Initial Analysis and Development of an Automated Maintenance System for Agrivoltaics Plants

Agrivoltaics power generation is the simultaneous use of agricultural land and photovoltaic panels. In such cases, the panels are placed more sparsely, compared to conventional photovoltaic plants. Furthermore, the panels might be mounted at higher heights, to provide the required space for the farm. Due to this arrangement of the panels in wide areas with crops on the farm, maintenance of the panels is a hard task. The major part of maintenance is to clean the panels, since the accumulation of farm dust and bird excrement can reduce the efficiency of the panels. In Agrivoltaics plants, the panels can be scattered, thus it is not economical for each panel to have a dedicated cleaning robot. This paper presents the initial design and analysis of an automated system for cleaning such power plants. This system consists of a robotic AGV, which transfers a panel cleaner between the photovoltaic panels mounted over the farms. The initial design is presented. Then, to anticipate the required power and control system, the carrier kinetics and kinematics are modeled and validated through simulations. Then, position and trajectory controllers are designed and simulations are presented. The simulations show desired performance for the introduced controlled system

Degradation of phenanthrene and pyrene using genetically engineered dioxygenase producing Pseudomonas putida in soil

Bioremediation use to promote degradation and/or removal of contaminants into nonhazardous or less-hazardous substances from the environment using microbial metabolic ability. Pseudomonas spp. is one of saprotrophic soil bacterium and can be used for biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) but this activity in most species is weak. Phenanthrene and pyrene could associate with a risk of human cancer development in exposed individuals. The aim of the present study was application of genetically engineered P. putida that produce dioxygenase for degradation of phenanthrene and pyrene in spiked soil using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The nahH gene that encoded catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) was cloned into pUC18 and pUC18-nahH recombinant vector was generated and transformed into wild P. putida, successfully. The genetically modified and wild types of P. putida were inoculated in soil and pilot plan was prepared. Finally, degradation of phenanthrene and pyrene by this bacterium in spiked soil were evaluated using HPLC measurement technique. The results were showed elimination of these PAH compounds in spiked soil by engineered P. putida comparing to dishes containing natural soil with normal microbial flora and inoculated autoclaved soil by wild type of P. putida were statistically significant (p 0.05) but it was few impact on this process (more than 2%). Additional and verification tests including catalase, oxidase and PCR on isolated bacteria from spiked soil were indicated that engineered P. putida was alive and functional as well as it can affect on phenanthrene and pyrene degradation via nahH gene producing. These findings indicated that genetically engineered P. putida generated in this work via producing C23O enzyme can useful and practical for biodegradation of phenanthrene and pyrene as well as petroleum compounds in polluted environments

Situation Analysis of Social Accountability Medical Education in University of Medical Sciences and Innovative Point of View of Clinical Faculty Members towards its Promotion Using Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis Model

Background & Objective: Social accountability medical education in all fields considers health problems priorities in specified countries. Health provision (social accountability) encounters many challenges in its delivery due to more reasons and faculty innovations seem essential in promotion of education. This study was designed in order to investigate social accountability medical education and innovations of clinical faculty members. Methods: In a cross-sectional and triangulation study, point of view of 72 clinical faculty members in Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran, about social accountability medical education and their innovations was investigated by two separated questionnaires. Results: Situation analysis of social accountability medical education in Kerman University of Medical Sciences showed that this form of education is in weakness-threatened status. The score of strengths was significantly difference among men and women, and score of weakness was significantly difference among different educational groups and academic degrees (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between situation analysis of social accountability medical education, innovation and other demographic and educational variables. Conclusion: Status of social accountability medical education (weakness-threatened) is not appropriate in Kerman University of Medical Sciences; in order to its promotion, there must be an appropriate mechanism. In addition, potentials of faculty members must be considered about innovation for social accountability medical education. Keywords Accountability education Innovation Clinicians Situation analysi

The Canadian WATCHMAN Registry for Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure

