Parallelized Particle and Gaussian Sum Particle Filters for Large Scale Freeway Traffic Systems

Large scale traffic systems require techniques able to: 1) deal with high amounts of data and heterogenous data coming from different types of sensors, 2) provide robustness in the presence of sparse sensor data, 3) incorporate different models that can deal with various traffic regimes, 4) cope with multimodal conditional probability density functions for the states. Often centralized architectures face challenges due to high communication demands. This paper develops new estimation techniques able to cope with these problems of large traffic network systems. These are Parallelized Particle Filters (PPFs) and a Parallelized Gaussian Sum Particle Filter (PGSPF) that are suitable for on-line traffic management. We show how complex probability density functions of the high dimensional trafc state can be decomposed into functions with simpler forms and the whole estimation problem solved in an efcient way. The proposed approach is general, with limited interactions which reduces the computational time and provides high estimation accuracy. The efciency of the PPFs and PGSPFs is evaluated in terms of accuracy, complexity and communication demands and compared with the case where all processing is centralized

Nutritional Composition of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni Leaf: Effect of Drying Method

Purpose: To determine the effect of three methods of drying, viz, sun, oven and microwave, on Steviarebaudiana Bertoni leaf’s nutritional composition.Methods: Fresh Stevia rebaudian bertoni leaves were dried separately by sun, oven and microwave.The chemical composition was determined by Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC)method. Tannin content was measured by titrimetric method while heavy metals were analyzed byatomic absorption spectrometry.Results: The following data were obtained for the plant when the three drying methods were employed:moisture content, 4.45 – 10.73 %; ash, 4.65 – 12.06 %; protein, 12.44 – 13.68 %; fat, 4.18 – 6.13 %;total dietary fiber, 4.35 – 5.26 % and total carbohydrates, 63.10 – 73.99 %. The pH value was 5.96, 5.95and 6.24 for sun, oven and microwave drying, respectively. Total energy of the plant material was in therange 362.3 – 384.2 kcal/100 g while tannin content was in the range 5.43 – 5.91 %. Moreover,reducing sugar was 4.5, 4.8 and 5.3 %, respectively, for sun, oven and microwave drying. Heavy metalscontent varied in stevia leaves, with lead was detected in high concentration in sun-, oven- andmicrowave–dried materials with values of 4.77, 0.14 and 2.16 ìg/g, respectively, while thecorresponding values for cadmium were 0.49, 0.44 and 0.33 ìg/g, Arsenic level was 0.30, 0.09 and 0.10ìg/g for sun, oven and microwave drying, respectively. Mercury level was the same (0.1 ìg/g)irrespective of the drying method.Conclusion: The results obtained indicate that Stevia leaves is a good source of carbohydrate andother nutrients and hence a substitute for sugar in processed drinks. Furthermore, drying reducesnutritional values with the exception to fiber content.Keywords: Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni , Nutritional composition, Protein, Heavy metals, Drying, Totalenerg

ARMC 5 Variants and Risk of Hypertension in Blacks: MH- GRID Study.

Background We recently found that ARMC 5 variants may be associated with primary aldosteronism in blacks. We investigated a cohort from the MH - GRID (Minority Health Genomics and Translational Research Bio-Repository Database) and tested the association between ARMC 5 variants and blood pressure in black s. Methods and Results Whole exome sequencing data of 1377 black s were analyzed. Target single-variant and gene-based association analyses of hypertension were performed for ARMC 5, and replicated in a subset of 3015 individuals of African descent from the UK Biobank cohort. Sixteen rare variants were significantly associated with hypertension ( P=0.0402) in the gene-based (optimized sequenced kernel association test) analysis; the 16 and one other, rs116201073, together, showed a strong association ( P=0.0003) with blood pressure in this data set. The presence of the rs116201073 variant was associated with lower blood pressure. We then used human embryonic kidney 293 and adrenocortical H295R cells transfected with an ARMC 5 construct containing rs116201073 (c.*920T>C). The latter was common in both the discovery ( MH - GRID ) and replication ( UK Biobank) data and reached statistical significance ( P=0.044 [odds ratio, 0.7] and P=0.007 [odds ratio, 0.76], respectively). The allele carrying rs116201073 increased levels of ARMC5 mRNA , consistent with its protective effect in the epidemiological data. Conclusions ARMC 5 shows an association with hypertension in black s when rare variants within the gene are considered. We also identified a protective variant of the ARMC 5 gene with an effect on ARMC 5 expression confirmed in vitro. These results extend our previous report of ARMC 5's possible involvement in the determination of blood pressure in blacks

