Cost-effective design & development of a prosthetic hand

The prosthetic hand is used to replace a missing part of a hand, which may be lost through trauma, disease, or congenital conditions in order to restore the normal functions of the hand. The state of the art design and development of prosthetic hands has been well studied and documented. The modern prosthetic hands which are computer-controlled via the means of electromyogram (EMG) signals are very helpful for amputees; however, they are expensive, not always available for low-income populations. This study presents a cost-effective solution for innovative design and development of a prosthetic hand for a patient who lost both hands due to the work accident. Design concepts of the prosthetic hand were successfully developed and tested. Different strategies for cost-effective design and development of the high-value added prosthetic hand are also discussed, including mass-customization and design for additive manufacturing

Modeling and Simulation of PV Panel Under Different Internal and Environmental Conditions with Non-constant Load

This paper focuses on PV power conversion under different internal and environmental conditions with non-constant load, connected to a smart grid system. Due to environmental conditions, the PV system is a non-linear system and difficult to predict the power conversion. In the aspect of internal variables, it includes the five parameters of the single diode solar cell model identify their sensitivity through error function. It also identifies the relation between environmental conditions, mainly: irradiance, temperature and wind speed. The modeling and computational simulation with laboratory work identify the effects of internal and environmental effect on the system. The model gives details about the sensitivity of each environmental condition using error function. The work includes the decrease of energy conversion by the solar panel as a function of time due to the shadow effect that affects its performance. Besides these, a smart system is introduced as a DAQ system in laboratory environment to get in real time the power conversion value with the P-V and I-V characteristics of the PV panel

Cloning and Characterization of Genes Involved in Nostoxanthin Biosynthesis of Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461

Most Sphingomonas species synthesize the yellow carotenoid nostoxanthin. However, the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway of these species remains unclear. In this study, we cloned and characterized a carotenoid biosynthesis gene cluster containing four carotenogenic genes (crtG, crtY, crtI and crtB) and a β-carotene hydroxylase gene (crtZ) located outside the cluster, from the gellan-gum producing bacterium Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461. Each of these genes was inactivated, and the biochemical function of each gene was confirmed based on chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis of the intermediates accumulated in the knockout mutants. Moreover, the crtG gene encoding the 2,2′-β-hydroxylase and the crtZ gene encoding the β-carotene hydroxylase, both responsible for hydroxylation of β-carotene, were confirmed by complementation studies using Escherichia coli producing different carotenoids. Expression of crtG in zeaxanthin and β-carotene accumulating E. coli cells resulted in the formation of nostoxanthin and 2,2′-dihydroxy-β-carotene, respectively. Based on these results, a biochemical pathway for synthesis of nostoxanthin in S. elodea ATCC 31461 is proposed

From evolutionary computation to the evolution of things

Evolution has provided a source of inspiration for algorithm designers since the birth of computers. The resulting field, evolutionary computation, has been successful in solving engineering tasks ranging in outlook from the molecular to the astronomical. Today, the field is entering a new phase as evolutionary algorithms that take place in hardware are developed, opening up new avenues towards autonomous machines that can adapt to their environment. We discuss how evolutionary computation compares with natural evolution and what its benefits are relative to other computing approaches, and we introduce the emerging area of artificial evolution in physical systems

The influence of mosquito resting behaviour and associated microclimate for malaria risk

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The majority of the mosquito and parasite life-history traits that combine to determine malaria transmission intensity are temperature sensitive. In most cases, the process-based models used to estimate malaria risk and inform control and prevention strategies utilize measures of mean outdoor temperature. Evidence suggests, however, that certain malaria vectors can spend large parts of their adult life resting indoors.</p> <p>Presentation of hypothesis</p> <p>If significant proportions of mosquitoes are resting indoors and indoor conditions differ markedly from ambient conditions, simple use of outdoor temperatures will not provide reliable estimates of malaria transmission intensity. To date, few studies have quantified the differential effects of indoor <it>vs </it>outdoor temperatures explicitly, reflecting a lack of proper understanding of mosquito resting behaviour and associated microclimate.</p> <p>Testing the hypothesis</p> <p>Published records from 8 village sites in East Africa revealed temperatures to be warmer indoors than outdoors and to generally show less daily variation. Exploring the effects of these temperatures on malaria parasite development rate suggested indoor-resting mosquitoes could transmit malaria between 0.3 and 22.5 days earlier than outdoor-resting mosquitoes. These differences translate to increases in transmission risk ranging from 5 to approaching 3,000%, relative to predictions based on outdoor temperatures. The pattern appears robust for low- and highland areas, with differences increasing with altitude.</p> <p>Implications of the hypothesis</p> <p>Differences in indoor <it>vs </it>outdoor environments lead to large differences in the limits and the intensity of malaria transmission. This finding highlights a need to better understand mosquito resting behaviour and the associated microclimate, and to broaden assessments of transmission ecology and risk to consider the potentially important role of endophily.</p