Benchmarking Image Processing Algorithms for Unmanned Aerial System-Assisted Crack Detection in Concrete Structures

This paper summarizes the results of traditional image processing algorithms for detection of defects in concrete using images taken by Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs). Such algorithms are useful for improving the accuracy of crack detection during autonomous inspection of bridges and other structures, and they have yet to be compared and evaluated on a dataset of concrete images taken by UAS. The authors created a generic image processing algorithm for crack detection, which included the major steps of filter design, edge detection, image enhancement, and segmentation, designed to uniformly compare dierent edge detectors. Edge detection was carried out by six filters in the spatial (Roberts, Prewitt, Sobel, and Laplacian of Gaussian) and frequency (Butterworth and Gaussian) domains. These algorithms were applied to fifty images each of defected and sound concrete. Performances of the six filters were compared in terms of accuracy, precision, minimum detectable crack width, computational time, and noise-to-signal ratio. In general, frequency domain techniques were slower than spatial domain methods because of the computational intensity of the Fourier and inverse Fourier transformations used to move between spatial and frequency domains. Frequency domain methods also produced noisier images than spatial domain methods. Crack detection in the spatial domain using the Laplacian of Gaussian filter proved to be the fastest, most accurate, and most precise method, and it resulted in the finest detectable crack width. The Laplacian of Gaussian filter in spatial domain is recommended for future applications of real-time crack detection using UAS

Applying metabolomics to cardiometabolic intervention studies and trials: past experiences and a roadmap for the future

Metabolomics and lipidomics are emerging methods for detailed phenotyping of small molecules in samples. It is hoped that such data will: (i) enhance baseline prediction of patient response to pharmacotherapies (beneficial or adverse); (ii) reveal changes in metabolites shortly after initiation of therapy that may predict patient response, including adverse effects, before routine biomarkers are altered; and( iii) give new insights into mechanisms of drug action, particularly where the results of a trial of a new agent were unexpected, and thus help future drug development. In these ways, metabolomics could enhance research findings from intervention studies. This narrative review provides an overview of metabolomics and lipidomics in early clinical intervention studies for investigation of mechanisms of drug action and prediction of drug response (both desired and undesired). We highlight early examples from drug intervention studies associated with cardiometabolic disease. Despite the strengths of such studies, particularly the use of state-of-the-art technologies and advanced statistical methods, currently published studies in the metabolomics arena are largely underpowered and should be considered as hypothesis-generating. In order for metabolomics to meaningfully improve stratified medicine approaches to patient treatment, there is a need for higher quality studies, with better exploitation of biobanks from randomized clinical trials i.e. with large sample size, adjudicated outcomes, standardized procedures, validation cohorts, comparison witth routine biochemistry and both active and control/placebo arms. On the basis of this review, and based on our research experience using clinically established biomarkers, we propose steps to more speedily advance this area of research towards potential clinical impact

Investigation of heat transfer phenomena and flow behavior around electronic chip

Computational study of three-dimensional laminar and turbulent flows around electronic chip (heat source) located on a printed circuit board are presented. Computational field involves the solution of elliptic partial differential equations for conservation of mass, momentum, energy, turbulent energy, and its dissipation rate in finite volume form. The k-ε turbulent model was used with the wall function concept near the walls to treat of turbulence effects. The SIMPLE algorithm was selected in this work. The chip is cooled by an external flow of air. The goals of this investigation are to investigate the heat transfer phenomena of electronic chip located in enclosure and how we arrive to optimum level for cooling of this chip. These parameters, which will help enhance thermal performance of electronic chip and flow patterns, through the understanding of different factors on flow patterns. The results show the relation between the temperature rise, heat transfer parameters (Nu, Ra) with (Ar, Q) for two cases of laminar and turbulent flows

In preeclampsia, maternal third trimester subcutaneous adipocyte lipolysis is more resistant to suppression by insulin than in healthy pregnancy

