5 research outputs found

    Unmanned Vehicle Systems & Operations on Air, Sea, Land

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    Unmanned Vehicle Systems & Operations On Air, Sea, Land is our fourth textbook in a series covering the world of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CUAS). (Nichols R. K., 2018) (Nichols R. K., et al., 2019) (Nichols R. , et al., 2020)The authors have expanded their purview beyond UAS / CUAS systems. Our title shows our concern for growth and unique cyber security unmanned vehicle technology and operations for unmanned vehicles in all theaters: Air, Sea and Land – especially maritime cybersecurity and China proliferation issues. Topics include: Information Advances, Remote ID, and Extreme Persistence ISR; Unmanned Aerial Vehicles & How They Can Augment Mesonet Weather Tower Data Collection; Tour de Drones for the Discerning Palate; Underwater Autonomous Navigation & other UUV Advances; Autonomous Maritime Asymmetric Systems; UUV Integrated Autonomous Missions & Drone Management; Principles of Naval Architecture Applied to UUV’s; Unmanned Logistics Operating Safely and Efficiently Across Multiple Domains; Chinese Advances in Stealth UAV Penetration Path Planning in Combat Environment; UAS, the Fourth Amendment and Privacy; UV & Disinformation / Misinformation Channels; Chinese UAS Proliferation along New Silk Road Sea / Land Routes; Automaton, AI, Law, Ethics, Crossing the Machine – Human Barrier and Maritime Cybersecurity.Unmanned Vehicle Systems are an integral part of the US national critical infrastructure The authors have endeavored to bring a breadth and quality of information to the reader that is unparalleled in the unclassified sphere. Unmanned Vehicle (UV) Systems & Operations On Air, Sea, Land discusses state-of-the-art technology / issues facing U.S. UV system researchers / designers / manufacturers / testers. We trust our newest look at Unmanned Vehicles in Air, Sea, and Land will enrich our students and readers understanding of the purview of this wonderful technology we call UV.https://newprairiepress.org/ebooks/1035/thumbnail.jp

    Towards self-powered wireless sensor networks

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    Ubiquitous computing aims at creating smart environments in which computational and communication capabilities permeate the word at all scales, improving the human experience and quality of life in a totally unobtrusive yet completely reliable manner. According to this vision, an huge variety of smart devices and products (e.g., wireless sensor nodes, mobile phones, cameras, sensors, home appliances and industrial machines) are interconnected to realize a network of distributed agents that continuously collect, process, share and transport information. The impact of such technologies in our everyday life is expected to be massive, as it will enable innovative applications that will profoundly change the world around us. Remotely monitoring the conditions of patients and elderly people inside hospitals and at home, preventing catastrophic failures of buildings and critical structures, realizing smart cities with sustainable management of traffic and automatic monitoring of pollution levels, early detecting earthquake and forest fires, monitoring water quality and detecting water leakages, preventing landslides and avalanches are just some examples of life-enhancing applications made possible by smart ubiquitous computing systems. To turn this vision into a reality, however, new raising challenges have to be addressed, overcoming the limits that currently prevent the pervasive deployment of smart devices that are long lasting, trusted, and fully autonomous. In particular, the most critical factor currently limiting the realization of ubiquitous computing is energy provisioning. In fact, embedded devices are typically powered by short-lived batteries that severely affect their lifespan and reliability, often requiring expensive and invasive maintenance. In this PhD thesis, we investigate the use of energy-harvesting techniques to overcome the energy bottleneck problem suffered by embedded devices, particularly focusing on Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), which are one of the key enablers of pervasive computing systems. Energy harvesting allows to use energy readily available from the environment (e.g., from solar light, wind, body movements, etc.) to significantly extend the typical lifetime of low-power devices, enabling ubiquitous computing systems that can last virtually forever. However, the design challenges posed both at the hardware and at the software levels by the design of energy-autonomous devices are many. This thesis addresses some of the most challenging problems of this emerging research area, such as devising mechanisms for energy prediction and management, improving the efficiency of the energy scavenging process, developing protocols for harvesting-aware resource allocation, and providing solutions that enable robust and reliable security support. %, including the design of mechanisms for energy prediction and management, improving the efficiency of the energy harvesting process, the develop of protocols for harvesting-aware resource allocation, and providing solutions that enable robust and reliable security support

