Experimental verification of parameters in automobile crankshaft modelling for vibration analysis

In the interest of utilized more stable automobile components at high speed for reduction the vibration of mechanical system, dynamic characteristics analysis plays a vital role in complex mechanical parts. This paper introduces a clarified approach on statistical investigation and modal analysis methodology to study, predict and accurate crankshaft natural frequencies by using design of experiment (DOE). In this research, first, simulation had been done with MSC Nastran/ Patran to find out the natural frequencies in each mode shape of crankshaft as well as the verification with experiment was carried out. In order to less inaccuracy, numerous simplified crankshaft models were created by using these as input and DOE was established to acquire precise parameters of optimized crankshaft design as the second phase. This method can be further used for the optimizing the structural parameters and would provide some value basis to qualitative measure of parameters and determination of optimized structure. In Conclusion, modal verification accuracy between experimental and simulation has improved

Understanding How Users Engage in an Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Live Event

Virtual Reality combined with social functioning is a lucrative business direction. Due to COVID-19, a need for better social interaction is identified urgently both in education institutes and the business sector. In this paper, we will show two business cases where social functioning is needed. The first one illustrates how the business sector can use Virtual Reality Social Platform (VRSP) in remote events. As a case study, we have selected Spinverse’s Summer Day organized in Microsoft AltspaceVR. The second business case, in turn, classifies requirements for Virtual Reality Social platforms. This has been studied in close cooperation with XR Presence. Results show that current technologies offer many features to be used, but at the same time, there are needs for further development. In addition, more studies are needed in technology acceptance, usability, user experience, and business impact

Effect of Acid-Alkaline and Thermal Pre-treatment to Cassava Pulp Feed for Batch Reactors in Optimization of Bio-Methane Yield

Cassava starch mills in Nakhon Ratchasima province operate biogas plants to generate renewable energy from surplus cassava pulp using anaerobic digestion (AD) technologies. However, the biogas yields fluctuate and digestion failure occurs due to suboptimal digester configuration and lack of understanding of the specific properties of cassava pulp substrate. This study used acid-alkaline and thermal pre-treatment to modify the cassava pulp substrate to enhance biogas yields. Concentrated 36 N sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and 20 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was chosen as an acid-alkaline pre-treatment to adjust to the required pH for the substrates, and 45 min at 200 ˚C for the thermal pre-treatment. Extreme pH adjusted substrates such as T1, T2, T12 and T13 required both acid and alkali in high volume, and inhibition occurred from both acid and alkali resulting in retardation of fermentation by hydrolytic bacteria, a lower volatile fatty acid to total alkalinity ratio (VFA/TA), more depletion of reducing sugars and a lower bio-methane yield. The results showed Soluble Chemical Oxygen Demand (SCOD) obtained from decomposition of lignocellulosic structure of fresh cassava pulp by combined thermal-chemical pre-treatment, was found highest in T2 which was pre-treated at pH 2 having more than 100 g L-1. Though SCOD could be enhanced by acid-alkaline pre-treatment, it led to inhibition driven by radicals of acid and alkaline. Three different mixing ratios, i.e. 3 %, 5 %, and 10 % (w/v) were compared against without pre-treated samples, and found 5 % Total Solids (TS) was most suitable after subjected to acid-alkaline pre-treatment and produced biogas yield at 4125.2 mL kg-1 TS in batch digestion for 21 d. Pre-treatment was found increase bio-methane by up to a factor of six

Lessons Learned from the Gamified Solutions in Healthcare Project: Usability Studies of Digital Game-based Physical Exercises for Elderly People

In this paper, we discuss usability lessons in designing physical activity games for the elderly. Physical activity games in this study refer to game-based activity that can enhance the elderly’s experiences in doing physical exercise and improve their physical well-being. We learned these usability lessons through the usability testing of different physical activity games including commercial games as well as the games produced by the Gamified Solutions in Healthcare (GSH) project. The discussion is based on the findings from the observational study, interview, and questionnaires in the usability testing. These usability lessons are insightful and useful for our future game design and development as well as for researchers working on game usability for the elderly.</p