BACKGROUND Access to left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) in Canada is limited, due to funding restrictions. This work aimed to assess Canadian clinical practice on patient selection, postprocedural antithrombotic therapy, and safety and/or efficacy with WATCHMAN device implantation. METHODS Seven Canadian centres implanting the WATCHMAN device participated in this prospective multicentre, observational registry. All procedures were done under general anesthesia with transesophageal echocardiography guidance. Patients were prospectively followed for 2years. The long-term stroke rate was compared with the expected rate based on the CHA$_{2}$DS$_{2}$-VASc score. RESULTS A total of 272 patients who underwent LAAC with the WATCHMAN device between December 2013 and August 2019 (mean age: 75.4 years [standard deviation {SD}: 8.75]; male, 63.2%; CHA$_{2}$DS$_{2}$-VASc score: 4.35 [SD: 1.64]; HAS-BLED score: 3.55 [SD: 0.94]) were included. Most patients (90.4%) had prior history of bleeding (major, 80.5%; minor, 21.7%). The WATCHMAN device was successfully implanted in 269 patients (98.9%), with a few procedure-related complications, including 5 pericardial effusions requiring drainage (1.8%), and 1 death (0.4%; 22 days post-LAAC from respiratory failure). Post-LAAC antithrombotic therapy included dual antiplatelet therapy in 70.6%, single antiplatelet therapy in 18.4%, and oral anticoagulation in 13.6%. During the follow-up period (mean: 709.7 days [SD: 467.2]), an 81.4% reduction of the ischemic stroke rate occurred, based on the expected rate from the CHA$_{2}$DS$_{2}$-VASc score (6.0% expected vs 1.1% observed). Device-related thrombus was detected in 1.8%. CONCLUSIONS The majority of Canadian patients who underwent LAAC had oral anticoagulation contraindication due to prior bleeding, and most were safely treated with antiplatelet therapy post-LAAC, with a low device-related thrombus incidence. Long-term follow-up demonstrated that LAAC achieved a significant reduction in ischemic stroke rate

Diagnosing burnt-out hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: daughter's phenotype solidifies father's diagnosis

AbstractPatients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy classically have preserved systolic function in the setting of impaired diastolic function and decreased left ventricular end-diastolic volume. However, in a small sub-population, patients paradoxically develop systolic dysfunction, left ventricular dilatation, and ventricular wall thinning. This pattern is one that is likened to dilated cardiomyopathy and is known as end-stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or “burned-out cardiomyopathy.” The role of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is well defined in narrowing the differential diagnosis of impaired left ventricular function, including that of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, the importance of obtaining a family history and obtaining details of diagnosis for both preceding and future generations cannot be under-estimated. We report a case of end-stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that highlights how important family history can be in making a diagnosis.<Learning objective: While most cases of burned-out hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occur long after a patient has been initially seen and subsequently followed by cardiologists for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a small proportion of patients initially present with this entity. This is one such case, and it highlights the importance of thorough investigation into a patient's family history.

Arteriovenous fistula as a complication of transradial coronary angiography: a case report

Abstract Introduction Iatrogenic arteriovenous fistula is a vascular condition that may result from coronary angiography. Many case reports have described arteriovenous fistula occurrence after coronary angiography using the transfemoral access route, but rarely as a complication of using the transradial approach. We report a rare case of a patient with arteriovenous fistula following transradial artery coronary angiography. Case presentation A 62-year-old Caucasian man underwent emergent coronary angiography using the right radial artery approach. One month after angiography, he discovered a turbulent sound near the access site. A right radial arteriovenous fistula was found upon duplex ultrasound investigation. The patient was treated conservatively. At 1-year follow-up, the arteriovenous fistula was unchanged and the patient remained hemodynamically stable and asymptomatic. Conclusion Iatrogenic arteriovenous fistula is a rare vascular complication of transradial artery coronary angiography. The natural history of arteriovenous fistula is benign and is thought to resolve spontaneously; therefore, a conservative approach, as opposed to surgical ligation, is recommended as the first-line treatment.</p