Automatic Lighting Mechanism on Highways during Midnight

This paper presents the key points in implementing automatic lighting mechanism on highway roads with the help of moving object detection in urban cities during midnight. The objective of the object detection system will be to detect objects confined in a particular area. The detection system will thus require important information like speed of moving objects, size of objects and number of vehicles on the road. The lighting system is responsible for switching off the lights in a particular area where the object detection monitoring system evaluates to a minimum threshold value. The lighting system will be active 350m to direction of the object moving in a particular direction

BIOMECHANICAL, BIOCHEMICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL EVIDENCES FOR WOUND HEALING PROPERTIES OF INDIAN TRADITIONAL MEDICINES

Objective: Ayurveda, India's traditional medicinal system is a rich source of natural remedies, frequently used as home and folk medicine in wound healing due to easy availability and affordability. Honey, Ghee and roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra are effectively used in Ayurveda for treating wounds of various types. Nerium indicum (a folk medicine) is also a known healing agent. Even though the known end result of these medications is faster wound healing, the mechanism of actions at tissue level, changes in the micro-environment of the wound and quantification of the rate of healing is not explored and documented using modern scientific methods.Methods: Healthy Wistar rats were used for incision wound model. Wounds were inflicted and the treatment plan was followed with regular topical application of test materials. The nature of healing was observed regularly and photographed. At different interval of the treatment plan-biomechanical, biochemical and histological studies were carried out. An attempt was also made to quantify the microscopic changes at the wound site.Results: Faster healing was observed in all the animals treated with test materials. This was indicated by alterations in the nature of epithelisation, inflammatory changes, fibroblast recruitment and activity, fibrous composition and arrangement at the wound site in comparison with untreated group.Conclusion: The present study is useful in exploring the mechanism of action of these traditional Indian medicinal systems–Ayurveda and folk medicine and thereby provides scientific evidences for the same.Â

Exploration of intraclonal adaptation mechanisms of Pseudomonas brassicacearum facing cadmium toxicity

Pseudomonas brassicacearum forms phenotypic variants in vitro as well as in planta during root colonization under natural conditions, leading to subpopulations (phase I and II cells) that differ in colony morphology and production of exoenzymes/secondary metabolites. The maximal concentration of cadmium allowing both variants growth was 25 μM; however, phase II cells accumulated fivefold higher Cd than phase I cells, even though both variants showed the same growth rate and kinetics, comprising a long stasis period (50 h). The whole transcriptome analysis of both variants in response to Cd was investigated using the home-made DNA microarrays. This analysis revealed completely different adaptation mechanisms developed by each variant to withstand and grow in the presence of the toxic. A re-organization of the cell wall to limit Cd entrance was noticed for phase I cells, as genes encoding levan exopolymers were downregulated at the expense of an upregulation of genes encoding alginate, and an upregulation of transporters such as cadA, and a downregulation of copper transporters. Phase II cells were unable to prevent Cd entrance and recruited genes under the control of oxyR and soxR regulation to face osmotic and oxidant stresses generated by Cd. Putrescine and spermidine metabolism appeared to play a central role in Cd tolerance. Microarray data were validated by biological analyses such as motility, oxidative stress assay, metabolite profiling with ICR-FT/MS and UPLC, capillary electrophoresis analysis of biogenic amines

Experimental validation of the influence of white matter anisotropy on the intracranial EEG forward solution

