Digital Triplet Approach for Real-Time Monitoring and Control of an Elevator Security System

As Digital Twins gain more traction and their adoption in industry increases, there is a need to integrate such technology with machine learning features to enhance functionality and enable decision making tasks. This has lead to the emergence of a concept known as Digital Triplet; an enhancement of Digital Twin technology through the addition of an ’intelligent activity layer’. This is a relatively new technology in Industrie 4.0 and research efforts are geared towards exploring its applicability, development and testing of means for implementation and quick adoption. This paper presents the design and implementation of a Digital Triplet for a three-floor elevator system. It demonstrates the integration of a machine learning (ML) object detection model and the system Digital Twin. This was done to introduce an additional security feature that enabled the system to make a decision, based on objects detected and take preliminary security measures. The virtual model was designed in Siemens NX and programmed via Total Integrated Automation (TIA) portal software. The corresponding physical model was fabricated and controlled using a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) S7 1200. A control program was developed to mimic the general operations of a typical elevator system used in a commercial building setting. Communication, between the physical and virtual models, was enabled using the OPC-Unified Architecture (OPC-UA) protocol. Object recognition using “You only look once” (YOLOV3) based machine learning algorithm was incorporated. The Digital Triplet’s functionality was tested, ensuring the virtual system duplicated actual operations of the physical counterpart through the use of sensor data. Performance testing was done to determine the impact of the ML module on the real-time functionality aspect of the system. Experiment results showed the object recognition contributed an average of 1.083s to an overall signal travel time of 1.338 s

Development of a botanical plant protection product from Larix by-products to protect grapevine from Plasmopara viticola

Extracts from European Larch (Larix decidua) were shown to be efficient to control grapevine downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) under controlled and field conditions. Larixyl acetate and larixol were identified as the active compounds

Monitoring using mobile technology: the case of dispensers for safe water

Since 2009, Dispensers for Safe Water (DSW) has collected thousands of community surveys, dispenser surveys, promoter surveys, installation forms, and chlorine delivery records to track and monitor the quality of service it provides to local communities in Kenya and Uganda. In late 2011, the program began the transition to electronic surveys on handheld mobile devices and the complex data management systems needed to support this technology. Mobile surveys have proven faster, cheaper, and more accurate than paper forms; they have also enabled increased innovation, iteration, and course correction through rapid feedback and analysis. However, challenges remain, including connecting daily field activities to higher-level analysis and aggregation of results in the cloud. To address this, DSW is working to build a system of dashboards and mobile applications to better enable the field team to access, edit, and operationalize the information collected

Detection and typing of Human Papillomavirus in urine from patients attending a sexually transmitted infections clinic in Nairobi County, Kenya

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that has been etiologically linked to cervical cancer. Different types of samples can be used for cervical screening, including Pap test or biopsy and Liquid Based Cytology, visual inspection using acetic acid or Lugol’s iodine, and HPV testing. These methods are invasive. The use of urine as an alternative specimen may be more widely accepted since it is non-invasive and the sample is readily available. The study aimed at detecting and genotyping HPV in urine from patients attending a sexually transmitted infections clinic in Nairobi County. It also aimed at assessing the factors associated with HPV infection. In this cross-sectional study, a structured ‘risk factor’ questionnaire was administered and HPV from urine specimen was genotyped using the L1 gene. Phylogenetic and molecular evolutionary analyses were conducted. Bivariate analysis and Pearson’s chi square (χ2) tests were used to determine the association between HPV infection and factors associated with HPV. A total of 222 adults (45 males and 177 females) aged 18-49 years were recruited. The prevalence of HPV among males and females was 22.2% (10/45) and 32.8% (58/177) respectively. The prevalence of high-risk types among males and females was 25% (1/4) and 27.5% (11/40) respectively. The high risk HPV genotypes detected among females were: HPV-16 (10%), -66 (7.5%), and -70 (7.5%) while low risk types were HPV 6 (27.5%), followed by -81 (25%), -83 (10%), -11 (7.5%), and -54 (2.5%) respectively. The prevalence of low risk types among males and females was 75% (3/4) and 72.5% (29/40) respectively. The prevalent low-risk HPV type detected in males was HPV type 6 (75%) while HPV-58 (25%) was the only high risk type in males. History of sexually transmitted infections was significantly associated with HPV infection among females (P=0.002). There was also significant association between marital status among males (p=0.046), how often one had used the contraceptives among females (p=0.038) and HPV genotypes at bivariate level. The results indicate high HPV prevalence, high risk and low risk HPVs could be detected in urine from the two populations. Therefore; molecular testing of HPV on urine samples is a method that utilizes a non-invasive technique that may increase screening coverage as it is easy to obtain. Key words: urine, Human papillomavirus, HPV genotypes, PCR, cervical cancer

Phytochemical investigations of three Rhodocodon (Hyacinthaceae Sensu APG II) species

The genus Rhodocodon (Hyacinthaceae sensu APG II) is endemic to Madagascar and its phytochemistry has not been described previously. The phytochemistry of three species in this genus has been investigated and eight compounds, including three bufadienolides (compounds 1, 4, and 5), a norlignan (2), and four homoisoflavonoids (compounds 3 and 6-8) have been isolated and identified. Compounds 1-3 and 6-8 have not been described previously. The COX-2 inhibitory activity of compound 6 and compound 7 acetate (compound 7A) were investigated on isolated colorectal cancer cells. Compounds 6 and 7A inhibited COX-2 by 10% and 8%, respectively, at a concentration of 12.5 M compared to 12% for 1 mM aspirin (the positive control)

Agricultural transformation in Rwanda: Can Gendered Market Participation Explain the Persistence of Subsistence Farming?