Population Pharmacokinetic Properties of Piperaquine in Falciparum Malaria: An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are the mainstay of the current treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria, but ACT resistance is spreading across Southeast Asia. Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine is one of the five ACTs currently recommended by the World Health Organization. Previous studies suggest that young children (<5 y) with malaria are under-dosed. This study utilised a population-based pharmacokinetic approach to optimise the antimalarial treatment regimen for piperaquine. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Published pharmacokinetic studies on piperaquine were identified through a systematic literature review of articles published between 1 January 1960 and 15 February 2013. Individual plasma piperaquine concentration-time data from 11 clinical studies (8,776 samples from 728 individuals) in adults and children with uncomplicated malaria and healthy volunteers were collated and standardised by the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network. Data were pooled and analysed using nonlinear mixed-effects modelling. Piperaquine pharmacokinetics were described successfully by a three-compartment disposition model with flexible absorption. Body weight influenced clearance and volume parameters significantly, resulting in lower piperaquine exposures in small children (<25 kg) compared to larger children and adults (≥25 kg) after administration of the manufacturers' currently recommended dose regimens. Simulated median (interquartile range) day 7 plasma concentration was 29.4 (19.3-44.3) ng/ml in small children compared to 38.1 (25.8-56.3) ng/ml in larger children and adults, with the recommended dose regimen. The final model identified a mean (95% confidence interval) increase of 23.7% (15.8%-32.5%) in piperaquine bioavailability between each piperaquine dose occasion. The model also described an enzyme maturation function in very young children, resulting in 50% maturation at 0.575 (0.413-0.711) y of age. An evidence-based optimised dose regimen was constructed that would provide piperaquine exposures across all ages comparable to the exposure currently seen in a typical adult with standard treatment, without exceeding the concentration range observed with the manufacturers' recommended regimen. Limited data were available in infants and pregnant women with malaria as well as in healthy individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The derived population pharmacokinetic model was used to develop a revised dose regimen of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine that is expected to provide equivalent piperaquine exposures safely in all patients, including in small children with malaria. Use of this dose regimen is expected to prolong the useful therapeutic life of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine by increasing cure rates and thereby slowing resistance development. This work was part of the evidence that informed the World Health Organization technical guidelines development group in the development of the recently published treatment guidelines (2015)

Pregnancy outcomes and risk of placental malaria after artemisinin-based and quinine-based treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in pregnancy: a WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Malaria in pregnancy, including asymptomatic infection, has a detrimental impact on foetal development. Individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis was conducted to compare the association between antimalarial treatments and adverse pregnancy outcomes, including placental malaria, accompanied with the gestational age at diagnosis of uncomplicated falciparum malaria infection. METHODS: A systematic review and one-stage IPD meta-analysis of studies assessing the efficacy of artemisinin-based and quinine-based treatments for patent microscopic uncomplicated falciparum malaria infection (hereinafter uncomplicated falciparum malaria) in pregnancy was conducted. The risks of stillbirth (pregnancy loss at ≥ 28.0 weeks of gestation), moderate to late preterm birth (PTB, live birth between 32.0 and < 37.0 weeks), small for gestational age (SGA, birthweight of < 10th percentile), and placental malaria (defined as deposition of malaria pigment in the placenta with or without parasites) after different treatments of uncomplicated falciparum malaria were assessed by mixed-effects logistic regression, using artemether-lumefantrine, the most used antimalarial, as the reference standard. Registration PROSPERO: CRD42018104013. RESULTS: Of the 22 eligible studies (n = 5015), IPD from16 studies were shared, representing 95.0% (n = 4765) of the women enrolled in literature. Malaria treatment in this pooled analysis mostly occurred in the second (68.4%, 3064/4501) or third trimester (31.6%, 1421/4501), with gestational age confirmed by ultrasound in 91.5% (4120/4503). Quinine (n = 184) and five commonly used artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) were included: artemether-lumefantrine (n = 1087), artesunate-amodiaquine (n = 775), artesunate-mefloquine (n = 965), and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (n = 837). The overall pooled proportion of stillbirth was 1.1% (84/4361), PTB 10.0% (619/4131), SGA 32.3% (1007/3707), and placental malaria 80.1% (2543/3035), and there were no significant differences of considered outcomes by ACT. Higher parasitaemia before treatment was associated with a higher risk of SGA (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.14 per 10-fold increase, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03 to 1.26, p = 0.009) and deposition of malaria pigment in the placenta (aOR 1.67 per 10-fold increase, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.96, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The risks of stillbirth, PTB, SGA, and placental malaria were not different between the commonly used ACTs. The risk of SGA was high among pregnant women infected with falciparum malaria despite treatment with highly effective drugs. Reduction of malaria-associated adverse birth outcomes requires effective prevention in pregnant women

