RCTS: A flexible environment for sensor integration and control of robot systems; the distributed processing approach

Most robot systems lack a suitable hardware and software environment for the efficient research of new control and sensing schemes. Typically, engineers and researchers need to be experts in control, sensing, programming, communication and robotics in order to implement, integrate and test new ideas in a robot system. In order to reduce this time, the Robot Controller Test Station (RCTS) has been developed. It uses a modular hardware and software architecture allowing easy physical and functional reconfiguration of a robot. This is accomplished by emphasizing four major design goals: flexibility, portability, ease of use, and ease of modification. An enhanced distributed processing version of RCTS is described. It features an expanded and more flexible communication system design. Distributed processing results in the availability of more local computing power and retains the low cost of microprocessors. A large number of possible communication, control and sensing schemes can therefore be easily introduced and tested, using the same basic software structure

Pathological study of the pituitary tumours: especially as regards their types, incidence & course

From the study of 200 cases serially sectioned, the following histological findings have been ascertained.1. The cells of the pars distalis of the pituitary are so arranged that the eosinophil cells appear in the centre of the gland and the basophil and chromophobe cells are seen at the border line between these two zones. This arrangement is fairly constant.2. Foetal or undifferentiated epithelial cells have been recognised in all the glands at all ages. Their amount is variable; but their site is constant. They lie in the peripheral zone of the anterior lobe especially at its lower and posterior part near the cleft. The cells are arranged radially around connective tissue cores and blood vessels in a papilliferous manner. The solid masses described are nothing but compressed :papillae forming a sort of a trabecular arrangement.3. Colloid substance is present in 72% of the cases examined. The substance lies amongst all types of cells in the pars distalis and not amongst chromophobe cells as was once suggested.4. Basophilic infiltration of the pars nervosa is present in 118 cases (of the 200). It was so marked in 10 cases that the infiltration reached the posterior pole of the gland. This basophilia of the pars nervosa was only associated with hypertension in one case. The condition was also encountered in cases with healthy blood vessels.5. Rathke' s cleft cysts are seen in 13% of the cases. The presence of ciliated epithelium in their walls was ascertained. This distension was not accompanied by any activity on the part of pars intermedia, on the contrary the latter was atrophied in such cases.Again, although a high percentage of these cases with distended Rathke's cleft are associated with increased intracranial tension, yet there is a certain number of them in which the brain was atrophic. Moreover, not all the cases of increased intracranial tension are accompanied by distended Rathke' s cleft.6. The presence of tubular extensions of the cleft into the pars nervosa was detected in 6 cases. (i.e. 3%).7. The incidence of epithelial rests in pars tuberalis was found to be 41.5%. The relics of epithelium either lie superficial to the pars tuberalis or intermingled with its cell structures. The rests are often seen above the diaphragma sellae, along the infundibulum. The root of the pars tuberalis is the next site in frequency. Rarely, the rests are seen under the capsule of the pars distalis or deep down in its connective tissue core.Coinciding with other observers, no relics of epithelium were found in subjects less than twenty years of age.Again, these epithelial nests are more common in females than in males.8. Lipochrome pigment is detected in the pars nervosa. it is common in old subjects and in young subjects with cachetic debilitating diseases

Effect of organic fertilizers combined with benzo (1,2,3) thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester (BTH) on the cucumber powdery mildew and the yield production

Organic fertilizers such as compost, compost tea and seaweed extracts (Algean) combined with benzo (1,2,3) thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester (BTH)) showed significant effect on the powdery mildew-infected cucumber leaves with Sphaerotheca fuliginea. We have shown that spraying the infected cucumber leaves with the BTH (0.05 mM) combined with the organic fertilizers strongly decreased the disease severity of the cucumber powdery mildew fungus from 85.1% to 3.4% as compared to the control leaves which infected only with the pathogen. Furthermore, organic fertilizers combined with BTH increased significantly vegetative growth characters of cucumber (stem length, number of leaves /plant, leaf area /plant and chlorophyll content) especially at the earlier stage of growth as compared to the control plants (chemical fertilizer only). Also, most of the organic materials produced the highest cucumber early yield and fruit quality, but total yield was equal or less than the chemical fertilizers. Interestingly enough, that organic fertilizers combined with BTH elevated the ascorbic acid content (chemical quality of cucumber fruits) and decreased the nitrate content which very harmful as well as increased the fruit yields as compared to the control plants

ABO(H) blood groups and vascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

