409 (United States)

2014-04-07

InGaN alloys are very promising for solar water splitting because they have direct bandgaps that cover almost the whole solar spectrum. The demonstration of direct solar-to-fuel conversion without external bias with the sunlight being the only energy input would pave the way for realizing photoelectrochemical (PEC) production of hydrogen by using InGaN. A monolithic solar-PEC cell based on InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells capable to directly generate hydrogen gas under zero bias via solar water splitting is reported. Under the irradiation by a simulated sunlight (1-sun with 100 mW/cm{sup 2}), a 1.5% solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency has been achieved under zero bias, setting a fresh benchmark of employing III-nitrides for artificial photosynthesis. Time dependent hydrogen gas production photocurrent measured over a prolonged period (measured for 7 days) revealed an excellent chemical stability of InGaN in aqueous solution of hydrobromic acid. The results provide insights into the architecture design of using InGaN for artificial photosynthesis to provide usable clean fuel (hydrogen gas) with the sunlight being the only energy input.

Identifying artificial selection signals in the chicken genome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunlong Ma

Full Text Available Identifying the signals of artificial selection can contribute to further shaping economically important traits. Here, a chicken 600k SNP-array was employed to detect the signals of artificial selection using 331 individuals from 9 breeds, including Jingfen (JF, Jinghong (JH, Araucanas (AR, White Leghorn (WL, Pekin-Bantam (PB, Shamo (SH, Gallus-Gallus-Spadiceus (GA, Rheinlander (RH and Vorwerkhuhn (VO. Per the population genetic structure, 9 breeds were combined into 5 breed-pools, and a 'two-step' strategy was used to reveal the signals of artificial selection. GA, which has little artificial selection, was defined as the reference population, and a total of 204, 155, 305 and 323 potential artificial selection signals were identified in AR_VO, PB, RH_WL and JH_JF, respectively. We also found signals derived from standing and de-novo genetic variations have contributed to adaptive evolution during artificial selection. Further enrichment analysis suggests that the genomic regions of artificial selection signals harbour genes, including THSR, PTHLH and PMCH, responsible for economic traits, such as fertility, growth and immunization. Overall, this study found a series of genes that contribute to the improvement of chicken breeds and revealed the genetic mechanisms of adaptive evolution, which can be used as fundamental information in future chicken functional genomics study.

Artificial Intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Wash, Darrel Patrick

1989-01-01

Making a machine seem intelligent is not easy. As a consequence, demand has been rising for computer professionals skilled in artificial intelligence and is likely to continue to go up. These workers develop expert systems and solve the mysteries of machine vision, natural language processing, and neural networks. (Editor)

MOVPE and characterization of GaN-based structures on alternative substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dikme, Y.

2006-06-20

This study involves growth experiments of GaN-based layer structures on silicon (Si), lithium aluminate (LiAlO{sub 2}) and the composite substrate SiCOI. Substrate specific preparation and growth procedures were developed. Because of the different lattice constants and thermal expansion coefficients between GaN and the substrate materials and because of the high depositions temperatures (>1000 C) complex interlayers are required to create a crossover from the substrate to the GaN layer and to prevent substrate/layer bowing and cracks developing in the epitaxial layers. Crystallographic, thermal and electronic properties of these materials were investigated and the developed layers were used as buffer layers for electronic and opto electronic devices. On Si AlN/GaN distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR), InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) and AlGaN/GaN HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) were demonstrated. The transistor structures showed high power densities, which were comparable to industrially fabricated devices. As well as the reflection of a certain wavelength region, the DBR layers additionally showed positive influence on succeeding GaN top layer optical properties. For the first time laser emission of an optically pumped InGaN/GaN MQW on Si was demonstrated with low excitation density and a high operating temperature. GaN-based structures were deposited on LiAlO2 in the m-plane crystal orientation; that do not exhibit polarization mechanisms in growth direction. For the deposition of coalesced GaN films a seal-coating of the LiAlO{sub 2} surface was developed and finally LED structures were grown on these substrates. For the first time electroluminescence of LED structures on LiAlO{sub 2} was achieved. The growth on the composite substrate SiCOI was initiated with an HT AlN layer and it was demonstrated that SiCOI is comparable to a bulk SiC substrate for the GaN-based epitaxy. The developed and investigated layer structure served as buffer for the