    Calophyllum canum : antibacterial and anticancer plant

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    Human have used plants as a source of medicine throughout the world since time immemorial. Today there are at least 120 distinct chemical substances derived from plants that are considered as important drugs currently in use in one or more countries in the world. In particular, 60% drugs currently in clinical use for treatment of cancer were found to be of natural origin. Calophyllum canum is a large tree which grows in South East Asia and which is popular for its timber. This plant belongs to the family Guttiferae; a family that boasts species which are rich in bioactive phytochemicals. Some species are believed to having medicinal values and are used against several diseases including anti-inflammatory, anti infectious, astringent and antipyretic. We have successfully isolated two compounds from the methanol extract of Calophyllum canum stembarks that active inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213 and ATCC 25923). The cytotoxic study on the extracts revealed that the n-hexane extract had the strongest antiproliferation activity, followed by the methanol extract. n-hexane strongly inhibited the growth of TE1 and MCF7 cell lines. IC50 for n-hexane and methanol extract activity on the A549 cell line was found to be 27.96 ÎĽg/mL and 78.9 ÎĽg/mL respectively.The compounds (CE0 - CE5) isolated from ethyl acetate extract of C. canum are active to inhibit cell proliferation of human cervix adenocarcinoma cells

    An investigation of optical methods for the mapping of microgradients of hydrogen-ion concentration within dental biofilms

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    The oral cavity is the most complex and accessible microbial ecosystem in the human body. It is the entrance to the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts and, as such is exposed to unique environmental constraints. The human mouth is home to a myriad of microorganisms, many of which are exclusively found in this unique habitat. These microbial inhabitants can establish themselves and thrive in this environment by attaching to the various surfaces of the oral cavity. Following attachment, they form three-dimensional, complex and highly-integrated microbial communities. Despite their complexity and natural fluctuations in environmental parameters, in health, these communities remain relatively stable over time. This stability is termed microbial homeostasis. Disruption of the microbial homeostasis occurs as a result of regular or prolonged challenges in the form of an altered environment. These disruptions favour a shift in the microbial populations, suppressing the metabolism of the beneficial inhabitants and allowing unfavourable microorganisms to thrive in the lack of competition. This change in the oral microbiota facilitates the progression from oral health to disease. Despite continuing research and development in preventative measures dental caries, characterised by localised dissolution of the dental hard tissues, remain one of the most prevalent disorders affecting man today. This decay occurs as a result of strong organic acids produced by the microbiota within dental plaque following exposure to fermentable carbohydrates. Furthermore, prolonged and regular exposure to acids suppresses the growth of 'beneficial' bacteria allowing acidogenic, aciduric microorganisms, such as Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli to thrive in the lack of competition. The presence of these acidogenic microorganisms causes an increase in acid production and an increase in the duration of exposure to those acids. Although rarely life-threatening, they create an enormous economic burden to healthcare providers worldwide and cause significant physical and social impact on those affected, including diet, communication and self-esteem. Greater understanding is required to appreciate the dynamic relationship that exists between the environment, the microbiota and the host. To gain a greater understanding of how the microbial ecology is affected, it is necessary to be able to determine how pH changes during and following fermentation and the effect these perturbations have upon the microbial community. At present, the most commonly employed methods include the use of microelectrodes, whether through insertion into laboratory grown biofilm or incorporated within in vivo prosthetics devices. These methods are not without their drawbacks. In the act of measurement, microelectrodes are inserted into the biofilm resulting in, at least partial, disruption of the biofilm and this may have a detrimental effect on the results. In vivo prosthetics provides measurement at the biofilm interfaces and in physiological conditions, however almost certainly require partially dentate individuals and are difficult to use. Novel methods are required to investigate pH within biofilms which provide a multidimensional determination, including temporal, and do not cause a detrimental effect upon the biofilm. Here, I examine two optical methods which utilised different properties of fluorescence to investigate pH microgradients within biofilms designed to mimic cariogenic dental plaque. The two methods are dual-fluorophore, ratiometric, pH-sensitive nanosensors imaged through confocal laser scanning microscopy and SNARF®-4F 5-(and-6)-carboxylic acid imaged through time-correlated single-photon counting and fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy. The nanosensors were designed, produced and characterised prior to calibration. The nanosensors were applied to biofilms with limited success, likely due to poor penetration. The optical properties of SNARF®-4F 5-(and-6)-carboxylic acid were characterised, including the two-photon molecular excitation wavelength for use here. The fluorophore was calibrated and applied to bacterial sediment and biofilms and the localised environmental pH assessed following exposure to a fermentable carbohydrate to decrease the pH. Many of the drawbacks experienced with currently employed methods have been addressed by these methods, however further research and development is required

