Open circuit fault diagnosis technique for inverter switches and gate drive malfunction

Open circuit faults (OCFs) in voltage source inverters (VSIs) can significantly affect their performance and reliability. In this paper, a novel fault diagnosis technique (FDT)is presented for the detection and classification of two types of OCFs in VSIs: gate drive malfunction (GDM) and open switch fault (OSF). the effect of these OCFs on the output current of the VSI is analysed, this shows that they can be identified and distinguished using the average and root mean square (RMS) ratio of the current parameters. The proposed FDT is simple to implement and can identify switch faults with quick response, without the need for additional equipment. In this work the authors adopted the ensemble bagged tree classification method to detect and classify the GDM and OSF, the results show the credibility of the proposed technique in identifying different open circuit faults

Protein and lipid species in seminal plasma of fertile Holstein-Friesian bulls

Protein and lipid molecules in seminal plasma (SP) collected from fertile bulls were investigated. Semen was collected from 10 bulls (2 ejaculates each) and examined for standard semen analysis. Raw SP was recovered by centrifugation and total protein (TP) concentration was determined using a refractometer. Raw SP was desalted using a Sephadex G-25 desalting column then both raw and de-salted SP was subjected to SDS-PAGE. Neutral lipids and phospholipids of raw and desalted SP were separated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The results revealed that, all bulls had normal semen characteristics and TP concentration in SP ranged from 7.0 to 10.4 g/dL except bull No. 6 had a relatively low concentration of 4.9 to 6.8 g/dL. Neither proteins nor lipids species were different between raw and desalted SP. Seventeen proteins were detected ranging from 8.5 to 185.8 kDa, and those of 12, 13.5, 15, 21, 23 and 38 kDa were predominant. Notably, proteins of 10, 17.5, 19, 21, 80 and 185.8 kDa might be new candidates of SP proteins (SPPs). The detected neutral lipid spots corre-sponded to cholesterol, 1,2-dimyristoyl glycerol, 1,2-dioleoyloglycerol, 1,3-dimyristoyl glycerol and 1,3-dioleoyloglycerol. The detected phospholipids spots corresponded to non-migrating phospholipids, sphingomyelin (SM), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), cerebroside and polyglycerol phosphatide. Cholesterol represents the major molecule of neutral lipids, whereas SM, PC, PI and PE represent the major phospholipids. Noteworthy, there were 2 species of diacylglycerol (DAG) and 3 species of PI in bovine SP. In conclusion, this study gave a general picture of SP protein and lipid species in fertile bull semen, which might serve as fundamental knowledge for either semen analysis or prediction of male fertility

Сравнение показателей соотношений тромбоциты / лимфоциты и нейтрофилы / лимфоциты в качестве предикторов исхода COVID-19

Clinical presentation is an undependable prognostic indicator of COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019). So, a more objective predictor is needed to precisely evaluate and classify the prognosis. Immune dysregulation to lymphocytes, mainly T-lymphocytes, have been noticed between COVID-19 patients. The aim. This study was planned to determine the role of platelet-to-lymphocyte count ratio and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in assessment of COVID-19 prognosis. Methods. 70 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 were included in this study. All included patients underwent a consistent clinical, radiological and blood examination. Laboratory analysis was made by means of a commercially accessible kit. Blood cells ratios were computed by dividing their absolute counts. Results. Non-significant association was found between laboratory data and COVID-19 clinical severity. A significant association between CT classification and platelet-to-lymphocyte count ratio (higher value in L type; p = 0.001) was detected. Platelet-to-lymphocyte count ratio was significantly higher among intubated cases. However, Non-significant association was found between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and need of endotracheal intubation. Conclusion. Routine blood values are abnormal in patients with COVID-19. Platelet-to-lymphocyte count ratio ratios could be used as more meaningful biomarker than other values in predicting the prognosis of COVID-19. LMR helpful in COVID-19 severity.Клиническая картина является ненадежным показателем прогноза исхода новой коронавирусной инфекции (НКИ), поэтому для точной оценки и классификации прогноза необходим более объективный прогнозирующий фактор. У пациентов, перенесших НКИ, отмечается нарушение регуляции иммунного ответа со стороны лимфоцитов, в основном Т-лимфоцитов. Целью исследования явилось определение роли показателей соотношений тромбоциты / лимфоциты и нейтрофилы / лимфоциты при оценке прогноза COVID-19. Материалы и методы. В исследование были включены госпитализированные пациенты (n = 70) с подтвержденным COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019). У всех пациентов проводились последовательное клиническое и рентгенологическое обследование и анализ крови. Лабораторные анализы выполнялись с помощью коммерческого набора. Соотношения показателей клеток крови рассчитывались путем деления их абсолютного количества. Результаты. Обнаружена незначимая связь между лабораторными показателями и степенью тяжести COVID-19. Выявлена значимая связь между степенью поражения легких по данным компьютерной томографии и показателем соотношения тромбоциты / лимфоциты (более высокое значение для L-типа; p = 0,001). У интубированных пациентов соотношение показателя тромбоциты / лимфоциты было значимо выше. Однако обнаружена незначимая связь между показателем соотношения нейтрофилы / лимфоциты и необходимостью интубации трахеи. Заключение. У пациентов с COVID-19 наблюдаются отклонения показателей рутинных анализов крови. Показатель соотношения тромбоциты / лимфоциты может служить биомаркером при прогнозировании течения COVID-19, а показатель соотношения лимфоциты / моноциты полезен при прогнозировании степени тяжести COVID-19

