Development of a dynamic spatial data analysis system for transportation

Transportation systems are complex entities that are owned and operated by a diverse group of organizations. The management of such systems requires substantial amounts of data to be monitored, acquired, managed, analyzed, maintained and modeled. Due to the spatial and temporal nature of such data, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technologies offer significant promise to help with such activities. The focus of this dissertation is to develop a GIS based decision support system to help manage transportation systems. The purpose of the study is to develop a system, which compiles, pre-processes, and manages various transportation system related data including near real time transfer of data. This involves the development of a system architecture, and identification and integration of software and hardware elements. The system utilizes commercial off-the-shelf software and hardware, along with customized interfaces. The system is then evaluated using a pilot study. The pilot study includes components to facilitate data collection and analyses, as well as mechanism to disseminate the results of the analyses. The outcome of the dissertation is a system that utilizes GIS and GPS technologies to manage transportation related databases in real-time, and a demonstration of its use

Photoplethysmography

The process of breathing occurs as a physiological cycle in which one nasal cavity is functionally active while the other is resting, i.e., breathing alternates between the nostrils according to a regular pattern referred to as the "nasal cycle" and this cycle has been found to have a profound effect on a number of brain functions. It is suspected that some cross coupling exists between the dominant nostril and the active cerebral hemisphere. It is believed that breathing has a profound effect on man's physical/psychological functioning and is the link between the body and the mind. Pranayama is a well-proven technique for controlled rhythmic breathing with beneficial effects reported both for the body and the mind. In this study the arterial blood volumetric changes from 10 normal breathing subjects and 30 subjects practicing pranayama are monitored non-invasively at the earlobes using optical sensors. This method is known as Photoplethysmography (PPG). Spectral analysis and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) studies are performed on the collected PPG data. The results show fundamental changes in the spectral components of the PPG signal in relation to the breathing brought about by pranayama. In addition, a bi-nasal respiratory airflow monitor is designed and developed for this study utilizing miniature thermistors that can be introduced into the two nostrils of the subject without causing discomfort to the subject. Another study is also reported in which changes in microcirculation in chakra points were studies as a result of concentration on these points. Results indicate the low frequency component around 0.18 Hz changes dramatically during these procedures. Concentration on heart increases the amplitude of the low frequency by about 4.5 times. Concentration on the eyebrow chakra increases the value of this component by about 3 times, but the curve is much broader showing more "power" in that band of frequencies. Since prana or chi is related to amount of blood flow, it is likely the increase in microcirculation is related to increase in prana, as suggested in ancient texts. Further work is contemplated to peruse this line of thinking through standard clinical methods

Effective Diffusivity Coefficients for Degradation of Pectin in Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Pulps Using Immobilized Pectinase

 Background and objective: Recently, use of immobilization technology through cell entrapment to entrap biocatalysts has been shown as an economical method since it offers several advantages over suspension cultures such as reusability, high cell concentrations over a period of time, elimination of costly processes of cell recovery and cell recycling and simplifying the downstream processing. Understanding diffusion and permeability coefficients is necessary for the creation of optimized encapsulation systems. The major objectives of the present study included degradation studies on pectin using batch systems using soluble and immobilized pectinase enzymes.Materials and methods: Commercial pectinase enzymes were immobilized using entrapment method for liquefaction of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) pulps with a wide range of applications in food industries. Guava fruit pulps were liquefied using free and immobilized pectinase enzymes to assess the intraparticle mass transfer resistance.Results and conclusion: In the current study, effects of mass transfer on liquefaction process were revealed. Effectiveness factors for the various sizes of immobilized beads included less than 1.0, which indicated that the pectin degradation was a diffusion-controlled process. Effectiveness factors included 0.520 and 0.268 for beads having smallest and largest diameters, respectively. Intra-particle mass transfer resistance was assessed by calculating Thiele modulus (ф) using effectiveness factors calculated for various bead sizes. These results were further used to calculate the effective diffusivity coefficients (De) of guava pulps into the pores. Thiele modulus values (ф) were much higher than 1, which showed that the reaction was very fast and the system was mass transfer controlled. Beads with lower diameters included higher diffusivity coefficients showing a better rate of diffusion of substrates from bulk solutions.Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest

Photoplethysmography

The process of breathing occurs as a physiological cycle in which one nasal cavity is functionally active while the other is resting, i.e., breathing alternates between the nostrils according to a regular pattern referred to as the "nasal cycle" and this cycle has been found to have a profound effect on a number of brain functions. It is suspected that some cross coupling exists between the dominant nostril and the active cerebral hemisphere. It is believed that breathing has a profound effect on man's physical/psychological functioning and is the link between the body and the mind. Pranayama is a well-proven technique for controlled rhythmic breathing with beneficial effects reported both for the body and the mind. In this study the arterial blood volumetric changes from 10 normal breathing subjects and 30 subjects practicing pranayama are monitored non-invasively at the earlobes using optical sensors. This method is known as Photoplethysmography (PPG). Spectral analysis and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) studies are performed on the collected PPG data. The results show fundamental changes in the spectral components of the PPG signal in relation to the breathing brought about by pranayama. In addition, a bi-nasal respiratory airflow monitor is designed and developed for this study utilizing miniature thermistors that can be introduced into the two nostrils of the subject without causing discomfort to the subject. Another study is also reported in which changes in microcirculation in chakra points were studies as a result of concentration on these points. Results indicate the low frequency component around 0.18 Hz changes dramatically during these procedures. Concentration on heart increases the amplitude of the low frequency by about 4.5 times. Concentration on the eyebrow chakra increases the value of this component by about 3 times, but the curve is much broader showing more "power" in that band of frequencies. Since prana or chi is related to amount of blood flow, it is likely the increase in microcirculation is related to increase in prana, as suggested in ancient texts. Further work is contemplated to peruse this line of thinking through standard clinical methods

