A novel architecture for a reconfigurable micro machining cell

There is a growing demand for machine tools that are specifically designed for the manufacture of micro-scale components. Such machine tools are integrated into flexible micro-manufacturing systems. Design objectives for such tools include energy efficiency, small footprint and importantly flexibility, with the ability to easily reconfigure the manufacturing system in response to process requirements and product demands. Such systems find application in medical, photonics, automotive and electronic industries. In this paper, a new architecture for a reconfigurable micro manufacturing system is presented. The proposed architecture comprises a micro manufacturing cell with the key design feature being a hexagonal-base on which three tool heads can be attached to three of its sides. Each such machine-tool head, or processing module, is able to perform a different manufacturing process. These tool heads are interchangeable, enabling the cell to be configured to process a wide range of components with different materials, dimensions, tolerances and specification. Additional components of the cell include manipulation robots and an automated buffer unit. Such cells can be integrated into a manufacturing system via a modular conveyor belt to transfer parts from one cell to another and into assembly. A key consideration of the architecture is a control system that is also modular and reconfigurable; such that when new processing modules are introduced the control system is aware of the change and adjusts accordingly. Further to this coordination, issues between modules and machining cells are also considered. Other design considerations include work-piece holding and manipulation. This paper provides an overview of the architecture, the key design and implementation challenges as well as a high level operational performance assessment by means of a discrete event simulation model of the micro factory cell

Folding house

Nowadays there is massive use of concrete in construction industry. To overcome this, new construction techniques and material is adopted for good living standard. Folding house is a technique that considered all the factors like sufficient space for living, economy, environmental issues and living standard. . The tendency for the cost effective and quicker construction pushed the folded structures made in reinforced concrete, and led to the construction realized in wood, steel and other modern materials that eventually experienced expansion .In this project we are introducing a cost effective folding house. Keywords—folding house,cost effective and quicker constructio

Selection of DNA nanoparticles with preferential binding to aggregated protein target.

High affinity and specificity are considered essential for affinity reagents and molecularly-targeted therapeutics, such as monoclonal antibodies. However, life's own molecular and cellular machinery consists of lower affinity, highly multivalent interactions that are metastable, but easily reversible or displaceable. With this inspiration, we have developed a DNA-based reagent platform that uses massive avidity to achieve stable, but reversible specific recognition of polyvalent targets. We have previously selected these DNA reagents, termed DeNAno, against various cells and now we demonstrate that DeNAno specific for protein targets can also be selected. DeNAno were selected against streptavidin-, rituximab- and bevacizumab-coated beads. Binding was stable for weeks and unaffected by the presence of soluble target proteins, yet readily competed by natural or synthetic ligands of the target proteins. Thus DeNAno particles are a novel biomolecular recognition agent whose orthogonal use of avidity over affinity results in uniquely stable yet reversible binding interactions

ABCC5, ERCC2, XPA and XRCC1 transcript abundance levels correlate with cisplatin chemoresistance in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines

BACKGROUND: Although 40–50% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors respond to cisplatin chemotherapy, there currently is no way to prospectively identify potential responders. The purpose of this study was to determine whether transcript abundance (TA) levels of twelve selected DNA repair or multi-drug resistance genes (LIG1, ERCC2, ERCC3, DDIT3, ABCC1, ABCC4, ABCC5, ABCC10, GTF2H2, XPA, XPC and XRCC1) were associated with cisplatin chemoresistance and could therefore contribute to the development of a predictive marker. Standardized RT (StaRT)-PCR, was employed to assess these genes in a set of NSCLC cell lines with a previously published range of sensitivity to cisplatin. Data were obtained in the form of target gene molecules relative to 10(6 )β-actin (ACTB) molecules. To cancel the effect of ACTB variation among the different cell lines individual gene expression values were incorporated into ratios of one gene to another. Each two-gene ratio was compared as a single variable to chemoresistance for each of eight NSCLC cell lines using multiple regression. In an effort to validate these results, six additional lines then were evaluated. RESULTS: Following validation, single variable models best correlated with chemoresistance (p < 0.001), were ERCC2/XPC, ABCC5/GTF2H2, ERCC2/GTF2H2, XPA/XPC and XRCC1/XPC. All single variable models were examined hierarchically to achieve two variable models. The two variable model with the highest correlation was (ABCC5/GTF2H2, ERCC2/GTF2H2) with an R(2 )value of 0.96 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These results provide markers suitable for assessment of small fine needle aspirate biopsies in an effort to prospectively identify cisplatin resistant tumors