    XIII International Congress in Animal Hygiene, June 17-21, 2007, Tartu, Estonia "Animal health, animal welfare and biosecurity" : proceedings. Volume 1

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    KonverentsikogumikOn behalf of both the Organising Committee and the Scientific Committee, I am pleased to welcome you in Tartu, Estonia, to participate at the XIII International Congress of the International Society for Animal Hygiene (ISAH). The ISAH (www.isah-soc.org) was founded in 1970 and has today members from 48 countries throughout the world. ISAH can be considered as a group of scientists contributing to efficient, sustainable animal farming with healthy animals, providing wholesome food in a sound environment. Veterinarians and non-veterinary academic scientists (animal science, agricultural economics, engineers, microbiologists, public health professionals, epidemiologists etc., etc) and respective professionals in animal husbandry, who work and/or do research and education in the field of animal hygiene, can apply for a membership of ISAH, and are most welcome to attend ISAH congresses. The first ISAH congress was held in Budapest in 1973. The last ISAH main congress took place in Warsaw, Poland in 2005 and the last in-between symposium in Saint-Malo, France in 2004. Starting from Warsaw congress in 2005, the ISAH, considering the need for a more flexible and frequent exchange of scientific and practical knowledge, organizes its congresses every second year. The present, XIII ISAH congress in Tartu, Estonia, in June 17–21, 2007 is organised under the device "Animal health, animal welfare and biosecurity”. The scientific programme, trying to follow the scope of the ISAH and receive the feedback from modern animal husbandry and food production, concentrates with more profoundness on the following subjects: interaction between the environment and health and welfare of individual animal and herds; managing animal health in large dairy units; ensuring animal welfare during transportation and slaughter; economical implications considering animals’ health; possibilities of precision livestock farming in maintaining good health and welfare of animals; measures for prevention the development and spread of diseases and pathogens in animals including those posing risk to human health (zoonoses); food safety relevant infections and contaminations such as residues in food derived from animals; influence of the animal production on the environment and public health. The Proceedings from the XIII ISAH Congress are herewith presented. The papers on lectures from invited speakers, oral and poster presentations from 11 parallel sessions are included in this excellent compilation. In general, the printed contribution to the ISAH-2007 congress illustrates clearly the broad scientific field of the ISAH and related to it activities. I hereby would like to express my most sincere gratitude in the address of ISAH-2007 organising and scientific committees. Special thanks go to Frens Conference Services for their excellent organizational and technical contribution and to AS Triip for their outstanding printing job of these proceedings. We also appreciate different companies and organisations for their considerable financial support which gave us the opportunity to keep the registration fees affordable. Finally, we thank all participants, contributors, chairpersons, organisational and technical assistants for your considerable efforts – you made the ISAH-2007 in Tartu real success. We wish you all interesting and pleasant congress and enjoyable stay in Tartu. A. Aland Editor Chairman of the ISAH-2007 Organising Committe
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