High speed numerical integration algorithm using FPGA

Conventionally, numerical integration  algorithm is executed in software and time consuming to accomplish. Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) can be used as a much faster, very efficient and reliable alternative to implement the numerical integration algorithm. This paper proposed a hardware implementation of four numerical integration algorithms using FPGA. The computation is based on Left Riemann Sum (LRS), Right Riemann Sum (RRS), Middle Riemann Sum (MRS) and Trapezoidal Sum (TS) algorithms. The system performance is evaluated based on target chip Altera Cyclone IV FPGA in the metrics of resources utilization, clock latency, execution time, power consumption and computational error compared to the other algorithms. The result also shows execution time of the FPGA are much faster compared to the software implementation.Keywords: numerical integration algorithm; FPGA; Riemann sum; trapezoidal su

Docking study for assessment of wound healing potential of isosakuratenin isolated from Chromolaena odorata: An In-silico approach

Wound healing is a complex and well-orchestrated biological process in all multicellular organisms in which normal wound healing consists of four major phases that are haemostasis, inflammation, proliferations and reepithelization. Abnormal wound healing is always associated with inefficient or miscarried transition during inflammation to proliferation phase. Wound healing potential of various natural extracts have been studied progressively in recent years. In this present study, isosakuratenin, a phytoconstituent previously reported to be isolated from the extracts of Chromolaena odorata are aimed at targeting essential proteins involved in wound healing process. Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP) is a protein essential in wound healing. Therefore, the present study is aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of isosakuratenin on MMP as a potential therapeutic target for wound therapy. Isosakuratenin from Chromolaena odorata were studied based on their ability to interact with the targeted protein via molecular docking approach. Isosakuratenin showed binding affinity to four different classes of MMPs. The binding energy of these MMPs with isosakuratenin are -7.7 kcal/mol (MMP2), -6.8 kcal/mol (MMP3), -9.0 kcal/mol (MMP8) and -9.7 kcal/mol (MMP12). Isosakuratenin forms stronger interaction with MMP12 in which it forms two bonding at the active site of the protein and shows the most stable dock conformation. This results suggested that, among these four MMPs, isosakuratenin are best interacted with MMP12 and hence, could be used to visualized the potential of isosakuratenin as MMP12 inhibitor during wound healing process. This recent work provides meaningful insights in regards to the molecular structure interaction and requirement of the phytoconstituents from Chromolaena odorata for subsequent pharmaceutical formulation in catering the wound healing products demand

In silico and in vitro study of the bromelain-phytochemical complex inhibition of phospholipase A2 (Pla2)

Phospholipase A2 (Pla2) is an enzyme that induces inflammation, making Pla2 activity an effective approach to reduce inflammation. Therefore, investigating natural compounds for this Pla2 inhibitory activity has important therapeutic potential. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential in bromelain-phytochemical complex inhibitors via a combination of in silico and in vitro methods. Bromelain-amenthoflavone displays antagonistic effects on Pla2. Bromelian-asiaticoside and bromelain-diosgenin displayed synergistic effects at high concentrations of the combined compounds, with inhibition percentages of more than 70% and 90%, respectively, and antagonistic effects at low concentrations. The synergistic effect of the bromelain-asiaticoside and bromelain-diosgenin combinations represents a new application in treating inflammation. These findings not only provide significant quantitative data, but also provide an insight on valuable implications for the combined use of bromelain with asiaticoside and diosgenin in treating inflammation, and may help researchers develop more natural bioactive compounds in daily foods as anti-inflammatory agent

Foetal loss after chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis in twin pregnancies: A multicentre retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine foetal losses for DCDA and MCDA twins following transabdominal CVS or amniocentesis performed <22+0  weeks. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study conducted in the UK and Belgium 01/01/00-01/06/20. Cases with unknown chorionicity, monochorionic complications or complex procedures were excluded. Uncomplicated DCDA and MCDA twins without invasive procedures were identified as controls. We reported foetal losses <24+0  weeks and losses of genetically and structurally normal foetuses. RESULTS: Outcomes were compared for DCDA foetuses; 258 after CVS with 3406 controls, 406 after amniocentesis with 3390 controls plus MCDA foetuses, 98 after CVS with 1124 controls, and 160 after amniocentesis with 1122 controls. There were more losses <24+0  weeks with both procedures in DCDA (CVS RR 5.54 95% CI 3.38-9.08, amniocentesis RR 2.36 95% CI 1.22-4.56) and MCDA twins (CVS RR 5.14 95% CI 2.51-10.54, amniocentesis RR 7.01 95% CI 3.86-12.74). Losses of normal foetuses were comparable to controls (DCDA CVS RR 0.39 95% CI 0.05-2.83, DCDA amniocentesis RR 1.16 95% CI 0.42-3.22, MCDA CVS RR 2.3 95% CI 0.71-7.56, and MCDA amniocentesis RR 1.93 95% CI 0.59-6.38). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates increased foetal losses for DCDA and MCDA twins following CVS and amniocentesis with uncertain risk to normal foetuses

CARBON CRYOGEL MICROSPHERE FOR ETHYL LEVULINATE PRODUCTION: EFFECT OF CARBONIZATION TEMPERATURE AND TIME

The side products of biomass and bio-fuel industry have shown potential in producing carbon catalyst. The carbon cryogel was synthesized from ligninfurfural mixture based on the following details: 1.0 of lignin to furfural (L/F) ratio, 1.0 of lignin to water (L/W) ratio, and 8M of acid concentration. The lignin-furfural sol-gel mixture, initially prepared via polycondensation reaction at 90 °C for 30 min, was followed by freeze drying and carbonization process. Effects of carbonization temperature and time were investigated on the total acidity and surface area of the carbon cryogel. Furthermore, the effects of these parameters were studied on the ethyl levulinate yield through esterification reaction of levulinic acid in ethanol. The esterification reaction was conducted at reflux temperature, 10 h of reaction time, 19 molar ratio of ethanol to levulinic acid, and 15.0 wt.% carbon cryogel loading. Based on the carbonization temperature and time studies, the carbon cryogel carbonized at 500 °C and 4 h exhibited good performance as solid acid catalyst. Large total surface area and acidity significantly influenced the catalytic activity of carbon cryogel with 80.0 wt.% yield of ethyl levulinate. Thus, carbon cryogel is highly potential as acid catalyst for the esterification of levulinic acid with ethanol

