Estimating Step Distance Using Simple Harmonic Motion

Abstract-Some prior studies proposed the use of Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) for indoor localization. The PDR system does not require a beacon-based infrastructure, in which a small number of sensors are put on the pedestrian. These sensors (such as G-sensor and Gyro) are used to estimate the distance and direction that the user traveled. The PDR approach can be generally categorized into two types: foot-mounted and waistmounted. In general, the foot-mounted system can get accurate step length, but perform poorly in estimated heading direction. On the other hand, the waist-mounted system can estimate direction with high accuracy, but is hard to measure the step length. In this work, we proposed a waist-mounted based PDR to estimate step length using one 3-axis accelerometer. We utilize vertical acceleration to implement double integral for measuring the user's instant height change and use some physical features of vertical acceleration during the walking to calibrate the measurement. Based on the Pythagoras' Theorem, we can then estimate each step length based on the user's height change during his/her walking

On the performance of expected transmission count (etx) for wireless mesh networks,”

ABSTRACT The Expected Transmission Count (ETX) metric is an advanced routing metric for finding high-throughput paths in multi-hop wireless networks. However, it has been determined that ETX is not immune to load sensitivity and route oscillations in a single radio environment. Route oscillations refer to the situation where packet transmission switches between two or more routes due to congestion. This has the effect of degrading performance of the network, as the routing protocol may select a non optimal path. In this paper we avoid the route oscillation problem using a route stabilization technique which forces data transmission on a fixed route. We implement this solution in a popular routing protocol, AODV, by disabling both error messages and periodic updating messages. Therefore, packet transmissions will stay on the routes initially found by AODV. ETX is compared with a widely used routing metric, HOPS, for reference purposes. We find ETX greatly improves initial route selection in AODV compared to HOPS in networks in which only single flows exists. For networks in which there are multiple simultaneous flows, ETX behaves similar to HOPS in initial route selection. Although the known cause of performance degradation is eliminated, the ETX metric still shows anomalous behavior. We determine that a major cause of the poor performance of ETX is additional collisions due to extra overhead. We propose a modified solution in which we repeatedly broadcast RREQ (Route Request) packets. Simulation results show that our modified solution improves ETX in the initial route selection in both single flows and multiple flows cases

Estimating Walking Distance with a Smart Phone

Abstract-A huge body of work utilized signal strength of short range signal (such as WiFi, Bluetooth, ultra sound or Infrared) to build a radio map for indoor localization, by deploying a great number of beacon nodes in the building. The drawback of such an infrastructure-based approach is that the deployment and calibration of the system is costly and labor-intensive. To overcome that, some prior studies proposed the use of Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) for indoor localization. The PDR system does not require to build a beacon-based infrastructure, in which a small number of sensors are put on the pedestrian. These sensors (such as G-sensor and Gyro) are used to estimate the distance and direction that the user traveled. The PDR approach can be generally categorized into two types: footmounted and waist-mounted. In general, the foot-mounted system can get accurate step length, but perform poorly in estimated heading direction. On the other hand, the waistmounted system can estimate direction with high accuracy, but is hard to measure the step length. In this work, we proposed a waist-mounted based PDR using one 3-axis accelerometer and one gyroscope sensor. We utilize vertical acceleration to implement double integral for measuring the user's instant height change and use some physical features of vertical acceleration during the walking to calibrate the measurement. Then based on the Pythagoras' Theorem, we can estimate each step length based on the user's height change during his/her walking. Our experiment results show that the accuracy of placing smartphone on the waist is about 97.35% and placing smart-phone on the chest pocket is about 96.14% in estimating the user's walking distance

A Thiazole Orange Derivative Targeting the Bacterial Protein FtsZ Shows Potent Antibacterial Activity.

The prevalence of multidrug resistance among clinically significant bacteria calls for the urgent development of new antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action. In this study, a new small molecule exhibiting excellent inhibition of bacterial cell division with potent antibacterial activity was discovered through cell-based screening. The compound exhibits a broad spectrum of bactericidal activity, including the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus and NDM-1 Escherichia coli. The in vitro and in vivo results suggested that this compound disrupts the dynamic assembly of FtsZ protein and Z-ring formation through stimulating FtsZ polymerization. Moreover, this compound exhibits no activity on mammalian tubulin polymerization and shows low cytotoxicity on mammalian cells. Taken together, these findings could provide a new chemotype for development of antibacterials with FtsZ as the target

Investment Case for a Comprehensive Package of Interventions Against Hepatitis B in China: Applied Modeling to Help National Strategy Planning.