Artificial sweetener; Jinko kanmiryo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-08-01

The patents related to the artificial sweetener that it is introduced to the public in 3 years from 1996 until 1998 are 115 cases. The sugar quality which makes an oligosaccharide and sugar alcohol the subject is greatly over 28 cases of the non-sugar quality in the one by the kind as a general tendency of these patents at 73 cases in such cases as the Aspartame. The method of manufacture patent, which included new material around other peptides, the oligosaccharide and sugar alcohol isn`t inferior to 56 cases of the formation thing patent at 43 cases, and pays attention to the thing, which is many by the method of manufacture, formation. There is most improvement of the quality of sweetness with 31 cases in badness of the aftertaste which is characteristic of the artificial sweetener and so on, and much stability including the improvement in the flavor of food by the artificial sweetener, a long time and dissolution, fluid nature and productivity and improvement of the economy such as a cost are seen with effect on a purpose. (NEDO)

Artificial Neural Networks and Instructional Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, Patricia A.

1991-01-01

Artificial neural networks (ANN), part of artificial intelligence, are discussed. Such networks are fed sample cases (training sets), learn how to recognize patterns in the sample data, and use this experience in handling new cases. Two cognitive roles for ANNs (intelligent filters and spreading, associative memories) are examined. Prototypes…

Non-commutative multiple-valued logic algebras

CERN Document Server

Ciungu, Lavinia Corina

2014-01-01

This monograph provides a self-contained and easy-to-read introduction to non-commutative multiple-valued logic algebras; a subject which has attracted much interest in the past few years because of its impact on information science, artificial intelligence and other subjects.   A study of the newest results in the field, the monograph includes treatment of pseudo-BCK algebras, pseudo-hoops, residuated lattices, bounded divisible residuated lattices, pseudo-MTL algebras, pseudo-BL algebras and pseudo-MV algebras. It provides a fresh perspective on new trends in logic and algebras in that algebraic structures can be developed into fuzzy logics which connect quantum mechanics, mathematical logic, probability theory, algebra and soft computing.   Written in a clear, concise and direct manner, Non-Commutative Multiple-Valued Logic Algebras will be of interest to masters and PhD students, as well as researchers in mathematical logic and theoretical computer science.

Germacrene A Synthase in Yarrow (Achillea millefolium Is an Enzyme with Mixed Substrate Specificity: Gene Cloning, Functional Characterization and Expression Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leila ePazouki

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Terpenoid synthases constitute a highly diverse gene family producing a wide range of cyclic and acyclic molecules consisting of isoprene (C5 residues. Often a single terpene synthase produces a spectrum of molecules of given chain length, but some terpene synthases can use multiple substrates, producing products of different chain length. Only a few such enzymes has been characterized, but the capacity for multiple-substrate use can be more widespread than previously thought. Here we focused on germacrene A synthase (GAS that is a key cytosolic enzyme in the sesquiterpene lactone biosynthesis pathway in the important medicinal plant Achillea millefolium (AmGAS. The full length encoding gene was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3, functionally characterized, and its in vivo expression was analyzed. The recombinant protein catalyzed formation of germacrene A with the C15 substrate farnesyl diphosphate (FDP, while acyclic monoterpenes were formed with the C10 substrate geranyl diphosphate (GDP and cyclic monoterpenes with the C10 substrate neryl diphosphate (NDP. Although monoterpene synthesis has been assumed to be confined exclusively to plastids, AmGAS can potentially synthesize monoterpenes in cytosol when GDP or NDP become available. AmGAS enzyme had high homology with GAS sequences from other Asteraceae species, suggesting that multi-substrate use can be more widespread among germacrene A synthases than previously thought. Expression studies indicated that AmGAS was expressed in both autotrophic and heterotrophic plant compartments with the highest expression levels in leaves and flowers. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the cloning and characterization of germacrene A synthase coding gene in A. millefolium, and multi-substrate use of GAS enzymes.