Lessons from Senegal's Database System for Case Management for Child Protection: A Pilot Project on Web?based and Mobile Technology

This case study on the Database System for Case Management for Child Protection in Senegal focuses on rapid monitoring for immediate use in service delivery and (thus) complements other country studies in this IDS Bulletin . The case provides an exciting initiative with much potential for improving child protection services, as well as additional information generation with the potential for broader monitoring, advocacy and operations research. The challenges centre on the need for clearer definition and agreement of roles and responsibilities between actors at different levels, as well as coming to an agreed balance of the sharing of data on individual cases with data protection, for confidentiality. The key lesson has been the importance of a collaborative process of developing the system with diverse actors in child protection, coupled with an accompanying consultative process of developing an inter?sectoral national child protection strategy: in other words, a way of establishing common standards together

Protection by Inhaled Hydrogen Therapy in a Rat Model of Acute Lung Injury can be Tracked \u3cem\u3ein vivo\u3c/em\u3e Using Molecular Imaging

Inhaled hydrogen gas (H2) provides protection in rat models of human acute lung injury (ALI). We previously reported that biomarker imaging can detect oxidative stress and endothelial cell death in vivo in a rat model of ALI. Our objective was to evaluate the ability of 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamineoxime (HMPAO) and 99mTc-duramycin to track the effectiveness of H2 therapy in vivo in the hyperoxia rat model of ALI. Rats were exposed to room air (normoxia), 98% O2 + 2% N2 (hyperoxia) or 98% O2 + 2% H2 (hyperoxia+H2) for up to 60 h. In vivo scintigraphy images were acquired following injection of 99mTc-HMPAO or 99mTc-duramycin. For hyperoxiarats, 99mTc-HMPAO and 99mTc-duramycin lung uptake increased in a time-dependent manner, reaching a maximum increase of 270% and 150% at 60 h, respectively. These increases were reduced to 120% and 70%, respectively, in hyperoxia+H2 rats. Hyperoxia exposure increased glutathione content in lung homogenate (36%) more than hyperoxia+H2 (21%), consistent with increases measured in 99mTc-HMPAO lung uptake. In 60-h hyperoxia rats, pleural effusion, which was undetectable in normoxia rats, averaged 9.3 gram/rat, and lung tissue 3-nitrotyrosine expression increased by 790%. Increases were reduced by 69% and 59%, respectively, in 60-h hyperoxia+H2 rats. This study detects and tracks the anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic properties of H2 therapy in vivo after as early as 24 h of hyperoxia exposure. The results suggest the potential utility of these SPECT biomarkers for in vivo assessment of key cellular pathways in the pathogenesis of ALI and for monitoring responses to therapies

The prevalence and distribution of the amyloidogenic transthyretin (TTR) V122I allele in Africa

Transthyretin (TTR) pV142I (rs76992529-A) is one of the 113 variants in the human TTR gene associated with systemic amyloidosis. It results from a G to A transition at a CG dinucleotide in the codon for amino acid 122 of the mature protein (TTR V122I). The allele frequency is 0.0173 in African Americans

Effect of Pyrodextrinization, Crosslinking and Heat- Moisture Treatment on In vitro Formation and Digestibility of Resistant Starch from African Locust Bean (Parkia biglobosa)