Osteogenic Differentiation Potential of Human Bone Marrow and Amniotic Fluid-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Vitro & in Vivo

BACKGROUND: Cell therapies offer a promising potential in promoting bone regeneration. Stem cell therapy presents attractive care modality in treating degenerative conditions or tissue injuries. The rationale behind this is both the expansion potential of stem cells into a large cell population size and its differentiation abilities into a wide variety of tissue types, when given the proper stimuli. A progenitor stem cell is a promising source of cell therapy in regenerative medicine and bone tissue engineering. AIM: This study aimed to compare the osteogenic differentiation and regenerative potentials of human mesenchymal stem cells derived from human bone marrow (hBM-MSCs) or amniotic fluid (hAF-MSCs), both in vitro and in vivo studies. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Human MSCs, used in this study, were successfully isolated from two human sources; the bone marrow (BM) and amniotic fluid (AF) collected at the gestational ages of second or third trimesters. RESULTS: The stem cells derived from amniotic fluid seemed to be the most promising type of progenitor cells for clinical applications. In a pre-clinical experiment, attempting to explore the therapeutic application of MSCs in bone regeneration, Rat lumbar spines defects were surgically created and treated with undifferentiated and osteogenically differentiated MSCs, derived from BM and second trimester AF. Cells were loaded on gel-foam scaffolds, inserted and fixed in the area of the surgical defect. X-Ray radiography follows up, and histopathological analysis was done three-four months post- operation. The transplantation of AF-MSCs or BM-MSCs into induced bony defects showed promising results. The AF-MSCs are offering a better healing effect increasing the likelihood of achieving successful spinal fusion. Some bone changes were observed in rats transplanted with osteoblasts differentiated cells but not in rats transplanted with undifferentiated MSCs. Longer observational periods are required to evaluate a true bone formation. The findings of this study suggested that the different sources; hBM-MSCs or hAF-MSCs exhibited remarkably different signature regarding the cell morphology, proliferation capacity and osteogenic differentiation potential CONCLUSIONS: AF-MSCs have a better performance in vivo bone healing than that of BM-MSCs. Hence, AF derived MSCs is highly recommended as an alternative source to BM-MSCs in bone regeneration and spine fusion surgeries. Moreover, the usage of gel-foam as a scaffold proved as an efficient cell carrier that showed bio-compatibility with cells, bio-degradability and osteoinductivity in vivo

Structural and Functional adaptation of the lingual papillae of the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus): Specific Adaptive feeding Strategies

The current investigation was directed to clarify the correlations between the feeding strategy and lingual structure of the Egyptian fruit bat captured from the Egyptian east desert. The current work depends on twelve adult Egyptian fruit bats that observed grossly and with the help of the stereo, light, and scanning electron microscope. There were three types of the lingual papillae; one mechanical filiform and two gustatory (fungiform and circumvallate). There were seven subtypes of filiform papillae were recognized on the seven lingual regions. There were scanty numbers of fungiform papillae distributed among the filiform papillae on the lingual tip and two lateral parts of apex and body while fungiform papillae completely absent in the median part. There were three circumvallate papillae. The central bulb of circumvallate papillae surrounded by one layer of two segmented circular annular bad. The lingual tip had cornflower-like and diamond-shaped filiform papillae. Histochemical results revealed that the lingual glands were a stronger AB-positive reaction and gave dark blue color, while the reaction for the PAS-stain was negative. Also, the glands exhibited a blue color as an indication of positive AB reactivity with combined AB-PAS staining

Fulminant Staphylococcus lugdunensis septicaemia following a pelvic varicella-zoster virus infection in an immune-deficient patient: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The deadly threat of systemic infections with coagulase negative <it>Staphylococcus lugdunensis </it>despite an appropriate antibiotic therapy has only recently been recognized. The predominant infectious focus observed so far is left-sided native heart valve endocarditis, but bone and soft tissue infections, septicaemia and vascular catheter-related bloodstream infections have also been reported. We present a patient with a fatal <it>Staphylococcus lugdunensis </it>septicaemia following zoster bacterial superinfection of the pelvic region.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 71-year old male diagnosed with IgG kappa plasmocytoma presented with a conspicuous weight loss, a hypercalcaemic crisis and acute renal failure. After initiation of haemodialysis treatment his condition improved rapidly. However, he developed a varicella-zoster virus infection of the twelfth thoracic dermatome requiring intravenous acyclovir treatment. Four days later the patient presented with a fulminant septicaemia. Despite an early intravenous antibiotic therapy with ciprofloxacin, piperacillin/combactam and vancomycin the patient died within 48 hours, shortly before the infective isolate was identified as <it>Staphylococcus lugdunensis </it>by polymerase chain reaction.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Despite <it>S. lugdunensis </it>belonging to the family of coagulase-negative staphylococci with an usually low virulence, infections with <it>S. lugdunensis </it>may be associated with an aggressive course and high mortality. This is the first report on a <it>Staphylococcus lugdunensis </it>septicaemia following a zoster bacterial superinfection of the pelvic region.</p