Digital Genesis: Computers, Evolution and Artificial Life

OpenAIRE

Taylor, Tim; Dorin, Alan; Korb, Kevin

2015-01-01

The application of evolution in the digital realm, with the goal of creating artificial intelligence and artificial life, has a history as long as that of the digital computer itself. We illustrate the intertwined history of these ideas, starting with the early theoretical work of John von Neumann and the pioneering experimental work of Nils Aall Barricelli. We argue that evolutionary thinking and artificial life will continue to play an integral role in the future development of the digital ...

Efficiency and durability of a self-cleaning coating on concrete and stones under both natural and artificial ageing trials

Science.gov (United States)

Carmona-Quiroga, P. M.; Martínez-Ramírez, S.; Viles, H. A.

2018-03-01

This study aimed to test the performance under long-term working conditions of a commercial self-cleaning coating, a water-based TiO2 sol, on three building materials important in recent and older European heritage; Portland limestone, Woodkirk sandstone and concrete. First, the compatibility of the coating (effect on petrophysical properties) with the substrates was demonstrated by examining aesthetic properties and water vapour permeability of the building materials and secondly, the self-cleaning ability of the TiO2 nanoparticles in degrading artificial stain (rhodamine B) under UV light was evaluated. Finally, the durability (lasting performance) of photocatalytic activity was assessed during one year of outdoor exposure trial and 2000 h of accelerated ageing in a chamber with UV radiation and condensation cycles. Results showed that photocatalytic activity was unaltered on concrete, whereas on sandstone, particularly after artificial ageing, it was reduced due to the removal of nanoparticles from the surface. On limestone, a decrease of TiO2 content was observed but photodegradation efficiency (ability to perform as self-cleaner) seemed not to be affected.

Avoidance, biomass and survival response of soil dwelling (endogeic) earthworms to OECD artificial soil: potential implications for earthworm ecotoxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Brami, C; Glover, A R; Butt, K R; Lowe, C N

2017-05-01

Soil dwelling earthworms are now adopted more widely in ecotoxicology, so it is vital to establish if standardised test parameters remain applicable. The main aim of this study was to determine the influence of OECD artificial soil on selected soil-dwelling, endogeic earthworm species. In an initial experiment, biomass change in mature Allolobophora chlorotica was recorded in Standard OECD Artificial Soil (AS) and also in Kettering Loam (KL). In a second experiment, avoidance behaviour was recorded in a linear gradient with varying proportions of AS and KL (100% AS, 75% AS + 25% KL, 50% KS + 50% KL, 25% AS + 75% KL, 100% KL) with either A. chlorotica or Octolasion cyaneum. Results showed a significant decrease in A. chlorotica biomass in AS relative to KL, and in the linear gradient, both earthworm species preferentially occupied sections containing higher proportions of KL over AS. Soil texture and specifically % composition and particle size of sand are proposed as key factors that influenced observed results. This research suggests that more suitable substrates are required for ecotoxicology tests with soil dwelling earthworms.

