Development of collision avoidance system for useful UAV applications using image sensors with laser transmitter

The main goal of this study is to demonstrate the approach of achieving collision avoidance on Quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (QUAV) using image sensors with colour-based tracking method. A pair of high definition (HD) stereo cameras were chosen as the stereo vision sensor to obtain depth data from flat object surfaces. Laser transmitter was utilized to project high contrast tracking spot for depth calculation using common triangulation. Stereo vision algorithm was developed to acquire the distance from tracked point to QUAV and the control algorithm was designed to manipulate QUAV's response based on depth calculated. Attitude and position controller were designed using the non-linear model with the help of Optitrack motion tracking system. A number of collision avoidance flight tests were carried out to validate the performance of the stereo vision and control algorithm based on image sensors. In the results, the UAV was able to hover with fairly good accuracy in both static and dynamic collision avoidance for short range collision avoidance. Collision avoidance performance of the UAV was better with obstacle of dull surfaces in comparison to shiny surfaces. The minimum collision avoidance distance achievable was 0.4 m. The approach was suitable to be applied in short range collision avoidance

Development of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based high altitude balloon (HAB) platform for active aerosol sampling

The knowledge on the abundance and diversity of the minute particles or aerosols in the earth's stratosphere is still in its infancy as aerosol sampling at high-altitude still possess a lot of challenges. Thus far, high-altitude aerosol sampling has been conducted mostly using manned flights, which requires enormous financial and logistical resources. There had been researches for the utilisation of high altitude balloon (HAB) for active and passive aerosol samplings within the stratosphere. However, the gathered samples in the payload were either brought down by controlling the balloon air pressure or were just dropped with a parachute to slow the descend speed in order to reduce the impact upon landing. In most cases, the drop location of the sample are unfavorable such as in the middle of the sea, dense foliage, etc. Hence a system that can actively sample aerosols at high-altitude and improve the delivery method in terms of quality and reliability using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is designed and tested in this study

Classical and novel TSPO ligands for the mitochondrial TSPO can modulate nuclear gene expression: Implications for mitochondrial retrograde signaling

It is known that knockdown of the mitochondrial 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) as well as TSPO ligands modulate various functions, including functions related to cancer. To study the ability of TSPO to regulate gene expression regarding such functions, we applied microarray analysis of gene expression to U118MG glioblastoma cells. Within 15 min, the classical TSPO ligand PK 11195 induced changes in expression of immediate early genes and transcription factors. These changes also included gene products that are part of the canonical pathway serving to modulate general gene expression. These changes are in accord with real-time, reverse transcriptase (RT) PCR. At the time points of 15, 30, 45, and 60 min, as well as 3 and 24 h of PK 11195 exposure, the functions associated with the changes in gene expression in these glioblastoma cells covered well known TSPO functions. These functions included cell viability, proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, migration, tumorigenesis, and angiogenesis. This was corroborated microscopically for cell migration, cell accumulation, adhesion, and neuronal differentiation. Changes in gene expression at 24 h of PK 11195 exposure were related to downregulation of tumorigenesis and upregulation of programmed cell death. In the vehicle treated as well as PK 11195 exposed cell cultures, our triple labeling showed intense TSPO labeling in the mitochondria but no TSPO signal in the cell nuclei. Thus, mitochondrial TSPO appears to be part of the mitochondria-to-nucleus signaling pathway for modulation of nuclear gene expression. The novel TSPO ligand 2-Cl-MGV-1 appeared to be very specific regarding modulation of gene expression of immediate early genes and transcription factors

Development and testing of open-jet wind tunnel for quadrotor flight testing

Station keeping of a hovering quadrotor under various turbulent wind condition has gained much attention these days due to its potential application in complex environments. Various types of control algorithm have been developed to increase the performance of the quadrotor under such wind conditions. These need to be tested and verified by flying the quadrotor itself. One of the quick and low-cost solutions would be to set up a test rig by modifying an existing wind tunnel to recreate such wind conditions. In order to cater such experiments, in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), an open-jet wind tunnel was attached to an existing open-loop wind tunnel, which initially has a test area of 1 meter by 1-meter size. By attaching the open-jet wind tunnel which has a diverged shape, the test section area is increased up to 2 meters in diameter size, ensuring sufficient space for manoeuvring and hovering the experimental quadrotor. A settling chamber is attached before the test section to characterize the output wind. The maximum wind speed at the opening is 8 m/s. The extended wind tunnel's flow characteristics are analyzed by anemometer for velocity distribution in four different distance from the opening. It has been found that the wind velocity distribution and turbulent intensity simulate the outdoor wind turbulent condition to test a quadrotor hovering control algorithm

Weight Loss and Mortality in Overweight and Obese Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review

Background Excess adiposity is a risk factor for poorer cancer survival, but there is uncertainty over whether losing weight reduces the risk. We conducted a critical review of the literature examining weight loss and mortality in overweight or obese cancer survivors. Methods We systematically searched PubMed and EMBASE for articles reporting associations between weight loss and mortality (cancer-specific or all-cause) in overweight/obese patients with obesity-related cancers. Where available, data from the same studies on non-overweight patients were compared. Results Five articles describing observational studies in breast cancer survivors were included. Four studies reported a positive association between weight loss and mortality in overweight/obese survivors, and the remaining study observed no significant association. Results were similar for non-overweight survivors. Quality assessment indicated high risk of bias across studies. Conclusions There is currently a lack of observational evidence that weight loss improves survival for overweight and obese cancer survivors. However, the potential for bias in these studies is considerable and the results likely reflect the consequences of disease-related rather than intentional weight loss. There is a need for stronger study designs, incorporating measures of intentionality of weight loss, and extended to other cancers

The Helicobacter pylori Genome Project : insights into H. pylori population structure from analysis of a worldwide collection of complete genomes

Helicobacter pylori, a dominant member of the gastric microbiota, shares co-evolutionary history with humans. This has led to the development of genetically distinct H. pylori subpopulations associated with the geographic origin of the host and with differential gastric disease risk. Here, we provide insights into H. pylori population structure as a part of the Helicobacter pylori Genome Project (HpGP), a multi-disciplinary initiative aimed at elucidating H. pylori pathogenesis and identifying new therapeutic targets. We collected 1011 well-characterized clinical strains from 50 countries and generated high-quality genome sequences. We analysed core genome diversity and population structure of the HpGP dataset and 255 worldwide reference genomes to outline the ancestral contribution to Eurasian, African, and American populations. We found evidence of substantial contribution of population hpNorthAsia and subpopulation hspUral in Northern European H. pylori. The genomes of H. pylori isolated from northern and southern Indigenous Americans differed in that bacteria isolated in northern Indigenous communities were more similar to North Asian H. pylori while the southern had higher relatedness to hpEastAsia. Notably, we also found a highly clonal yet geographically dispersed North American subpopulation, which is negative for the cag pathogenicity island, and present in 7% of sequenced US genomes. We expect the HpGP dataset and the corresponding strains to become a major asset for H. pylori genomics