BACKGROUND content: In 2016, the first global viral hepatitis elimination targets were endorsed. An estimated one-third of the world's population of individuals with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection live in China and liver cancer is the sixth leading cause of mortality, but coverage of first-line antiviral treatment was low. In 2015, China was one of the first countries to initiate a consultative process for a renewed approach to viral hepatitis. We present the investment case for the scale-up of a comprehensive package of HBV interventions. METHODS content: A dynamic simulation model of HBV was developed and used to simulate the Chinese HBV epidemic. We evaluated the impact, costs, and return on investment of a comprehensive package of prevention and treatment interventions from a societal perspective, incorporating costs of management of end-stage liver disease and lost productivity costs. RESULTS content: Despite the successes of historical vaccination scale-up since 1992, there will be a projected 60 million people still living with HBV in 2030 and 10 million HBV-related deaths, including 5.7 million HBV-related cancer deaths between 2015 and 2030. This could be reduced by 2.1 million by highly active case-finding and optimal antiviral treatment regimens. The package of interventions is likely to have a positive return on investment to society of US$1.57 per US dollar invested. CONCLUSIONS content: Increases in HBV-related deaths for the next few decades pose a major public health threat in China. Active case-finding and access to optimal antiviral treatment are required to mitigate this risk. This investment case approach provides a real-world example of how applied modeling can support national dialog and inform policy planning

Wolfberry genomes and the evolution of Lycium (Solanaceae)

AbstractWolfberry Lycium, an economically important genus of the Solanaceae family, contains approximately 80 species and shows a fragmented distribution pattern among the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Although several herbaceous species of Solanaceae have been subjected to genome sequencing, thus far, no genome sequences of woody representatives have been available. Here, we sequenced the genomes of 13 perennial woody species of Lycium, with a focus on Lycium barbarum. Integration with other genomes provides clear evidence supporting a whole-genome triplication (WGT) event shared by all hitherto sequenced solanaceous plants, which occurred shortly after the divergence of Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae. We identified new gene families and gene family expansions and contractions that first appeared in Solanaceae. Based on the identification of self-incompatibility related-gene families, we inferred that hybridization hotspots are enriched for genes that might be functioning in gametophytic self-incompatibility pathways in wolfberry. Extremely low expression of LOCULE NUBER (LC) and COLORLESS NON-RIPENING (CNR) orthologous genes during Lycium fruit development and ripening processes suggests functional diversification of these two genes between Lycium and tomato. The existence of additional flowering locus C-like MADS-box genes might correlate with the perennial flowering cycle of Lycium. Differential gene expression involved in the lignin biosynthetic pathway between Lycium and tomato likely illustrates woody and herbaceous differentiation. We also provide evidence that Lycium migrated from Africa into Asia, and subsequently from Asia into North America. Our results provide functional insights into Solanaceae origins, evolution and diversification.</jats:p

The draft genome, transcriptome, and microbiome of Dermatophagoides farinae reveal a broad spectrum of dust mite allergens

© 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. Background A sequenced house dust mite (HDM) genome would advance our understanding of HDM allergens, a common cause of human allergies. Objective We sought to produce an annotated Dermatophagoides farinae draft genome and develop a combined genomic-transcriptomic-proteomic approach for elucidation of HDM allergens. Methods A D farinae draft genome and transcriptome were assembled with high-throughput sequencing, accommodating microbiome sequences. The allergen gene structures were validated by means of Sanger sequencing. The mite's microbiome composition was determined, and the predominant genus was validated immunohistochemically. The allergenicity of a ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase binding protein homologue was evaluated with immunoblotting, immunosorbent assays, and skin prick tests. Results The full gene structures of 20 canonical allergens and 7 noncanonical allergen homologues were produced. A novel major allergen, ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase binding protein-like protein, was found and designated Der f 24. All 40 sera samples from patients with mite allergy had IgE antibodies against rDer f 24. Of 10 patients tested, 5 had positive skin reactions. The predominant bacterial genus among 100 identified species was Enterobacter (63.4%). An intron was found in the 13.8-kDa D farinae bacteriolytic enzyme gene, indicating that it is of HDM origin. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed a phototransduction pathway in D farinae, as well as thiamine and amino acid synthesis pathways, which is suggestive of an endosymbiotic relationship between D farinae and its microbiome. Conclusion An HDM genome draft produced from genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic experiments revealed allergen genes and a diverse endosymbiotic microbiome, providing a tool for further identification and characterization of HDM allergens and development of diagnostics and immunotherapeutic vaccines.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Вихретоковый анизотропный термоэлектрический первичный преобразователь лучистого потока

Представлена оригинальная конструкция первичного преобразователя лучистого потока, который может служить основой для создания приемника неселективного излучения с повышенной чувствительностью