Beta, Dipole and Noncommutative Deformations of M-theory Backgrounds with One or More Parameters

We construct new M-theory solutions starting from those that contain 5 U(1) isometries. We do this by reducing along one of the 5-torus directions, then T-dualizing via the action of an O(4,4) matrix and lifting back to 11-dimensions. The particular T-duality transformation is a sequence of O(2,2) transformations embedded in O(4,4), where the action of each O(2,2) gives a Lunin-Maldacena deformation in 10-dimensions. We find general formulas for the metric and 4-form field of single and multiparameter deformed solutions, when the 4-form of the initial 11-dimensional background has at most one leg along the 5-torus. All the deformation terms in the new solutions are given in terms of subdeterminants of a 5x5 matrix, which represents the metric on the 5-torus. We apply these results to several M-theory backgrounds of the type AdS_r x X^{11-r}. By appropriate choices of the T-duality and reduction directions we obtain analogues of beta, dipole and noncommutative deformations. We also provide formulas for backgrounds with only 3 or 4 U(1) isometries and study a case, for which our assumption for the 4-form field is violated.Comment: v2:minor corrections, v3:small improvements, v4:conclusions expanded, to appear in Class. Quant. Gra

Proliferation and shoot recovery among the East African highland banana

Production of East African highland banana (EA-AAA banana) ( Musa spp.) is limited by scarcity of planting materials, attributable to their low natural proliferation ability. Under natural field conditions, the EA-AAA bananas greatly differ in suckering ability. In vitro micropropagation has been adopted as an alternative means for production of banana planting materials. In this study, the in vitro proliferation potential of seven EA-AAA banana cultivars, with different suckering ability was determined on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, to enhance development of micropropagation protocols for their multiplication. Commonly cultivated non EA-AAA banana cultivars were used to compare proliferation of the seven EA-AAA cultivars. There was a wide variation in the number and morphology of shoots and buds produced by the different cultivars. The EA-AAA banana cultivars produced 3-4 new shoots in each subculture cycle, and 57-169 recoverable shoots from one starting shoot-tip explant in 18 weeks. Non-EA-AAA banana cultivars, namely Sukali Ndizi (AAB) and Yangambi Km5 (AAA), showed higher proliferation levels, 5 and 9 shoots, from each subculture cycle and 322 and 352 recoverable shoots, respectively. The EA-AAA banana cultivars showed higher efficiency to produce recoverable shoots from shoot buds (53 - 66% except for cv. Kabula at 36%) compared to Sukali Ndizi (52%) and Yangambi Km5 (32%). The study demonstrates the potential of in vitro approach for production of banana planting materials. In vitro proliferation ability and in particualr efficiency to produce recoverable shoots of the different EA-AAA banana cultivars could be improved by varying the culture conditions during the subsequent subculture cycles.La production de la banane (EA-AAA banana) ( Musa spp.) dans les montagnes de l\u2019Afrique de l\u2019Est est limit\ue9e par le manque du mat\ue9riel de plantation suite \ue0 leur base capacit\ue9 de prolif\ue9ration. En conditions naturelles au champs, les bananes EA-AAA different consid\ue9rablement en leur capacit\ue9 de succion. La propagation in vitro a \ue9t\ue9 adopt\ue9e comme moyen alt\ue9rnatif pour la production du mat\ue9riel de plantation de la banana. Dans cette \ue9tude, le potentiel de prolif\ue9ration in vitro de sept cultivars de banana EA-AAA de capacit\ue9 de succion diff\ue9rente, \ue9tait d\ue9termin\ue9 sur les media de Murashige et Skoog (MS), afin d\u2019am\ue9liorer le d\ue9veloppement de protocoles de micropropagation pour leur multiplication. Des cultivars commun\ue9ment cultiv\ue9s autre que la banana EA-AAA \ue9taient utilis\ue9s pour faire la comparaison avec la proliferation des sept cultivars EA-AAA. Il y\u2019avait eu une large variation dans le nombre et la morphologie des pousses et bourgeons de diff\ue9rents cultivars. Les cultivars de bananes EA-AAA ont produit 3-4 nouvelles pousses dans chaque cycle de sous culture et 57-169 pousses recouvrables d\u2019un explant de pousse dans 18 semaines. Les cultivars de bananes non-EA-AAA nom\ue9ment Sukali Ndizi (AAB) and Yangambi Km5 (AAA), ont montr\ue9 de niveaux \ue9lev\ue9s de proliferation, 5 et 9 pousses de chaque cycle de sous culture et 322 et 352 pousses recouvrables, respectivement. Les cultivars de bananes EA-AAA ont montr\ue9 un niveau d\u2019efficacit\ue9 \ue9lev\ue9 quant \ue0 la production de de pousses recouvrables \ue0 partir de bourgeons (3566% except\ue9 pour cv. Kabula \ue0 36%) en comparaison avec Sukali Ndizi (52% et Yangambi km5 (32%). Cette \ue9tude d\ue9montre le potentiel de production du mat\ue9riel de plantation de la banana par l\u2019approche in vitro. La capacit\ue9 de proliferation in vitro et en particulier l\u2019efficacit\ue9 de produire de pousses recouvrables de diff\ue9rents cultivars pourrait \ueatre am\ue9lior\ue9 en variant les conditions de cultrure Durant les cycles sous culturales