Obesity increases preeclampsia risk, and maternal dyslipidemia may result from exaggerated adipocyte lipolysis. We compared adipocyte function in preeclampsia with healthy pregnancy to establish whether there is increased lipolysis. Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue biopsies were collected at caesarean section from healthy (n=31) and preeclampsia (n=13) mothers. Lipolysis in response to isoproterenol (200 nmol/L) and insulin (10 nmol/L) was assessed. In healthy pregnancy, subcutaneous adipocytes had higher diameter than visceral adipocytes (<i>P</i><0.001). Subcutaneous and visceral adipocyte mean diameter in preeclampsia was similar to that in healthy pregnant controls, but cell distribution was shifted toward smaller cell diameter in preeclampsia. Total lipolysis rates under all conditions were lower in healthy visceral than subcutaneous adipocytes but did not differ after normalization for cell diameter. Visceral adipocyte insulin sensitivity was lower than subcutaneous in healthy pregnancy and inversely correlated with plasma triglyceride (<i>r</i>=−0.50; <i>P</i>=0.004). Visceral adipose tissue had lower <i>ADRB3, LPL,</i> and leptin and higher insulin receptor messenger RNA expression than subcutaneous adipose tissue. There was no difference in subcutaneous adipocyte lipolysis rates between preeclampsia and healthy controls, but subcutaneous adipocytes had lower sensitivity to insulin in preeclampsia, independent of cell diameter (<i>P</i><0.05). In preeclampsia, visceral adipose tissue had higher <i>LPL</i> messenger RNA expression than subcutaneous. In conclusion, in healthy pregnancy, the larger total mass of subcutaneous adipose tissue may release more fatty acids into the circulation than visceral adipose tissue. Reduced insulin suppression of subcutaneous adipocyte lipolysis may increase the burden of plasma fatty acids that the mother has to process in preeclampsia

Allopurinol use yields potentially beneficial effects on inflammatory indices in those with recent ischemic stroke: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

<p><b>Background and Purpose</b>: Elevated serum uric acid level is associated with poor outcome and increased risk of recurrent events after stroke. The xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol lowers uric acid but also attenuates expression of inflammatory adhesion molecules in murine models, reduces oxidative stress in the vasculature, and improves endothelial function. We sought to investigate whether allopurinol alters expression of inflammatory markers after acute ischemic stroke.</p> <p><b>Methods</b>: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the safety, tolerability, and effect of 6 weeks’ treatment with high- (300 mg once a day) or low- (100 mg once a day) dose allopurinol on levels of uric acid and circulating inflammatory markers after ischemic stroke.</p> <p><b>Results</b>: We enrolled 50 patients with acute ischemic stroke (17, 17, and 16 in the high, low, and placebo groups, respectively). Mean (±SD) age was 70 (±13) years. Groups had similar characteristics at baseline. There were no serious adverse events. Uric acid levels were significantly reduced at both 7 days and 6 weeks in the high-dose group (by 0.14 mmol/L at 6 weeks, P=0.002). Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 concentration (ng/mL) rose by 51.2 in the placebo group, rose slightly (by 10.6) in the low-dose allopurinol group, but fell in the high-dose group (by 2.6; difference between groups P=0.012, Kruskal-Wallis test).</p> <p><b>Conclusion</b>: Allopurinol treatment is well tolerated and attenuates the rise in intercellular adhesion molecule-1 levels seen after stroke. Uric acid levels were lowered with high doses. These findings support further evaluation of allopurinol as a preventive measure after stroke.</p&gt

Amphibious NDT Robots

Oil, petrochemical, and food processing industries worldwide store their raw materials and product in tens of thousands of storage tanks. The tanks are mostly constructed using welded steel plates and therefore subject to corrosion and weld cracking. Testing the structural integrity of these storage tanks with non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques is an expensive and time consuming activity. The walls of a large tank can usually be tested manually (for corrosion thinning and weld defects using ultrasonic techniques) from outside the tank. Access to most areas of a wall is obtained by constructing scaffolding or abseiling down from the top. However, erecting scaffolding is expensive and the inspection is tedious and slow. These costs can be reduced and the inspection speeded up by using climbing robots that deploy ultrasonic probes with scanning arms

Interleukin-6 blockade raises LDL via reduced catabolism rather than via increased synthesis: a cytokine-specific mechanism for cholesterol changes in rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have reduced serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), which increases following therapeutic IL-6 blockade. We aimed to define the metabolic pathways underlying these lipid changes. Methods In the KALIBRA study, lipoprotein kinetic studies were performed on 11 patients with severe active RA at baseline and following three intravenous infusions of the IL-6R blocker tocilizumab. The primary outcome measure was the fractional catabolic rate (FCR) of LDL. Results Serum total cholesterol (4.8 vs 5.7 mmol/L, p=0.003), LDL-c (2.9 vs 3.4 mmol/L, p=0.014) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (1.23 vs 1.52 mmol/L, p=0.006) increased following tocilizumab therapy. The LDL FCR fell from a state of hypercatabolism to a value approximating that of the normal population (0.53 vs 0.27 pools/day, p=0.006). Changes in FCR correlated tightly with changes in serum LDL-c and C-reactive protein but not Clinical Disease Activity Index. Conclusions Patients with RA have low serum LDL-c due to hypercatabolism of LDL particles. IL-6 blockade normalises this catabolism in a manner associating with the acute phase response (and thus hepatic IL-6 signalling) but not with RA disease activity as measured clinically. We demonstrate that IL-6 is one of the key drivers of inflammation-driven dyslipidaemia