Statistical point cloud model to investigate measurement uncertainty in coordinate metrology

In this work an approach to investigate measurement uncertainty in coordinate metrology is presented, based on fitting Gaussian random fields to high-density point clouds produced by measurement repeats. The fitted field delivers a depiction of the spatial distribution of random measurement error over a part geometry, and can incorporate local bias information through further measurement or with the use of an external model to obtain a complete, spatial uncertainty map. The statistical model also allows the application of Monte Carlo simulation to investigate how error propagates through the data processing pipeline ultimately affecting the determination of features of size and the verification of conformance to specifications. The proposed approach is validated through application to simulated test cases involving known measurement error, and then applied to a real part, measured with optical and contact technologies. The results indicate the usefulness of the approach to estimate measurement uncertainty and to investigate performance and behaviour of measurement solutions applied to the inspection and verification of industrial parts. The approach paves the way for the implementation of automated measurement systems capable of self-assessment of measurement performance

Electric Properties of Organic-on-Inorganic n-Si/VOPc Heterojunction

In the current study vanadyl-phthalocyanine (VOPc) thin films were deposited by vacuum evaporation on n-Si substrate resulting in an organic-on-inorganic (n-Si/VOPc) heterojunctions. Ag films were deposited as electrodes. Thicknesses of the VOPc films were in the range of 100-300 nm. The dark I-V characteristics exhibited rectification behavior. The rectification ratio (RR) decreased from 4 to 0.4 as the thickness of the VOPc film decreased. The dark I-V characteristics were simulated by modified Schokley equation and spaace-charge limited currents (SCLC) approach. Investigations were carried out to study the effect of VOPc films thickness on reverse saturation current , diode quality factor and mobility of charge carriers

Durability of coconut shell powder (CSP) concrete

The rising cost of construction in developing countries like Malaysia has led concrete experts to explore alternative materials such as coconut shells which are renewable and possess high potential to be used as construction material. Coconut shell powder in varying percentages of1%, 3% and 5% was used as filler material in concrete grade 30 and evaluated after a curing period of 7 days and 28days respectively. Compressive strength, water absorption and carbonation tests were conducted to evaluate the strength and durability of CSP concrete in comparison with normal concrete. The test results revealed that 1%, 3% and 5% of CSP concrete achieved a compressive strength of 47.65MPa, 45.6MPa and 40.55% respectively. The rate of water absorption of CSP concrete was recorded as 3.21%, 2.47%, and 2.73% for 1%, 3% and 5% of CSP concrete respectively. Although CSP contained a carbon composition of 47%, the carbonation test showed that CSP no signs of carbon were detected inside the concrete. To conclude, CSP offers great prospects as it demonstrated relatively high durability as a construction material

Chitin oligosaccharide N,N′-diacetylchitobiose (GlcNAc2) as antimicrobial coating against listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat shrimp

N,N′-diacetylchitobiose, also known as GlcNAc2, is a chitin oligosaccharide and is reported to possess antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria. In this study, 1% (w/v) GlcNAc2 solution was applied on ready-to-eat (RTE) shrimp and evaluated as an antimicrobial coating against Listeria monocytogenes during storage at 4 °C for 16 days. Texture properties, colour, TBARS values, moisture content and bacterial counts were monitored and analysed every four days. The results indicated that the GlcNAc2 coating retarded the changes in texture properties, TBARS values and moisture content of the RTE shrimp during storage. The presence of GlcNAc2 showed no significant changes in RTE shrimp colour in contrast to the control. However, the growth of L. monocytogenes inoculated on the GlcNAc2-coated RTE shrimp was slower than that of the control sample with the highest log reduction of 0.5 log CFU/mL being observed. This study showed that the GlcNAc2 used as an antimicrobial coating was able to inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes, while maintaining the quality of the RTE shrimp during refrigerated storage

Assembling the Marine Metagenome, One Cell at a Time

The difficulty associated with the cultivation of most microorganisms and the complexity of natural microbial assemblages, such as marine plankton or human microbiome, hinder genome reconstruction of representative taxa using cultivation or metagenomic approaches. Here we used an alternative, single cell sequencing approach to obtain high-quality genome assemblies of two uncultured, numerically significant marine microorganisms. We employed fluorescence-activated cell sorting and multiple displacement amplification to obtain hundreds of micrograms of genomic DNA from individual, uncultured cells of two marine flavobacteria from the Gulf of Maine that were phylogenetically distant from existing cultured strains. Shotgun sequencing and genome finishing yielded 1.9 Mbp in 17 contigs and 1.5 Mbp in 21 contigs for the two flavobacteria, with estimated genome recoveries of about 91% and 78%, respectively. Only 0.24% of the assembling sequences were contaminants and were removed from further analysis using rigorous quality control. In contrast to all cultured strains of marine flavobacteria, the two single cell genomes were excellent Global Ocean Sampling (GOS) metagenome fragment recruiters, demonstrating their numerical significance in the ocean. The geographic distribution of GOS recruits along the Northwest Atlantic coast coincided with ocean surface currents. Metabolic reconstruction indicated diverse potential energy sources, including biopolymer degradation, proteorhodopsin photometabolism, and hydrogen oxidation. Compared to cultured relatives, the two uncultured flavobacteria have small genome sizes, few non-coding nucleotides, and few paralogous genes, suggesting adaptations to narrow ecological niches. These features may have contributed to the abundance of the two taxa in specific regions of the ocean, and may have hindered their cultivation. We demonstrate the power of single cell DNA sequencing to generate reference genomes of uncultured taxa from a complex microbial community of marine bacterioplankton. A combination of single cell genomics and metagenomics enabled us to analyze the genome content, metabolic adaptations, and biogeography of these taxa