<i>Background</i>: Associations between vascular disease and ABO(H) blood groups have a long history, but no consensus exists regarding its magnitude and significance, or whether it relates to all disorders equally. An accurate calculation of risk would allow direct assessment of whether the effects of non-O status on thrombosis risk are of the magnitude predicted by its effect on von Willebrand factor/FVIII levels. <i>Methods</i> <i>and</i> <i>results</i>: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting associations with non-O blood groups. This gave pooled odds ratios of 1.25 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14–1.36] for myocardial infarction (MI), 1.03 (95% CI 0.89–1.19) for angina, 1.45 (95% CI 1.35–1.56) for peripheral vascular disease, 1.14 (95% CI 1.01–1.27) for cerebral ischemia of arterial origin, and 1.79 (95% CI 1.56 to 2.05) for venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, restriction to prospective MI studies only did not confirm the association (OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.84–1.23), although these studies may have failed to capture early-onset disease. For VTE, using a combined group of OO/A<sub>2</sub>A<sub>2</sub>/A<sub>2</sub>O as index, the combination of A<sub>1</sub>A<sub>1</sub>/A<sub>1</sub>B/BB gave an OR of 2.44 (95% CI 1.79–3.33) and A<sub>1</sub>O/ BO/A<sub>2</sub>B an OR of 2.11 (95% CI 1.66–2.68). <i>Conclusions</i>: This study confirms the historical impression of linkage between some vascular disorders and non-O blood group status. Although the odds ratios are similar to those predicted by the effect of ABO(H) on von Willebrand factor levels, further work is required to assess risk prospectively and to refine the effect of reducing O(H) antigen expression on thrombosis. However, as non-O and particularly A<sub>1</sub>A<sub>1</sub>, A<sub>1</sub>B, BB constitute a significant proportion of the population attributable fraction of VTE, there may be a role for more widespread adoption of ABO(H) typing in testing strategies

Seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus Antibodies among pregnant women and it’s correlation with spontaneous abortion in Khartoum state

Background: Cytomegalovirus is a common virus that infects most people at some time during their lives. It becomes dormant for a while and may reactivate later. In pregnant women, intrauterine infection may be  associated with congenital abnormalities, intrauterine growth retardation and intrauterine death of the fetus as well as late sequelae such as  developmental delay, blindness and congenital deafness.Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of CMV infection among women presenting with spontaneous abortion to major hospitals in Khartoum State and to find out the correlation between CMV infection and spontaneous abortion in the group under study.Methodology: In this study a total of 180 spontaneously aborted females, and 80 normally delivered females (control) were included. Three mls of venous blood were collected from each subject under study in a plain  container allowed to clot and after clot retraction centrifuged at 4000rpm. The sera were then separated and stored at -20c0 in a deep freezer. The stored sera were tested for CMV IgG and IgM antibodies using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (BIOTECH –ENGLAND).Results: In the case group, 176 (97.8%) women were positive for Anti-CMV IgG and 69 (38.3%) for Anti-CMV IgM. The CMV antibodies significantly co related with increasing age (P-value = -0.0185), the number of abortion (P-value = -0.0177) and congenital malformation in children (P value= 0.037).Conclusion: Seroprevalence of CMV antibodies was found to be 97.8% and 38.3% for IgG & IgM respectively. There was significant association  between CMV infection and frequency of abortion, age and congenital  malformation in children.Key words: CMV, seroprevalnce, pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, Suda

The quality of life and cost utility of home nocturnal and conventional in-center hemodialysis

The quality of life and cost utility of home nocturnal and conventional in-center hemodialysis.BackgroundHome nocturnal hemodialysis is an intensive form of hemodialysis, where patients perform their treatments at home for about 7hours approximately 6 nights a week. Compared with in-center conventional hemodialysis, home nocturnal hemodialysis has been shown to improve physiologic parameters and reduce health care costs; however, the effects on quality of life and cost utility are less clear. We hypothesized that individuals performing home nocturnal hemodialysis would have a higher quality of life and superior cost utility than in-center hemodialysis patients.MethodsHome nocturnal hemodialysis patients and a demographically similar group of in-center hemodialysis patients from a hospital without a home hemodialysis program underwent computer-assisted interviews to assess their utility score for current health by the standard gamble method.ResultsNineteen in-center hemodialysis and 24 home nocturnal hemodialysis patients were interviewed. Mean annual costs for home nocturnal hemodialysis were about $10,000 lower for home nocturnal hemodialysis ($55,139 ±$7651 for home nocturnal hemodialysis vs.$66,367 ±$17,502 for in-center hemodialysis, P = 0.03). Home nocturnal hemodialysis was associated with a higher utility score than in-center hemodialysis (0.77 ± 0.23 vs. 0.53 ± 0.35, P = 0.03). The cost utility for home nocturnal hemodialysis was$71,443/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), while for in-center hemodialysis it was $125,845/QALY. Home nocturnal hemodialysis was the dominant strategy, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of -$45,932. The 95% CI for the ICER, and 2500 bootstrap iterations of the ICER all fell below the cost-effectiveness ceiling of $50,000. The net monetary benefit of home nocturnal hemodialysis ranged from$11,227 to $35,669.ConclusionHome nocturnal hemodialysis is associated with a higher quality of life and a superior cost utility when compared to in-center hemodialysis