Detection Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Emplacement Using Infrared Image

This paper presents a method to detect an improvised explosive device (IED) by using infrared thermography (IRT) technology. The detection of IED will be done automatically and accurately even the IED detection expert is not present. Combining the advantage of IRT and image processing technique, the proposed method is very efficient and responsive to detect the existence of hidden IED. The captured images are filtered and segmented to extract the heat pattern before the decision is made. Based on the experimental result, the proposed system produced about 92 % of detection accuracy

Evaluating the Thermal Condition of Electrical Equipment Via IRT Image Analysis

The integrity of electrical power equipment is of paramount importance when itsupplies electricity throughout a facility. However, the reliability of the equipments will degraded after sometime, and appropriate maintenance has to be taken accordingly to avoid future faults. Infrared thermography (IRT) image analysis is a commonly used technique for diagnosing the reliability of electrical equipments. Conventionally, the analysis of infrared image is done manually and takes very long time for further analysis. This paper proposes an automatic thermal fault detection and classification system for evaluating thecondition of electrical equipment by analyzing its infrared image. First, the image is segmented to find the target region of interest (ROI). The detected regions which have the same region properties are grouped together in order to remove the unwanted regions. Finally, statistical features from each detected region are extracted and classified using the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm. The thermal condition of electrical equipments is evaluated based on qualitative measurement technique. The experimental result shows that the proposed system can detect and classify the thermal condition of electrical equipments

Development of wireless vehicle remote control for fuel lid operation

Nowadays, the evolution of the vehicle technology had made the vehicle especially car to be equipped with a remote control to control the operation of the locking and unlocking system of the car’s door and rear’s bonnet. However, for the fuel or petrol lid, it merely can be opened from inside the car’s cabin by handling the fuel level inside the car’s cabin to open the fuel lid. The petrol lid can be closed by pushing the lid by hand. Due to the high usage of using fuel lever to open the fuel lid when refilling the fuel, the car driver might encounter the malfunction of fuel lid (fail to open) when pushing or pulling the fuel lever. Thus, the main aim of the research is to enhance the operation of an existing car remote control where the car fuel lid can be controlled using two techniques; remote control-based and smartphone-based. The remote control is constructed using Arduino microcontroller, wireless sensors and XCTU software to set the transmitting and receiving parameters. Meanwhile, the smartphone can control the operation of the fuel lid by communicating with Arduino microcontroller which is attached to the fuel lid using Bluetooth sensor to open the petrol lid. In order to avoid the conflict of instruction between wireless systems with the existing mechanical-based system, the servo motor will be employed to release the fuel lid merely after receiving the instruction from Arduino microcontroller and smartphone. As a conclusion, the prototype of the multipurpose vehicle remote control is successfully invented, constructed and tested. The car fuel lid can be opened either using remote control or smartphone in a sequential manner. Therefore, the outcome of the project can be used to serve as an alternative solution to solve the car fuel lid problem even though the problem rarely occurred

Design of Inductive Power Transfer (IPT) for Low-Power Application

Inductive power transfer (IPT) is preferred for numerous applications nowadays, ranging from microwatt bio-engineering devices to high power battery charging system. IPT system is based on the basic concept of electromagnetics induction which able to transfer the power from a source of electrical to the load without using any type of physical interconnection. This paper present a low-cost designed and implementation of IPT system via magnetic resonant coupling. NI Multisim 14.0 software was used to simulate the circuit diagram and the hardware prototype was developed for testing

Midgut microbiota of the malaria mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae and Interactions with plasmodium falciparum Infection

The susceptibility of Anopheles mosquitoes to Plasmodium infections relies on complex interactions between the insect vector and the malaria parasite. A number of studies have shown that the mosquito innate immune responses play an important role in controlling the malaria infection and that the strength of parasite clearance is under genetic control, but little is known about the influence of environmental factors on the transmission success. We present here evidence that the composition of the vector gut microbiota is one of the major components that determine the outcome of mosquito infections. A. gambiae mosquitoes collected in natural breeding sites from Cameroon were experimentally challenged with a wild P. falciparum isolate, and their gut bacterial content was submitted for pyrosequencing analysis. The meta-taxogenomic approach revealed a broader richness of the midgut bacterial flora than previously described. Unexpectedly, the majority of bacterial species were found in only a small proportion of mosquitoes, and only 20 genera were shared by 80% of individuals. We show that observed differences in gut bacterial flora of adult mosquitoes is a result of breeding in distinct sites, suggesting that the native aquatic source where larvae were grown determines the composition of the midgut microbiota. Importantly, the abundance of Enterobacteriaceae in the mosquito midgut correlates significantly with the Plasmodium infection status. This striking relationship highlights the role of natural gut environment in parasite transmission. Deciphering microbe-pathogen interactions offers new perspectives to control disease transmission.Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD); French Agence Nationale pour la Recherche [ANR-11-BSV7-009-01]; European Community [242095, 223601]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Impacts of Photovoltaic Distributed Generation Location and Size on Distribution Power System Network