Maintainable substrate carrier for electroplating

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chen-An [Milpitas, CA; Abas, Emmanuel Chua [Laguna, PH; Divino, Edmundo Anida [Cavite, PH; Ermita, Jake Randal G [Laguna, PH; Capulong, Jose Francisco S [Laguna, PH; Castillo, Arnold Villamor [Batangas, PH; Ma,; Xiaobing, Diana [Saratoga, CA

2012-07-17

One embodiment relates to a substrate carrier for use in electroplating a plurality of substrates. The carrier includes a non-conductive carrier body on which the substrates are placed and conductive lines embedded within the carrier body. A plurality of conductive clip attachment parts are attached in a permanent manner to the conductive lines embedded within the carrier body. A plurality of contact clips are attached in a removable manner to the clip attachment parts. The contact clips hold the substrates in place and conductively connecting the substrates with the conductive lines. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

[Experimental study on novel hybrid artificial trachea transplantation].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wenliang; Xiao, Peng; Liang, Hengxing; An, Ran; Cheng, Gang; Yu, Fenglei

2014-04-01

We developed and designed a new type of artificial trachea. The basic structure of the artificial trachea was polytetrafluoroethylene vascular prosthesis linked with titanium rings on both sides. Dualmesh was sutured on titanium rings. This experimentation follows the replacement of trachea in dogs with a combined artificial trachea to investigate the feasibility of this type of prosthesis. Sixteen dogs were implanted with the combined artificial trachea after resection of 5 cm of cervical trachea. The 5 cm-long trachea of dogs on the necks were resected and the reconstruction of the defect of the trachea was performed with trachea prosthesis. According to the method of trachea reconstruction, the models were divided into 2 groups, artificial trachea implantation group (the control group, n = 8) and group of artificial trachea implantation with growth factor (the experimental group, n = 8). Then computer tomography scan (CT), bronchoscope and pathologic examination were conducted periodically to observe the healing state of the hybrid artificial trachea. None of the dogs died during operation of cervical segmental trachea construction. But four dogs in the control group died of apnea in succession because artificial trachea was displaced and the lumen was obstructed, while 2 dogs died in the experimental group. In the first month there was granulation around anastomosis with slight stenosis. The rest of dogs were well alive until they were sacrificed 14 months later. The mean survival time of the experimental group was longer than that of the control group. The rate of infection, anastomotic dehiscence, severe stenosis and accidental death in the experimental group were lower than the control group (P anastomosis effectively but infections and split or displacement of the artificial trachea are still major problems affecting long-term survival of the animals. Application of growth factors to a certain extent promotes tissue healing by changing the local environment.

AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE APPROACH FOR THE PREDICTION OF SURFACE ROUGHNESS IN CO2 LASER CUTTING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MILOŠ MADIĆ

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In laser cutting, the cut quality is of great importance. Multiple non-linear effects of process parameters and their interactions make very difficult to predict cut quality. In this paper, artificial intelligence (AI approach was applied to predict the surface roughness in CO2 laser cutting. To this aim, artificial neural network (ANN model of surface roughness was developed in terms of cutting speed, laser power and assist gas pressure. The experimental results obtained from Taguchi’s L25 orthogonal array were used to develop ANN model. The ANN mathematical model of surface roughness was expressed as explicit nonlinear function of the selected input parameters. Statistical results indicate that the ANN model can predict the surface roughness with good accuracy. It was showed that ANNs may be used as a good alternative in analyzing the effects of cutting parameters on the surface roughness.

Bringing Artificial Gravity into the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Grant; Aning, Isaac

2018-01-01

We recently conducted an experimental test of artificial gravity by placing various species of plants in centrifuges and analyzed the plants’ germination and growth. This research project incorporated several topics covered in undergraduate astronomy, biology, and physics courses. Given the interest of introductory astronomy students in artificial gravity and their pre-existing images of applications such as rotating spacecraft from pop culture, the results of the experiment may provide a gateway to discuss artificial gravity beyond teaching the traditional examples of Newton’s laws. We will discuss the experiment in detail and provide suggestions for how the experiment could be incorporated into your classroom.

Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Predicting and Mapping Daily Pan Evaporation

Science.gov (United States)

Arunkumar, R.; Jothiprakash, V.; Sharma, Kirty

2017-09-01

In this study, Artificial Intelligence techniques such as Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Model Tree (MT) and Genetic Programming (GP) are used to develop daily pan evaporation time-series (TS) prediction and cause-effect (CE) mapping models. Ten years of observed daily meteorological data such as maximum temperature, minimum temperature, relative humidity, sunshine hours, dew point temperature and pan evaporation are used for developing the models. For each technique, several models are developed by changing the number of inputs and other model parameters. The performance of each model is evaluated using standard statistical measures such as Mean Square Error, Mean Absolute Error, Normalized Mean Square Error and correlation coefficient (R). The results showed that daily TS-GP (4) model predicted better with a correlation coefficient of 0.959 than other TS models. Among various CE models, CE-ANN (6-10-1) resulted better than MT and GP models with a correlation coefficient of 0.881. Because of the complex non-linear inter-relationship among various meteorological variables, CE mapping models could not achieve the performance of TS models. From this study, it was found that GP performs better for recognizing single pattern (time series modelling), whereas ANN is better for modelling multiple patterns (cause-effect modelling) in the data.

Low temperature synthesis of graphene on arbitrary substrates and its transport properties

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Rong; Akhtar, Meysam; Alruqi, Adel; Jasinski, Jacek; Sumanasekera, Gamini; Department of Physics; Astronomy, University of Louisville Collaboration; Conn CenterRenewable Energy, University of Louisville Collaboration

Here we report the direct synthesis of uniform and vertically oriented graphene films on multiple substrates including glass, Si/SiO2, and copper foil by radio-frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using methane as the carbon precursor at relatively low temperatures. Raman spectra of all the samples show characteristic Raman peaks of graphene. The temperature dependence of electrical transport properties such as 4-probe resistance, thermo electrical power and hall mobility were measured for graphene grown on glass substrates at varying temperature from 500 ° C to 700 ° C. The morphological and surface characteristics were also studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This work demonstrates the potential of low temperature and transfer-free graphene growth for future graphene-based electronic applications.

Structural refinement of artificial superlattices by the X-ray diffraction method

CERN Document Server

Ishibashi, Y; Tsurumi, T

1999-01-01

This paper reports a structural refinement of BaTiO sub 3 (BTO)/SrTiO sub 3 (STO) artificially superstructured thin films. The refinement was achieved by taking into account the effect of interdiffusion between BTO and STO. The samples were prepared by a molecular-beam epitaxy method on SrTiO sub 3 (001) substrate at 600 .deg. C. The phonon model was employed to simulate the X-ray diffraction (XRD) profiles. A discrepancy was observed in the intensities of the satellite peaks when the effect of the interdiffusion between BTO and STO was not incorporated in the simulation. In successive simulations, the concentration profile due to the interdiffusion was first calculated according to Fick's second law, and then the coefficients of the Fourier series describing the lattice distortion and the modulation of the structure factor were determined. The XRD profiles thus simulated almost completely agreed with those observed. This indicates that XRD analysis with the calculation process proposed in this study will ena...

Development of a linear induction motor based artificial muscle system.

Science.gov (United States)

Gruber, A; Arguello, E; Silva, R

2013-01-01

We present the design of a linear induction motor based on electromagnetic interactions. The engine is capable of producing a linear movement from electricity. The design consists of stators arranged in parallel, which produce a magnetic field sufficient to displace a plunger along its axial axis. Furthermore, the winding has a shell and cap of ferromagnetic material that amplifies the magnetic field. This produces a force along the length of the motor that is similar to that of skeletal muscle. In principle, the objective is to use the engine in the development of an artificial muscle system for prosthetic applications, but it could have multiple applications, not only in the medical field, but in other industries.