Purpose: This investigation was carried out to determine the impact of Parkia biglobosa starch modification on the fractions, namely rapidly digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS), and resistant starch (RS).Methods: Aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite and potassium hydroxide was used to extract starch prior to modification by pyrodextrinization, cross-linking and heat-moisture treatment. Solubility,swelling power, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermal properties of the native and modified starches were also studied.Results: Pyrodextrinization (PD), cross-linking (CL), and heat-moisture treatment (HMT) reduced the swelling power to 6.73, 4.17 and 5.57 g/g, respectively but increased solubility by 59.0, 41, 41.5 and 39.5 %, respectively, and tended to decrease gelatinization enthalpy (ÄH). Starch yield was 25.7 % on a whole seed basis. RS content significantly (p < 0.05) increased to 46.3, 49.2 and 45.3 %, respectively following PD, CL and HMT. X-ray diffraction resulrs indicate the presence of V-type crystallinity in the modified parkia starch while SEM showed PD and CL starch structures were more compact and dense than HMT starch which was irregularly-shaped formed.Conclusion: Native parkia starch modified by pyrodextrinization, cross-linking and heat-moisture treatment showed appreciably higher thermal stability which makes it suitable for incorporation in foods that are subject to high temperature processing and high shear.Keywords: Pyrodextrinization, Crosslinking, Heat-moisture treatment, Gelatinization, Resistant starch, Parkia biglobos

Effects of Phytosterol in Feed on Growth and Related Gene Expression in Muscles of Broiler Chickens

Purpose: To investigate the effect of phytosterol in a feed on growth and gene expression of broiler chickens.Methods: Seven isonitrogenous diets with graded levels of polyhydroxy phytosterol(Castastesrone) (15, 20, and 25 g/kg diet) and hydroxyphytosterol (â-sitosterol) (25, 50, and 75 g/kg diet) were used to feed broiler chickens for 45 d.Results: The dietary phytosterol significantly improved (p < 0.05) the body weight and feed intake of broiler chickens, especially with the 75 g/kg diet. In contrast, phytosterol supplementation was associated with significant (p < 0.05) hypotriglyceridemic effects with concurrent modifications ofdepressed antioxidant defence systems in the broiler chickens. Myogen, eIF4E, and S6k1 gene expression levels in tissues were significantly (p < 0.05) improved by dietary phytosterol. mTOR gene expression levels in muscle tissues were increased significantly (p < 0.05), but myostatin  (GDF-8) and ubiquitin levels were significantly decreased (p < 0.05).Conclusion: These results suggest that giving immediate phytosterol feeding regimen to chicks is a good feeding program for appropriate morphological development of the pectoralis major muscle and the  expression of genes necessary for muscle cell proliferation and   differentiation. Furthermore, the data suggest that developmental decline in skeletal muscle protein synthesis, may be partly attributed to developmental regulation of the activation of growth factor and nutrient components.Keywords: Broiler chicken, Polyhydroxy phytosterol; Hydroxyphytosterol, Feed, Antioxidant status, Gene expression

(Dis)connectivity and the invisibility of mobile Fulani in West Africa

Colonial and Global Histor

Timing of releases of the parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor and numbers needed in augmentative biological control against the millet head miner Heliocheilus albipunctella

Heliocheilus albipunctella de Joannis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is one of the major insect pests of pearl millet in the Sahel. The native parasitoid, Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is currently being promoted for augmentative biological control of the pest in the Sahel. The current study was carried out to identify the right time for releases of the parasitoid using either pearl millet growing stage, or pest occurrence as reference, and to determine the optimal number of parasitoids needed to cover a given area. Our results indicate that release of parasitoids at the panicle emergence stage or six weeks after first sight of eggs of H. albipunctella lead to highest parasitism of H. albipunctella larvae by H. hebetor. The dose of 800 parasitoids for a distance of 3 km radius was enough for controlling H. albipunctella. The implications of the results are discussed toward cost effective and practical recommendation adapted to the Sahelian conditions