As the rapid development of photovoltaic (PV) technology in recent years with the growth of electricity demand, integration of photovoltaic distributed generation (PVDG) to the distribution system is emerging to fulfil the demand. There are benefits and drawbacks to the distribution system due to the penetration of PVDG. This paper discussed and investigated the impacts of PVDG location and size on distribution power systems. The medium voltage distribution network is connected to the grid with the load being supplied by PVDG. Load flow and short circuit calculation are analyzed by using DigSILENT Power Factory Software. Comparisons have been made between the typical distribution system and the distribution system with the penetration of PVDG. Impacts in which PVDG location and size integrates with distribution system are investigated with the results given from the load flow and short circuit analysis. The results indicate positive impacts on the system interconnected with PVDG such as improving voltage profile, reducing power losses, releasing transmission and distribution grid capacity. It also shows that optimal locations and sizes of DGs are needed to minimize the system’s power losses. On the other hand, it shows that PVDG interconnection to the system can cause reverse power flow at improper DG size and location and increases short circuit level

Mutations in HYAL2, Encoding Hyaluronidase 2, Cause a Syndrome of Orofacial Clefting and Cor Triatriatum Sinister in Humans and Mice.

Orofacial clefting is amongst the most common of birth defects, with both genetic and environmental components. Although numerous studies have been undertaken to investigate the complexities of the genetic etiology of this heterogeneous condition, this factor remains incompletely understood. Here, we describe mutations in the HYAL2 gene as a cause of syndromic orofacial clefting. HYAL2, encoding hyaluronidase 2, degrades extracellular hyaluronan, a critical component of the developing heart and palatal shelf matrix. Transfection assays demonstrated that the gene mutations destabilize the molecule, dramatically reducing HYAL2 protein levels. Consistent with the clinical presentation in affected individuals, investigations of Hyal2-/- mice revealed craniofacial abnormalities, including submucosal cleft palate. In addition, cor triatriatum sinister and hearing loss, identified in a proportion of Hyal2-/- mice, were also found as incompletely penetrant features in affected humans. Taken together our findings identify a new genetic cause of orofacial clefting in humans and mice, and define the first molecular cause of human cor triatriatum sinister, illustrating the fundamental importance of HYAL2 and hyaluronan turnover for normal human and mouse development

The physiological responses of cacao to the environment and the implications for climate change resilience. A review

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is a tropical perennial crop which is of great economic importance to the confectionary industry and to the economies of many countries of the humid tropics where it is grown. Some recent studies have suggested climate change could severely impact cacao production in West Africa. It is essential to incorporate our understanding of the physiology and genetic variation within cacao germplasm when discussing the implications of climate change on cacao productivity and developing strategies for climate resilience in cacao production. Here we review the current research on the physiological responses of cacao to various climate factors. Our main findings are 1) water limitation causes significant yield reduction in cacao but genotypic variation in sensitivity is evident, 2) in the field cacao experiences higher temperatures than is often reported in the literature, 3) the complexity of the cacao/ shade tree interaction can lead to contradictory results, 4) elevated CO2 may alleviate some negative effects of climate change 5) implementation of mitigation strategies can help reduce environmental stress, 6) significant gaps in the research need addressing to accelerate the development of climate resilience. Harnessing the significant genetic variation apparent within cacao germplasm is essential to develop modern varieties capable of high yields in non-optimal conditions. Mitigation strategies will also be essential but to use shading to best effect shade tree selection is crucial to avoid resource competition. Cacao is often described as being sensitive to climate change but genetic variation, adaptive responses, appropriate mitigation strategies and interactive climate effects should all be considered when predicting the future of cacao production. Incorporating these physiological responses to various environmental conditions and developing a deeper understanding of the processes underlying these responses will help to accelerate the development of a more resource use efficient tree ensuring sustainable production into the future