Influence of glimepiride and Nerium oleander extract on insulin, glucose levels and some liver enzymes activities in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The present study is aimed to assess the therapeutic potential of sulfonylurea drug glimepiride in comparison with Nerium oleander plant extract on insulin, glucose levels and some liver enzymes activities in streptozotocininduced diabetic rats. Animals were divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group was rendered diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 50 mg/kg body weight streptozotocin. Rats with serum glucose levels> 200 mg/dl were subdivided into three sub-groups: rats of the first sub-group were remained without treatment and considered as diabetics. Animals of the second subgroup were orally administered 0.1 mg/kg body weight/day glimepiride allover the experimental period of 4 weeks. The third sub-group was orally received 250 mg/kg body weight/day Nerium oleander extract for 4 weeks. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats showed hypoinsulinemia and

Optimization of the Superconducting Linear Magnetic Bearing of a Maglev Vehicle

Considering the need for cost/performance prediction and optimization of superconducting maglev vehicles, we develop and validate here a 3D finite element model to simulate superconducting linear magnetic bearings. Then we reduce the 3D model to a 2D model in order to decrease the computing time. This allows us to perform in a reasonable time a stochastic optimization considering the superconductor properties and the vehicle operation. We look for the permanent magnet guideway geometry that minimizes the cost and maximizes the lateral force during a displacement sequence, with a constraint on the minimum levitation force. The displacement sequence reproduces a regular maglev vehicle operation with both vertical and lateral movements. For the sake of comparison, our reference is the SupraTrans prototype bearing. The results of the optimization suggest that the bearing cost could be substantially reduced, while keeping the same performances as the initial design. Alternatively, the performances could be significantly improved for the same original cost

Classification of visualization exudates fundus images results using support vector machine

This paper classifies the characteristics of normal and exudates fundus images by determine its accuracy for diagnostic purposes. Image normalization was performed on 149 fundus images (81 normal and 68 exudates) from MESSIDOR databases to standardize the colours in the fundus images. The OD removed fundus image and fundus image with the exudates areas removed. The SVM1 classifier was applied to 30 test fundus images to determine the best optimal parameter. The kernel function settings; linear, polynomial, quadratic and RBF have an effect on the classification results. For SVM1, the best parameter in classifying pixels is linear kernel function. The visualization results using CAC and radar chart are classified using ts accuracy. It has proven to discriminated exudates and non exudates pixels in fundus image using linear kernel function of SVM1 to diagnose DR.Keywords: Diabetic retinopathy (DR); Optic disc (OD); Support Vector Machine (SVM); AC); Radial Basis Function (RBF)

Comparison of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug susceptibility using solid and liquid culture in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: This study compares Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture isolation and drug sensitivity testing (DST) using solid (LJ) and liquid (BACTEC-MGIT-960) media in Nigeria. METHODS: This was a cross sectional survey of adults attending reference centres in Abuja, Ibadan and Nnewi with a new diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) or having failed the first-line TB treatment. Patients were requested to provide three sputum specimens for smear-microscopy and culture on LJ and BACTEC-MGIT-960. Positive cultures underwent DST for streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol. RESULTS: 527 specimens were cultured. 428 (81%) were positive with BACTEC-MGIT-960, 59 (11%) negative, 36 (7%) contaminated and 4 (1%) had non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM). 411 (78%) LJ cultures were positive, 89 (17%) negative, 22 (4%) contaminated and 5 (1%) had NTM. The mean (SD) detection time was 11 (6) and 30 (11) days for BACTEC-MGIT-960 and LJ. DST patterns were compared in the 389 concordant positive BACTEC-MGIT-960 and LJ cultures. Rifampicin and isoniazid DST patterns were similar. Streptomycin resistance was detected more frequently with LJ than BACTEC-MGIT-960 and ethambutol resistance was detected more frequently with BACTEC-MGIT-960 than LJ, but differences were not statistically significant. MDR-TB was detected in 27 cases by LJ and 25 by BACTEC-MGIT-960 and using both methods detected 29 cases. CONCLUSIONS: There was a substantial degree of agreement between the two methods. However using the two in tandem increased the number of culture-positive patients and those with MDR-TB. The choice of culture method should depend on local availability, cost and test performance characteristics