The incidence of tuberculosis in the Sverdlovsk region

With the calculation of odds ratios studied the dynamics of tuberculosis in the Sverdlovsk region in 2009-2012. Reduction of the total population of tuberculosis was due to increase coverage in the baseline medical examination within the last 4 years, as well as decrease the incidence rate of tuberculosis contingent GUFSIN in Sverdlovsk region. Until the value of the overall index for the ТВ-related morbidity impacts of HIV infection. Decreased morbidity with tuberculosis of the rural population, men, persons aged 18-34 years. Increased number of cases of tuberculosis and 14 children through the use of innovative methods of diagnosis. Morbidity structure remained the same, however, reduced the likelihood of detecting the limited forms of tuberculosis and tuberculosis with the presence of bacterial riovydeleniya. To further reduce the rate of overall morbidity Tuberculosis and improving its structure to enhance control over scope and design of prophylactic examinations for tuberculosis, improve clinical examination for medical risk groups and organization of early screening for tuberculosis risk social groups, greater use of innovative methods of diagnosis of tuberculosis.При расчете отношения шансов изучена динамика заболеваемости туберкулезом в Свердловской области в 2009-2012 годах. Снижение общей заболеваемости туберкулезом населения произошло за счет увеличения охвата населения профосмотрами в течение последних 4х лет, а также уменьшения значения показателя заболеваемости туберкулезом контингентов ГУФСИН. Пока на значение общего показателя заболеваемости туберкулезом оказывает влияние ВИЧ-инфекция. Уменьшилась заболеваемость туберкулезом сельского населения, мужчин, лиц в возрасте 18-34 лет. Увеличилась количество заболевших туберкулезом детей до 14 лет за счет применения инновационных методов диагностики. Уменьшилась вероятность выявления ограниченных форм туберкулеза и туберкулеза с наличием бактериовыделения. Для дальнейшего снижения заболеваемости туберкулезом и улучшения его структуры необходимо усилить контроль за охватом и организацией профосмотров на туберкулез, улучшать диспансерное наблюдение за медицинскими и организацию своевременного обследования на туберкулез социальных групп риска, шире использовать инновационные методы диагностики туберкулеза

Клиническое исследование эффективности и безопасности препарата Визомитин®, глазные капли, у пациентов с возрастной катарактой

PURPOSE: The assessment of possibility to add a new indication for the registered pharmaceutical. Evaluation of safety and efficacy of Visomitin® compared to placebo in patients with age-related cataracts. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study of Visomitin® eye drops in patients with age-related cataracts was conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice guidance, the Declaration of Helsinki and the Russian regulatory requirements. The study included 80 patients (23 men and 57 women) aged 45 to 75 years with diagnosed age-related cataract. All subjects were randomized into two groups of 40 patients each. In the treatment group patients received Visomitin® eye drops and in the control group, patients were given placebo (vehicle, i.e. eye drops with the same composition as Visomitin® except for the active substance SkQ1) in the form of instillations of one drop per each eye three times daily for six months. The study comprised 7 monthly visits. The following standard ophthalmological examinations were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy: visual acuity measurement, refractometry, biomicroscopy of the eye, ophthalmoscopy, tonometry, computer perimetry, densitometry. At certain visits lacrimal fluid was taken for evaluation of its antioxidant activity. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured as a part of safety evaluation which also included documentation of complaints and adverse events. Concomitant therapies were also documented. RESULTS: Analysis of safety parameters showed Visomitin® to be safe and well tolerated for patients with age-related cataract. Practically no adverse effects were documented during the study. In both groups a decrease of the number of patients with subjective complaints was observed. These complaints included: visual deterioration, dryness, grittiness, burning eyes, eye fatigue. The decrease of the number of complaints in the Visomitin® group was more pronounced than in the placebo group. During the first months of treatment an improvement of visual acuity was observed in both groups. This result can be explained by a protective effect of hypromellose contained in both Visomitin® and placebo. However, between the 4th and the 6th months, the improvement in visual acuity significantly slowed down in the placebo group, while positive dynamics remained the same in the Visomitin® group. At the end of the treatment visual acuity increased by more than 50% in Visomitin® group and remained at the level of 10-15% in the placebo group (statistically significant difference between placebo and Visomitin® groups,

An investigation of business model perception meaning and usage in the sme business environment

Although the consideration of a popular and useful tool to support the creation of new enterprises and to develop existing businesses, the business model concept is used so widely and may have no clear meaning in practice. A thorough literature review showed that the concept is often discussed theoretically and conceptually but there was a distinct lack of empirical studies of its conceptualization and application. This paper is intended to address this limitation in extant knowledge. The broad research in this paper also aims were to explore the conceptualization and application of the business model concept within SME business owner-managers. Subsidiary aims were to explore the concept’s perceived limitations and the ways that members of the own business managers have further refined the concept in order to address its shortcomings. To fulfill these aims, in-depth interviews were conducted with samples of 12 owner-managers of technology-based small businesses, all located in Nigeria. The research findings revealed a high level of diversity in the interpretation of the application in the business model concept and in evaluations of its use within and across the samples. And also it’s offered a new application perspective. Only a few SME owner-managers applied the concept in any way and some were unaware of the concept while others are afraid to apply the business model concept in their business