Forward solutions with different levels of complexity are employed for localization of current generators, which are responsible for the electric and magnetic fields measured from the human brain. The influence of brain anisotropy on the forward solution is poorly understood. The goal of this study is to validate an anisotropic model for the intracranial electric forward solution by comparing with the directly measured ‘gold standard’. Dipolar sources are created at known locations in the brain and intracranial electroencephalogram (EEG) is recorded simultaneously. Isotropic models with increasing level of complexity are generated along with anisotropic models based on Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). A Finite Element Method based forward solution is calculated and validated using the measured data. Major findings are (1) An anisotropic model with a linear scaling between the eigenvalues of the electrical conductivity tensor and water self-diffusion tensor in brain tissue is validated. The greatest improvement was obtained when the stimulation site is close to a region of high anisotropy. The model with a global anisotropic ratio of 10:1 between the eigenvalues (parallel: tangential to the fiber direction) has the worst performance of all the anisotropic models. (2) Inclusion of cerebrospinal fluid as well as brain anisotropy in the forward model is necessary for an accurate description of the electric field inside the skull. The results indicate that an anisotropic model based on the DTI can be constructed non-invasively and shows an improved performance when compared to the isotropic models for the calculation of the intracranial EEG forward solution

Insights from a Convocation: Integrating Discovery-Based Research into the Undergraduate Curriculum

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine organized a convocation in 2015 to explore and elucidate opportunities, barriers, and realities of course-based undergraduate research experiences, known as CUREs, as a potentially integral component of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. This paper summarizes the convocation and resulting report

Research priorities relating to communication and swallowing for people with learning disabilities across the lifespan

Purpose This research priority setting partnership (PSP) aims to collaboratively identify the “top ten” research priorities relating to communication and swallowing for children and adults with learning disabilities, across the lifespan in the UK, using a modified James Lind Alliance approach. Design/methodology/approach A steering group and reference group were established to oversee the PSP. A survey of speech and language therapists (SLTs) resulted in 157 research suggestions. These were further developed into 95 research questions through a multi-stakeholder workshop. Questions were prioritised via an online card-sort activity completed by SLTs, health-care or education professionals and carers. Research questions were analysed thematically. Ten adults with learning disabilities were supported to assign ratings to themes reflecting their prioritisation. The top ten research priorities were identified by combining results from these activities. Findings The top ten research priorities related to intervention, outcome measurement and service delivery around communication and dysphagia. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first UK-wide research PSP on learning disabilities and speech and language therapy across the lifespan. It uses a novel approach to incorporate the preferences of people with learning disabilities in the prioritisation

Research priorities to improve the health of children and adults with dysphagia: a National Institute of Health Research and Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists research priority setting partnership

Objective To conduct the first UK-wide research priority setting project informing researchers and funders of critical knowledge gaps requiring investigation to improve the health and well-being of patients with eating, drinking and swallowing disorders (dysphagia) and their carers. Design A priority setting partnership between the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists using a modified nominal group technique. A steering group and NIHR representatives oversaw four project phases: (1) survey gathering research suggestions, (2) verification and aggregation of suggestions with systematic review research recommendations, (3) multistakeholder workshop to develop research questions, (4) interim priority setting via an online ranking survey and (5) final priority setting. Setting UK health services and community. Participants Patients with dysphagia, carers and professionals who work with children and adults with dysphagia from the UK. Results One hundred and fifty-six speech and language therapists submitted 332 research suggestions related to dysphagia. These were mapped to 88 research recommendations from systematic reviews to form 24 ‘uncertainty topics’ (knowledge gaps that are answerable by research). Four patients, 1 carer and 30 healthcare professionals collaboratively produced 77 research questions in relation to these topics. Thereafter, 387 patients, carers and professionals with experience of dysphagia prioritised 10 research questions using an interim prioritisation survey. Votes and feedback for each question were collated and reviewed by the steering and dysphagia reference groups. Nine further questions were added to the long-list and top 10 lists of priority questions were agreed. Conclusion Three top 10 lists of topics grouped as adults, neonates and children, and all ages, and a further long list of questions were identified by patients, carers and healthcare professionals as research priorities to improve the lives of those with dysphagia

Exploring genetic resistance to infectious salmon anaemia virus in Atlantic salmon by genome-wide association and RNA sequencing

Funding The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from BBSRC (BB/R008612/1, BB/R008973/1), in addition to BBSRC Institute Strategic Programme Grants to the Roslin Institute (BB/P013759/1 and BB/P013740/1).Peer reviewedPublisher PD