Chern-Simons S-Brane Solutions in M-theory and Accelerating Cosmologies

We construct an intersecting S-brane solution of 11-dimensional supergravity for which the contribution of the Chern-Simons term to the field equations is non-zero. After studying some of its properties, we consider three different compactifications (each with 3 separate subcases) of this system to 4-dimensions. Two of these give accelerating cosmologies, however their expansion factors are of order unity. We also find two static versions of this configuration and its dimensional reduction to type IIA theory.Comment: 18 pages, v3: a new static solution and references added, v4: references added, to appear in JHE

Low Hydrophobic Mismatch Scores Calculated for HLA-A/B/DR/DQ Loci Improve Kidney Allograft Survival

We evaluated the impact of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) disparity (immunogenicity; IM) on long-term kidney allograft survival. The IM was quantified based on physicochemical properties of the polymorphic linear donor/recipient HLA amino acids (the Cambridge algorithm) as a hydrophobic, electrostatic, amino acid mismatch scores (HMS\AMS\EMS) or eplet mismatch (EpMM) load. High-resolution HLA-A/B/DRB1/DQB1 types were imputed to calculate HMS for primary/re-transplant recipients of deceased donor transplants. The multiple Cox regression showed the association of HMS with graft survival and other confounders. The HMS integer 0-10 scale showed the most survival benefit between HMS 0 and 3. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that: the HMS=0 group had 18.1-year median graft survival, a 5-year benefit over HMS\u3e0 group; HMS ≤ 3.0 had 16.7-year graft survival, a 3.8-year better than HMS\u3e3.0 group; and, HMS ≤ 7.8 had 14.3-year grafts survival, a 1.8-year improvement over HMS\u3e7.8 group. Stratification based on EMS, AMS or EpMM produced similar results. Additionally, the importance of HLA-DR with/without -DQ IM for graft survival was shown. In our simulation of 1,000 random donor/recipient pairs, 75% with HMS\u3e3.0 were re-matched into HMS ≤ 3.0 and the remaining 25% into HMS≥7.8: after re-matching, the 13.5 years graft survival would increase to 16.3 years. This approach matches donors to recipients with low/medium IM donors thus preventing transplants with high IM donors

Comparison of nitrogen-15 and diaminopimelic acid for estimating bacterial protein synthesis of lactating cows fed diets of varying protein degradability.

Three lactating Holstein cows fitted with duodenal cannulae were fed diets containing cottonseed meal, corn gluten meal, or blood meal as protein supplements in a 3 c 3 Latin square experiment. Diets averaged 15% CP and were 60% concentrate, 31% corn silage, and 9% alfalfa hay. The flow marker was Cr2O3; the bacterial protein fraction of digesta CP was estimated by 15N (as ammonium sulfate) and diaminopimelic acid. The undegraded fraction of total feed protein entering the duodenum for respective diets was .52, .57, and .69. The 15N method was less variable than diaminopimelic acid. Based on 15N, percentage of bacterial of total protein differed among treatments (61.5, 59.4, and 55.0, respectively). Ten percent more protein entered the duodenum on blood meal than other diets, but differences were not significant. Protein sources were similar in microbial passage, but degraded protein was used most efficiently for microbial synthesis on blood meal. Incorporation of 15N consumed into bacterial protein ranged from 50 to 83% with numerically highest values on blood meal, suggesting greater efficiency of ammonia, capture. Recoveries of 15N for the 72 h as milk, feces and urine ranged from 54 to 78%