THE MOBILE ROBOT CONTROL IN OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE USING FUZZY LOGIC CONTROLLER

A very challenging problem in mobile robot systems is mostly in obstacle avoidance strategies. This study aims to describe how the obstacle avoidance system on mobile robots works. This system is designed automatically using fuzzy logic control (FLC) developed using Matlab to help the mobile robots to avoid a head-on collision. The FLC designs were simulated on the mobile robot system. The simulation was conducted by comparing FLC performance to the proportional integral derivative (PID) controller. The simulation results indicate that FLC works better with lower settling time performance. To validate the results, FLC was used in a mobile robot system. It shows that FLC can control the velocity by braking or accelerating according to the sensor input installed in front of the mobile robot. The FLC control system functions as ultrasonic sensor input or a distance sensor. The input voltage was simulated with the potentiometer, whereas the output was shown by the velocity of DC motor. This study employed the simulation work in Simulink and Matlab, while the experimental work used laboratory scale of mobile robots. The results show that the velocity control of DC motors with FLC produces accurate data, so the robot could avoid the existing obstacles. The findings indicate that the simulation and the experimental work of FLC for mobile robot in obstacle avoidance are very close

Sequence analysis, multiple templates structure prediction and binding site identification of bromelain from ananas comosus

Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme derived from pineapples and categorized as a cysteine protease. This enzyme is widely used as an anti-inflammatory agent in therapeutic applications. In this study, the molecular interactions of bromelain against phospholipase A2 (Pla2), a target protein in inflammatory diseases, were investigated. The knowledge of the structural properties and mechanism of bromelain is limited because of the unavailability of its structural information. Therefore, a comparative modelling study was conducted using MODELLER 9v14 to predict the three-dimensional (3D) model of stem bromelain and to investigate its structural properties. The 3D model of bromelain was successfully predicted through Homology modelling approach. Pocket detection was conducted, functionally and structurally important residues of the bromelain model were identified, and its cleft and ligand binding site were determined. Protein-protein docking was performed to predict all possible binding modes between bromelain and Pla2. Amino acids involved in the interactions between bromelain and Pla2 were identified. A few functional conserved residues located in the largest cleft of the model were involved in bromelain-Pla2 binding interactions

Modelling and state variable feedback control with proportional action of a One-Link flexible manipulator incorporating payload

This paper presents a state variable feedback (SVF) control with proportional gain to control a one-link flexible manipulator incorporating payload. The dynamic model of a one-link flexible manipulator is developed through a finite element method. The system is uncertain due to the variation of payloads and numbers of elements. There is a challenge in designing a controller for each number of elements. To obtain the effectiveness of the controllers, a combination of SVF control-based LQR controls with proportional gain is developed for a flexible link manipulator with payload variations. An assessment is conducted to examine the input tracking controller capability of the hub angular position, deflection, hub velocity and end-point residual of the one-link flexible manipulator. The responses of the system are shown in domains of time and frequency, while the SVF control with proportional gain schemes is also discussed. This study finds that the payload effects on the response incorporating payload with SVF control and proportional gain schemes can provide input tracking performance with zero steady state error

High Speed Numerical Integration Algorithm Using FPGA

Conventionally, numerical integration algorithm is executed in software and time consuming to accomplish. Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) can be used as a much faster, very efficient and reliable alternative to implement the numerical integration algorithm. This paper proposed a hardware implementation of four numerical integration algorithms using FPGA. The computation is based on Left Riemann Sum (LRS), Right Riemann Sum (RRS), Middle Riemann Sum (MRS) and Trapezoidal Sum (TS) algorithms. The system performance is evaluated based on target chip Altera Cyclone IV FPGA in the metrics of resources utilization, clock latency, execution time, power consumption and computational error compared to the other algorithms. The result also shows execution time of the FPGA are much faster compared to the software implementation

Comparative structural performance of diagrid and bracing system in mitigation of lateral displacement

The design of high rise building with more than 10 stories is controlled by lateral drift which increases the cost rapidly with the number of stories. Recently, the diagrid structural system has emerged and in fact has been widely used for high rise buildings. How effective is a diagrid system in mitigating the lateral displacement of a high rise building? Thus, the objective of this research is to compare the lateral displacement of high rise building that adopts diagrid system with those that use X-bracing and frame system, due to wind. This research also explored the effect of using diagrid, X-bracing and frame system to the natural frequency of high rise building. Two diagrid systems which are 60°-diagrid and 80°-diagrid that has an angle of inclination of 60 degrees and 80 degrees, respectively, were studied. STAAD Pro software was used to analyse twelve building models to determine the lateral displacement due to wind load and the natural frequency in the along wind, across wind and torsional directions. Building with 80°-diagrid has the least lateral displacement, followed by buildings with the X-bracing, 60°-diagrid and frame for 40 and 60 storey buildings. Further study showed that X-bracing became the most effective system to lower the lateral displacement compared with the diagrid and frame when the number of storey of the building exceeds 71 storeys. Natural frequency was not affected by the different systems used except for torsional natural frequency that increased substantially by the use of 60°-diagrid