Spatial econometric analysis of agglomeration economies associated with the geographical distribution of the U.S. biotech industry

This dissertation analyzed spatial agglomeration economies associated with the geographical distribution of the U.S. biotech industry. Three location issues associated with the biotech industry were addressed in the study. The first study utilized a Bayesian spatial tobit model and examined the overall and regional differences in factors affecting the location of the U.S. biotech industry. The second study examined the inter- and intra-industry spatial association of biotech related research and development (R&D) and testing facilities across all contiguous U.S. counties employing a Spatial Two-Stage Least Squares model. Finally, the interdependence between different subsectors of the U.S. biotech industry was analyzed using a Seemingly Unrelated Regression model. The first study confirmed the hypothesis of spatial agglomeration for the spatial structure of the biotech industry, indicating that biotech firms are positively correlated across counties, resulting in clustering of biotech production. Availability of venture capital firms, research institutions, and hospitals were found to have the most significant impact on the location of biotech firms. Results from regional models indicate that biotech firms willing to locate in the West prefer to establish in metro-counties with easy access to research institutes and skilled labor pool. Conversely, firms that are willing to locate in the Northeast prefer counties with easy access to funding sources and hospitals for research, testing and marketing of new biotech products. Spatial clustering of biotech research and testing activities was confirmed in the second study. Proximity to manufacturing firms and research universities, and availability of venture capital firms were found to have the most significant impact on the location of R&D and testing facilities. Results indicated that public as well as private spillovers are at work in the R&D and testing industry, resulting in their spatial clustering. Agricultural biotechnology firms’ preference to locate in counties with large farmland, low median housing values and average hourly wage, and a high unemployment rate was indicated in the third study. Conversely, results indicate that firms belonging to drug and pharmaceuticals, and medical devices and equipment subsectors prefer to locate in counties with high standards of living and in close proximity of research institutes and hospitals to access skilled-labor, and develop and test new drugs

Creation of stable molecular junctions with a custom-designed scanning tunneling microscope

The scanning tunneling microscope break junction (STMBJ) technique is a powerful approach for creating single-molecule junctions and studying electrical transport in them. However, junctions created using the STMBJ technique are usually mechanically stable for relatively short times (<1 s), impeding detailed studies of their charge transport characteristics. Here, we report a custom-designed scanning tunneling microscope that enables the creation of metal–single molecule–metal junctions that are mechanically stable for more than 1 minute at room temperature. This stability is achieved by a design that minimizes thermal drift as well as the effect of environmental perturbations. The utility of this instrument is demonstrated by performing transition voltage spectroscopy—at the single-molecule level—on Au–hexanedithiol–Au, Au–octanedithiol–Au and Au–decanedithiol–Au junctions.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90791/1/0957-4484_22_48_485703.pd

Thermal and Thermoelectric Properties of Molecular Junctions

Molecular junctions (MJs) represent an ideal platform for studying charge and energy transport at the atomic and molecular scale and are of fundamental interest for the development of molecular‐scale electronics. While tremendous efforts have been devoted to probing charge transport in MJs during the past two decades, only recently advances in experimental techniques and computational tools have made it possible to precisely characterize how heat is transported, dissipated, and converted in MJs. This progress is central to the design of thermally robust molecular circuits and high‐efficiency energy conversion devices. In addition, thermal and thermoelectric studies on MJs offer unique opportunities to test the validity of classical physical laws at the nanoscale. A brief survey of recent progress and emerging experimental approaches in probing thermal and thermoelectric transport in MJs is provided, including thermal conduction, heat dissipation, and thermoelectric effects, from both a theoretical and experimental perspective. Future directions and outstanding challenges in the field are also discussed.Probing thermal and thermoelectric properties of molecular junctions is key to the development of robust molecular‐scale circuits and high‐efficiency energy conversion devices. Recent theoretical and experimental efforts towards understanding thermal and thermoelectric transport in molecular junctions are presented. Strategies to manipulate thermal conduction, heat dissipation, and thermopower of molecular junctions are introduced. Future directions and outstanding challenges are also discussed.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154389/1/adfm201904534_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154389/2/adfm201904534.pd

Histomorphometric and sympathetic innervation of the human internal thoracic artery

INTRODUCTION: Internal thoracic artery (ITA) is an established arterial graft for the coronary artery by-pass surgery. Special micro-anatomical features of the ITA wall may protect it from age related pathological changes. One of the complications seen after coronary artery bypass grafting is vasospasm. Sympathetic nerves may be involved in vasospasm. OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the sympathetic innervation of the internal thoracic artery and to assess the effect of aging on this artery by histomorphometry. METHOD: Fifty-four human internal thoracic artery samples were collected from 27 cadavers (19 male and 8 female) with ages of 19 to 83 years. Samples were divided into three age groups: G1, 19-40 years; G2, 41-60 years; G3, >61 years. Sections (thickness 5 mm) of each sample were taken and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Verhoeff-Van Gieson stains. Five of fifty-four samples were processed for tyrosine hydroxylase immunostaining. RESULTS: The thickness of the tunica intima was found to be constant in all age groups, whereas the thickness of the tunica media decreased in proportion to age. Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining showed numerous elastic laminae in the tunica media. Significant differences (p<0.0001) in the number of elastic laminae were found between G1 with G2 cadavers, between G2 and G3 cadavers and between G3 and G1 cadavers. Tyrosine hydroxylase immunostaining demonstrated sympathetic fibers, located mainly in the tunica adventitia and the adventitia-media border. The sympathetic nerve fiber area and sympathetic index were found to be 0.0016 mm² and 0.012, respectively. DISCUSSION: Histology of the ITA showed features of the elastic artery. This may be associated with lower incidence of Atherosclerosis or intimal hyperplasia in ITA samples even in elderly cases. Low sympathetic index (0.012) of ITA may be associated with fewer incidences of sympathetic nervous systems problems (vasospasm) of the ITA. CONCLUSION: Sympathetic nerve fibers are present in the adventitia of the internal thoracic artery. This is an elastic artery, although anatomically it is considered to be medium-sized. The sympathetic index may be used for analysis of sympathetic nerve fiber-related problems of the internal thoracic arter