Modelling the potential non-breeding distribution of Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea is a ‘Critically Endangered’ migratory shorebird. The species faces an array of threats in its non-breeding range, making conservation intervention essential. However, conservation efforts are reliant on identifying the species’ key stopover and wintering sites. Using Maximum Entropy models, we predicted Spoon-billed Sandpiper distribution across the non-breeding range, using data from recent field surveys and satellite tracking. Model outputs suggest only a limited number of stopover sites are suitable for migrating birds, with sites in the Yellow Sea and on the Jiangsu coast in China highlighted as particularly important. All the previously known core wintering sites were identified by the model including the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, Nan Thar Island and the Gulf of Mottama. In addition, the model highlighted sites subsequently found to be occupied, and pinpointed potential new sites meriting investigation, notably on Borneo and Sulawesi, and in parts of India and the Philippines. A comparison between the areas identified as most likely to be occupied and protected areas showed that very few locations are covered by conservation designations. Known sites must be managed for conservation as a priority, and potential new sites should be surveyed as soon as is feasible to assess occupancy status. Site protection should take place in concert with conservation interventions including habitat management, discouraging hunting, and fostering alternative livelihoods.Additional co-authors: Christoph Zockler, Graeme M Buchana

Changes in the Treatment Responses to Artesunate-Mefloquine on the Northwestern Border of Thailand during 13 Years of Continuous Deployment

Background: Artemisinin combination treatments (ACT) are recommended as first line treatment for falciparum malaria throughout the malaria affected world. We reviewed the efficacy of a 3-day regimen of mefloquine and artesunate regimen (MAS ), over a 13 year period of continuous deployment as first-line treatment in camps for displaced persons and in clinics for migrant population along the Thai-Myanmar border. Methods and Findings: 3,264 patients were enrolled in prospective treatment trials between 1995 and 2007 and treated with MAS. The proportion of patients with parasitaemia persisting on day-2 increased significantly from 4.5% before 2001 to 21.9% since 2002 (p&lt;0.001). Delayed parasite clearance was associated with increased risk of developing gametocytaemia (AOR = 2.29; 95% CI, 2.00-2.69, p = 0.002). Gametocytaemia on admission and carriage also increased over the years (p = 0.001, test for trend, for both). MAS efficacy has declined slightly but significantly (Hazards ratio 1.13; 95% CI, 1.07-1.19, p&lt;0.001), although efficacy in 2007 remained well within acceptable limits: 96.5% (95% CI, 91.0-98.7). The in vitro susceptibility of P. falciparum to artesunate increased significantly until 2002, but thereafter declined to levels close to those of 13 years ago (geometric mean in 2007: 4.2 nM/l; 95% CI, 3.2-5.5). The proportion of infections caused by parasites with increased pfmdr1 copy number rose from 30% (12/ 40) in 1996 to 53% (24/45) in 2006 (p = 0.012, test for trend). Conclusion: Artesunate-mefloquine remains a highly efficacious antimalarial treatment in this area despite 13 years of widespread intense deployment, but there is evidence of a modest increase in resistance. Of particular concern is the slowing of parasitological response to artesunate and the associated increase in gametocyte carriage. © 2009 Carrara et al

Geographical distribution of Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil in Myanmar.

BACKGROUND: Burkholderia pseudomallei is a Gram-negative bacterium found in soil and water in many tropical countries. It causes melioidosis, a potentially fatal infection first described in 1911 in Myanmar. Melioidosis is a common cause of sepsis and death in South and South-east Asia, but it is rarely diagnosed in Myanmar. We conducted a nationwide soil study to identify areas where B. pseudomallei is present. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We collected soil samples from 387 locations in all 15 states and regions of Myanmar between September 2017 and June 2019. At each site, three samples were taken at each of three different depths (30, 60 and 90 cm) and were cultured for B. pseudomallei separately, along with a pooled sample from each site (i.e. 10 cultures per site). We used a negative binomial regression model to assess associations between isolation of B. pseudomallei and environmental factors (season, soil depth, soil type, land use and climate zones). B. pseudomallei was isolated in 7 of 15 states and regions. Of the 387 sites, 31 (8%) had one or more positive samples and of the 3,870 samples cultured, 103 (2.7%) tested positive for B. pseudomallei. B. pseudomallei was isolated more frequently during the monsoon season [RR-2.28 (95% CI: 0.70-7.38)] and less in the hot dry season [RR-0.70 (95% CI: 0.19-2.56)] compared to the cool dry season, and in the tropical monsoon climate zone [RR-2.26; 95% CI (0.21-6.21)] compared to the tropical dry winter climate zone. However, these associations were not statistically significant. B. pseudomallei was detected at all three depths and from various soil types (clay, silt and sand). Isolation was higher in agricultural land (2.2%), pasture land (8.5%) and disused land (5.8%) than in residential land (0.4%), but these differences were also not significant. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study confirms a widespread distribution of B. pseudomallei in Myanmar. Clinical studies should follow to obtain a better picture of the burden of melioidosis in Myanmar