Flow studies in non circular tubes with wall injection

An analysis of inviscid incompressible flow in a tube of sinusoidally perturbed circular cross section with wall injection has been made. The velocity and pressure fields have been obtained. Measurements of axial velocity profiles and pressure distribution have been made in a simulated star shaped tube with wall injection. The static pressure at the star recess is found to be more than that at the star point, this feature being in conformity with the analytical result. Flow visualisation by photography of injected smoke seems to show simple diffusion rather than strong vortices in the recess

The wound healing property of ethanolic extract of Michelia champaca flowers in diabetic rats

Background: The plant Michelia champaca (MC) is widely used in the treatment of inflammation, constipation, dysmenorrhea, ulcers, wounds, fever, and cough. The aim was to evaluate the wound healing property of ethanolic extract of MCflowers in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.Methods: Wound healing activity was assessed by incision and excision wound models. Five groups of n=6 rats and n=14 rats were used for incision and excision wound models, respectively. Group I rats, non-diabetic control and Group II rats diabetic control, received 1 ml of 0.5% caboxymethylcellolose, which was used to prepare a suspension of ethanolic extracts of MC. Group III, IV and V rats were given MC extract the suspension of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg respectively. Parameters observed were breaking strength of incision wound and wound contraction, epithelialization, hydroxyproline content of excision wound respectively. Results were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance, followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test.Results: Breaking strength, rate of wound contraction and hydroxyproline content were significantly increased, and the period of epithelialization was significantly reduced in Group IV and V rats respectively.Conclusion: Oral administration of ethanolic extract of MC promotes wound healing in diabetic rats. Hence, further study in humans is suggested

The Real Symplectic Groups in Quantum Mechanics and Optics

text of abstract (We present a utilitarian review of the family of matrix groups $Sp(2n,\Re)$, in a form suited to various applications both in optics and quantum mechanics. We contrast these groups and their geometry with the much more familiar Euclidean and unitary geometries. Both the properties of finite group elements and of the Lie algebra are studied, and special attention is paid to the so-called unitary metaplectic representation of $Sp(2n,\Re)$. Global decomposition theorems, interesting subgroups and their generators are described. Turning to $n$-mode quantum systems, we define and study their variance matrices in general states, the implications of the Heisenberg uncertainty principles, and develop a U(n)-invariant squeezing criterion. The particular properties of Wigner distributions and Gaussian pure state wavefunctions under $Sp(2n,\Re)$ action are delineated.)Comment: Review article 43 pages, revtex, no figures, replaced because somefonts were giving problem in autometic ps generatio

Morphology of sporadic E layer retrieved from COSMIC GPS radio occultation measurements: Wind shear theory examination

On the basis of the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC)-measured fluctuations in the signal-to-noise ratio and excess phase of the GPS signal piercing through ionospheric sporadic E (Es) layers, the general morphologies of these layers are presented for the period from July 2006 to May 2011. It is found that the latitudinal variation in the Es layer occurrence is substantially geomagnetically controlled, most frequent in the summer hemisphere within the geomagnetic latitude region between 10° and 70° and very rare in the geomagnetic equatorial zone. Model simulations show that the summer maximum (winter minimum) in the Es layer occurrence is very likely attributed to the convergence of the Fe+ concentration flux driven by the neutral wind. In addition to seasonal and spatial distributions, the height-time variations in the Es layer occurrence in the midlatitude (>30°) region in summer and spring are primarily dominated by the semidiurnal tides, which start to appear at local time around 6 and 18-h in the height range 110-120-km and gradually descend at a rate of about 0.9-1.6-km/h. In the low-latitude (<30°) region, the diurnal tide dominates. The Horizontal Wind Model (HWM07) indicates that the height-time distribution of Es layers at middle latitude (30°-60°) is highly coincident with the zonal neutral wind shear. However, Es layer occurrences in low-latitude and equatorial regions do not correlate well with the zonal wind shear. Key Points Examination of Es layer summer maximum phenomenon Global distribution of COSMIC-retrieved Es layer Es layer formation and wind shear mechanism

Business schools in crisis

Economic, political, and demographic changes, technological advances, two crashes of the economy, ethical scandals, and other developments in the business environment have strained the roles and enrollments of American universities' business schools. The b-schools have not responded adequately. Prevailing theories in many of the management disciplines have broken down, partly as a result of the same environmental changes. Again, schools and curricula have not adapted. Collegiate business education is in dire crisis. In this paper we document the crisis, note measures that have been taken - both constructive and otherwise - and make further suggestions for improving the situation

The effect of electrojet on the seasonal variation of sporadic-E

In the present communication, an attempt has been made to judge the extent of electrojet from the seasonal variation curves ƒoEs. From the analysis of the Es data for the Indian Ionospheric stations near the mangetic equator, it is noted that the change over from the tropical type of Es to the equatorial type is observed to take place between magnetic dip 5&#176; and 10&#176;. The dependence of the electrojet on the sunspot activity as judged by the seasonal variation of Es has also been studied