A study to evaluate and compare the anti-inflammatory activity of ethanolic and aqueous extract of Holoptelea integrifolia leaves on acute inflammatory models

Background: Inflammation is a local response of living mammalian tissues to injury. It is a body defence reaction in order to eliminate or to limit the spread of injurious agent. This study was intended to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous and ethanolic extract of Holoptelea intergifolia leaves.Methods: The anti-inflammatory activity study was carried out by using Carrageenan induced rat paw oedema animal model and turpentine induced arthritis animal model. Wistar rats were divided into six groups of six animals each. Two different doses (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) of aqueous and ethanolic extract of Holoptelea intergifolia leaves were given to the four different test group animals and compared with the standard drug indomethacin (10mg/kg).Results: In the present study both the extract exhibited significant Anti-inflammatory activity. But, ethanolic extract has showed considerabely better values than aqueous extract which supports the traditional medicinal utilization of the plant.Conclusions: Both the aqueous and ethanolic extract of Holoptelea Integrifolia leaves exihibited significant anti-inflammatory activity. But, Ethanolic extract had showed better results. Further studies involving the purification of the chemical constituents of the plant and the investigations in the biochemical pathways may result in the development of a potent anti-inflammatory agent with low toxicity and better therapeutic index

Big Data Insights Using Analytics

The main objective of this project is to find the data insights from the huge amount of data that is evolving around us day by day. In order to analyze the data we need an architecture that is suitable for all kinds of data that we see in 21st century. We are using SPLUNK architecture for analyzing the data and getting the insights that we need for taking better decisions. SPLUNK is google for datacenters. By using SPLUNK we can generate all kinds of DASHBOARDS, ALERTS, SCHEDULING, PIVOTS and a lot more important things that is very usable for managers to take a better decisions. We use SPL language for manipulating the data

A non-invasive method to estimate glucose levels in salivary secretions of diabetic patients

Background: Aim of the study is to correlate between blood glucose levels and salivary glucose levels in type 2 diabetic patients, to study the relationship between salivary glucose levels and serum glucose levels in type 2 diabetic patients and to determine whether salivary glucose levels could be used as a non-invasive tool for the measurement of glycemic control in type 2 diabetics. This requirement of multiple pricking at regular intervals for monitoring serum glucose levels in the body is physically and psychologically traumatic to the patient. This necessitates a non-invasive procedure like salivary glucose estimation.Methods: The study population consisted of two groups: Group 1 consisted of 20 controlled diabetics and Group 2 consisted of 20 diabetics based on their random blood and salivary glucose levels. Two milliliters of peripheral blood were collected for the estimation of random blood glucose levels. Unstimulated saliva was collected by the oral rinse technique for the estimation of salivary glucose.Results: ANOVA single factor and Pearson correlation coefficient was carried out to know the statistical significance between the two groups. The salivary glucose levels were significantly higher in controlled and when compared with the diabetics. The salivary glucose levels showed a significant correlation with blood glucose levels, suggesting that salivary glucose levels can be used as a monitoring tool for predicting glycemic in diabetic patients.Conclusions: The present study found that estimation of salivary glucose levels can be used as a non-invasive, painless technique for the measurement of diabetic status of a patient in a dental set up

Heat dissipation and its relation to thermopower in single-molecule junctions

Motivated by recent experiments [Lee et al. Nature 498, 209 (2013)], we present here a detailed theoretical analysis of the Joule heating in current-carrying single-molecule junctions. By combining the Landauer approach for quantum transport with ab initio calculations, we show how the heating in the electrodes of a molecular junction is determined by its electronic structure. In particular, we show that in general the heat is not equally dissipated in both electrodes of the junction and it depends on the bias polarity (or equivalently on the current direction). These heating asymmetries are intimately related to the thermopower of the junction as both these quantities are governed by very similar principles. We illustrate these ideas by analyzing single-molecule junctions based on benzene derivatives with different anchoring groups. The close relation between heat dissipation and thermopower provides general strategies for exploring fundamental phenomena such as the Peltier effect or the impact of quantum interference effects on the Joule heating of molecular transport junctions.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures, submitted to New Journal of Physic

IOT Cloud Based Real Time Automobile Monitoring System

Smart sensing has had a significant impact on defining our future in recent years. The field of IOT is a recent technical innovation that has caused a change in lifestyle (Internet of things). IoT refers to the internetworking of physical equipment and other items that are equipped with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity to allow data to be collected from them. Transportation is a booming industry in India, with the number of vehicles on the road increasing by the day. Monitoring vehicle metrics such as gasoline, temperature, and battery level without having to touch the car is perfect. In this digital age, a digital locking mechanism is desperately needed. When your vehicle is not with you, vehicle tracking is also essential. Here, car tracking is designed using GPS to conveniently locate the user's vehicle. The IoT cloud-based real-time automotive monitoring system is capable of monitoring our vehicle's metrics such as fuel level, battery level, engine temperature, and speed, as well as tracking the driver's alcohol percentage via an Android application. We receive an alert when one of these metrics crosses a certain threshold. Its Smart RFID digital key secures your vehicle even more than keys do. We may save our vehicle documents, driver's licences, insurance copies, and other documents in this project's Android application. Whenever an accident occurs, send a message to trusted people with the location

Room temperature picowatt-resolution calorimetry

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98693/1/ApplPhysLett_99_043106.pd