Despite the efforts to agricultural transformation in Rwanda, farming systems are predominantly still in subsistence production. Women are more involved than men, and their number has even increased in the past decade. The reasons for this remain unclear, given the country’s efforts for gender mainstreaming towards market-oriented agriculture. Guided by the current debate on feminization of agriculture, we base this study on the thesis that higher market participation among women farmers could contribute to the so-called transformation. The study uses the case of the Northern Province of Rwanda. It involved 368 smallholder dual-headed households among which 208 and 160 were respectively producing beans and potato. It used a mixed method approach by sequential exploratory design, involving a quantitative survey households followed by Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Both Household Commercialization Index (HCI) and Thematic Analyses were used. Findings showed a high degree of commercialization for potato, with 75% of farmers participating in output markets, and 72% among them being market oriented. In contrast, only 26% of bean farmers sold their production. The commercialization of potato is in the hands of men, while beans are mainly sold by women. This was also confirmed with the findings from FGDs. Three issues were identified as hindrances to agricultural transformation and likely to keep households in subsistence production: the low participation of women in input and output markets; their limited control over agricultural income; and their increased workload that combines on-farm and reproductive works. Therefore, despite the efforts at policy level, there are still gender inequalities within dual-headed farming households, and the agricultural transformation risks increasing the gap through all or some of the three identified issues. Removing these inequalities could increase households’ market participation and contribute in the process of agricultural transformation

Determinants of Agricultural Information Access by Small Holder Tea Farmers in Bureti District

Abstract: The study aims at determining factors affecting the access to agricultural information by smallholder tea farmers. Tea sub-sector is Kenya's second largest foreign exchange earner after horticulture. The small holder farmers own about 80% of the land under tea but produce about 60% of made tea thus realizing less yield per unit area as compared to their large scale counterparts. Tea Research Foundation of Kenya in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture has developed several technologies aimed at improving both yield and quality of tea. The technologies include high yielding clones; selective application of herbicides; insect, pest and weed control; fertilizer recommendation rates and harvesting practices. Small holder farmers however continue to realize low declining crop yields. It is generally known that access to information is a potential avenue for increasing yield. A study was carried out to determine access to information by smallholder tea farmers in Bureti District, Kenya. A combination of purposive, multistage and proportionate random sampling was used to get 170 respondents. Data collected was managed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15 and Probit Model was used to estimate the parameters that determined access to information. Off-farm income, education level, household size, marital status and time spent at tea buying center significantly influenced access to information by small holder tea farmers. The study in conclusion emphasized the need of information to small holder tea farmers so as to facilitate increased yield

The role of HLA-G in human pregnancy

Pregnancy in mammals featuring hemochorial placentation introduces a major conflict with the mother's immune system, which is dedicated to repelling invaders bearing foreign DNA and RNA. Numerous and highly sophisticated strategies for preventing mothers from rejecting their genetically different fetus(es) have now been identified. These involve production of novel soluble and membrane-bound molecules by uterine and placental cells. In humans, the placenta-derived molecules include glycoproteins derived from the HLA class Ib gene, HLA-G. Isoforms of HLA-G saturate the maternal-fetal interface and circulate in mothers throughout pregnancy. Uteroplacental immune privilege for the fetus and its associated tissues is believed to result when immune cells encounter HLA-G. Unequivocally demonstration of this concept requires experiments in animal models. Both the monkey and the baboon express molecules that are similar but not identical to HLA-G, and may comprise suitable animal models for establishing a central role for these proteins in pregnancy

In vitro cytotoxic effects of chemical constituents of Euphorbia grandicornis Blanc against breast cancer cells

Euphorbia grandicornis Blanc is widely utilized in traditional medicine for a variety of ailments including body pains associated with skin irritations, inflammation, and snake or scorpion bites. Compounds from E. grandicornis were characterized using spectroscopic techniques, NMR, IR, MS, and melting points and alongside the extracts were evaluated for in vitro anticancer activity against several cancer cell lines. The root extract afforded known, β-glutinol (1), β-amyrin (2), 24-methylenetirucalla-8-en-3β-ol (3), tirucalla-8,25-diene-3β,24R-diol (4), stigmasterol (5), sitosterol (6), and hexyl (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoate (7) based on their NMR spectroscopic data for the first report in E. grandicornis. The extracts and isolated compounds were evaluated for anticancer activities against hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (MCF-7), triple-negative breast cancer (HCC70), and non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial (MCF-12A) cell lines. The CH2Cl2 extract exhibited potent, cytotoxicity against MCF-7, HCC70, and MCF-12A cells. The aerial extract exhibited IC50 values of 1.03, 0.301, and 1.68 µg/mL, and root extract displayed IC50 values of 0.83, 0.83 and 3.98 µg/mL against MCF-7, HCC70, and MCF-12A cells respectively. The root extract thus showed selectivity for the cancer cell lines over the non-cancerous control cell line (SI = 4.80). Hexyl (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoate (7) showed significant activity with IC50 values of 23.41, 29.45 and 27.01 µM against MCF-7, HCC70 and MCF-12A cells respectively, suggesting non-specific cytotoxicity