Biologically inspired technologies using artificial muscles

Science.gov (United States)

Bar-Cohen, Yoseph

2005-01-01

After billions of years of evolution, nature developed inventions that work, which are appropriate for the intended tasks and that last. The evolution of nature led to the introduction of highly effective and power efficient biological mechanisms that are scalable from micron to many meters in size. Imitating these mechanisms offers enormous potentials for the improvement of our life and the tools we use. Humans have always made efforts to imitate nature and we are increasingly reaching levels of advancement where it becomes significantly easier to imitate, copy, and adapt biological methods, processes and systems. Some of the biomimetic technologies that have emerged include artificial muscles, artificial intelligence, and artificial vision to which significant advances in materials science, mechanics, electronics, and computer science have contributed greatly. One of the newest fields of biomimetics is the electroactive polymers (EAP) that are also known as artificial muscles. To take advantage of these materials, efforts are made worldwide to establish a strong infrastructure addressing the need for comprehensive analytical modeling of their operation mechanism and develop effective processing and characterization techniques. The field is still in its emerging state and robust materials are not readily available however in recent years significant progress has been made and commercial products have already started to appear. This paper covers the state-of-the-art and challenges to making artificial muscles and their potential biomimetic applications.

INFLUENCE OF ELECTROACUPUNCTURE ON ARTIFICIAL ABORTION-INDUCED SIDE EFFECTS

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

田丽颖

2001-01-01

In the present study, the effect of electroecupuncture (EA) of acupoints of Ren, Spleen and Stomach Meridians on artificial abortion-induced side effects was observed in 100 artificial abortion women. In comparison with 45 artificial abortion women in the control group (who had not accepted EA treatment), EA possessed significant effects in relieving abdominal pain, reducing vaginal bleeding duration, lowering infection rate and infertility rate after artificial abortion operation.

USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES IN QUALITY IMPROVING PROCESS

OpenAIRE

KALİTE İYİLEŞTİRME SÜRECİNDE YAPAY ZEKÃ KAYA; Orhan ENGİN

2005-01-01

Today, changing of competition conditions and customer preferences caused to happen many differences in the viewpoint of firms' quality studies. At the same time, improvements in computer technologies accelerated use of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence technologies are being used to solve many industry problems. In this paper, we investigated the use of artificial intelligence techniques to solve quality problems. The artificial intelligence techniques, which are used in quali...

Abstraction in artificial intelligence and complex systems

CERN Document Server

Saitta, Lorenza

2013-01-01

Abstraction is a fundamental mechanism underlying both human and artificial perception, representation of knowledge, reasoning and learning. This mechanism plays a crucial role in many disciplines, notably Computer Programming, Natural and Artificial Vision, Complex Systems, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Art, and Cognitive Sciences. This book first provides the reader with an overview of the notions of abstraction proposed in various disciplines by comparing both commonalities and differences.  After discussing the characterizing properties of abstraction, a formal model, the K

Readings in artificial intelligence and software engineering

CERN Document Server

Rich, Charles

1986-01-01

Readings in Artificial Intelligence and Software Engineering covers the main techniques and application of artificial intelligence and software engineering. The ultimate goal of artificial intelligence applied to software engineering is automatic programming. Automatic programming would allow a user to simply say what is wanted and have a program produced completely automatically. This book is organized into 11 parts encompassing 34 chapters that specifically tackle the topics of deductive synthesis, program transformations, program verification, and programming tutors. The opening parts p

Myocardial ischemia detection by artificial intelligence interpretation of Tl-201 tomograms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herbst, M.D.; Garcia, E.V.; Cooke, C.D.; Folks, R.D.; Ezquerra, N.F.

1989-01-01

This paper reports on an expert system environment which automatically assigned certainty factors to abnormal regions in stress and delayed myocardial thallium-201 polar bulls-eye plots. MYCIN-type algorithms propagated certainty factors for the presence, location, and character of each coronary lesion. Ninety-four previously validated rules that considered only stress perfusion defects spawned 91 new rules considering tracer redistribution. Fifteen new rules assessed vascular territories for the presence and location of fixed or reversible defects. This artificial intelligence tool can provide novice readers of cardiac T1-201 studies automatic, consistent, objective, and justified interpretations that consider artifacts, coronary territory overlap, and multiple defects