Transverse slab reinforcement design of concrete bridge deck: A review

This paper reviews the current design practices of transverse slab reinforcement design in concrete bridge deck, which consist of concrete deck slab on wide concrete T-beams. The conventional bridge design method results in the provision of excessive transverse steel reinforcement in the concrete bridge deck slab due to the fact that, the slab is assumed to bear the applied vehicular loadings alone without considering the contribution of the wide T-beam flanges. Thus, the design which is based on bending and failure proved to be too conservative. Through critical review, issues regarding some design approaches were discussed. It has been found that, designing the deck slab in transverse direction would enable the vehicle wheel loads to be supported by the wide T- beam flanges and performance enhancement can be achieved by compressive membrane action resulted from the natural stiffness of the wide girder flanges. The presence of this membrane forces provides a punching shear capacity, which is far beyond the flexural design capacity for the new bridge deck system. This capacity would result in substantial reduction of the transverse reinforcement within the slab

EMG Signals Analysis of BF and RF Muscles In Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) During Walking

This paper presents the analysis of Electromyography (EMG) signals at lower limb muscles during walking. The muscles of Biceps Femoris (BF) and Rectus Femoris (RF) were examined between ASD and TD children. The EMG signals pattern will be observed over one gait cycle and the statistical analysis will be used to compare the significant difference of two muscles between ASD and TD children. The result shows that there are significant differences in RF muscle for both ASD and TD children at 70% of gait cycle (p value is equal to 0.007) and at 90% of gait cycle (p value is equal to 0.023). From this result, the RF muscle shall be considered as the vital muscle for rehabilitation plan

Thermal Performance Evaluation of a Small-Scale Drying Machine for Palm Oil Mill Sludge

Malaysia is one of the major contributors of palm oil production globally with large amount of palm oil production. This has significantly contributed to large amount of palm oil mill effluent that eventually affect the environment. A small-scale drying machine for palm oil mill is evaluated on its thermal performance to assess the suitability of the machine to produce organic fertilizer from the palm oil mill sludge. Evaluation was performed with computational fluid dynamics simulation and experiment on design configuration options of the drying machine. The effect of air flow to the thermal performance was also studied in conjunction with the design configurations of the drying machine. The results showed promising potential of a design configuration over another in term of thermal performance and functionality

Thermal Performance Evaluation of a Small-Scale Drying Machine for Palm Oil Mill Sludge

Malaysia is one of the major contributors of palm oil production globally with large amount of palm oil production. This has significantly contributed to large amount of palm oil mill effluent that eventually affect the environment. A small-scale drying machine for palm oil mill is evaluated on its thermal performance to assess the suitability of the machine to produce organic fertilizer from the palm oil mill sludge. Evaluation was performed with computational fluid dynamics simulation and experiment on design configuration options of the drying machine. The effect of air flow to the thermal performance was also studied in conjunction with the design configurations of the drying machine. The results showed promising potential of a design configuration over another in term of thermal performance and functionality

Simulation of U-shaped plastic optical fiber ethanol sensor

The prediction of optical loss in different bending diameter of U-shaped POF sensor towardvariation of ethanol’s refractive indices was investigated using ray-tracing method perform byZemax software. It can provide information on how the propagation ray is perturbed bydifferent bending diameter of U-shaped POF. There are five designs of POF models werepre-drawn with different bending diameter; 2.0cm, 2.5cm, 3.0cm 3.5cm and 4.0cm. From theresults, U-shaped with 2.5 cm bending diameter has shown the most sensitive bendingdiameter as compared to the rest. Either with the presence of cladding layer or not thesensitivity detected was 0.014 x10-4 Watts/Vol%Keywords: ray-tracing; Zemax software; U-shaped POF sensor; ethanol sensor

Wind characteristics and outdoor thermal comfort assessment in east Malaysia

Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation have had an adverse and deep impact on the environment contributing to global warming and climate change. These thermal environmental problems can be even more challenging to people living in regions with warm and humid climatic conditions throughout the year, such as Malaysia. This paper analyses wind characteristics and outdoor thermal comfort index at the hottest temperatures based on data recorded hourly between 2012 and 2014 for two cities in East Malaysia, namely Kuching (Sarawak) and Kota Kinabalu (Sabah). Wind characteristics were analysed using only wind velocity and direction, while the level of outdoor thermal comfort was measured using Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). The results showed that hourly average wind velocities for Kuching and Kota Kinabalu were 1.84 m/s and 2.15 m/s respectively while the highest average wind velocities was 10.1 m/s and 12.4 m/s respectively. No wind movement (i.e. 0 m/s) was recorded for both locations. The prevailing annual wind flow is generally from South-Southeast (150°) in Sarawak and from East-Southeast (110°) in Sabah. It was also found that both Kuching and Kota Kinabalu experienced strong and extreme heat stress conditions with UTCI levels of 44.8°C and 49.8°C respectively. Thus, it can be concluded that, East Malaysia faces strong and extreme heat stress conditions. This study is an original contribution on the subject of outdoor thermal environment in Malaysia, Further research to better understand outdoor thermal environmental problems is recommended