Integrating artificial intelligence with real-time intracranial EEG monitoring to automate interictal identification of seizure onset zones in focal epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Varatharajah, Yogatheesan; Berry, Brent; Cimbalnik, Jan; Kremen, Vaclav; Van Gompel, Jamie; Stead, Matt; Brinkmann, Benjamin; Iyer, Ravishankar; Worrell, Gregory

2018-08-01

An ability to map seizure-generating brain tissue, i.e. the seizure onset zone (SOZ), without recording actual seizures could reduce the duration of invasive EEG monitoring for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. A widely-adopted practice in the literature is to compare the incidence (events/time) of putative pathological electrophysiological biomarkers associated with epileptic brain tissue with the SOZ determined from spontaneous seizures recorded with intracranial EEG, primarily using a single biomarker. Clinical translation of the previous efforts suffers from their inability to generalize across multiple patients because of (a) the inter-patient variability and (b) the temporal variability in the epileptogenic activity. Here, we report an artificial intelligence-based approach for combining multiple interictal electrophysiological biomarkers and their temporal characteristics as a way of accounting for the above barriers and show that it can reliably identify seizure onset zones in a study cohort of 82 patients who underwent evaluation for drug-resistant epilepsy. Our investigation provides evidence that utilizing the complementary information provided by multiple electrophysiological biomarkers and their temporal characteristics can significantly improve the localization potential compared to previously published single-biomarker incidence-based approaches, resulting in an average area under ROC curve (AUC) value of 0.73 in a cohort of 82 patients. Our results also suggest that recording durations between 90 min and 2 h are sufficient to localize SOZs with accuracies that may prove clinically relevant. The successful validation of our approach on a large cohort of 82 patients warrants future investigation on the feasibility of utilizing intra-operative EEG monitoring and artificial intelligence to localize epileptogenic brain tissue. Broadly, our study demonstrates the use of artificial intelligence coupled with careful feature engineering in

Processing ultrasonic inspection data from multiple scan patterns for turbine rotor weld build-up evaluations

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Xuefei; Rasselkorde, El Mahjoub; Abbasi, Waheed; Zhou, S. Kevin

2015-03-01

The study presents a data processing methodology for weld build-up using multiple scan patterns. To achieve an overall high probability of detection for flaws with different orientations, an inspection procedure with three different scan patterns is proposed. The three scan patterns are radial-tangential longitude wave pattern, axial-radial longitude wave pattern, and tangential shear wave pattern. Scientific fusion of the inspection data is implemented using volume reconstruction techniques. The idea is to perform spatial domain forward data mapping for all sampling points. A conservative scheme is employed to handle the case that multiple sampling points are mapped to one grid location. The scheme assigns the maximum value for the grid location to retain the largest equivalent reflector size for the location. The methodology is demonstrated and validated using a realistic ring of weld build-up. Tungsten balls and bars are embedded to the weld build-up during manufacturing process to represent natural flaws. Flat bottomed holes and side drilled holes are installed as artificial flaws. Automatic flaw identification and extraction are demonstrated. Results indicate the inspection procedure with multiple scan patterns can identify all the artificial and natural flaws.

Morphological dependent Indium incorporation in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells structure grown on 4° misoriented sapphire substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teng Jiang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The epitaxial layers of InGaN/GaN MQWs structure were grown on both planar and vicinal sapphire substrates by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. By comparing the epitaxial layers grown on planar substrate, the sample grown on 4° misoriented from c-plane toward m-plane substrate exhibited many variations both on surface morphology and optical properties according to the scanning electronic microscopy and cathodoluminescence (CL spectroscopy results. Many huge steps were observed in the misoriented sample and a large amount of V-shape defects located around the boundary of the steps. Atoms force microscopy images show that the steps were inclined and deep grooves were formed at the boundary of the adjacent steps. Phase separation was observed in the CL spectra. CL mapping results also indicated that the deep grooves could effectively influence the localization of Indium atoms and form an In-rich region.

Bicaudal is a conserved substrate for Drosophila and mammalian caspases and is essential for cell survival.