Automated Target Acquisition, Recognition and Tracking (ATTRACT)

The primary objective of phase 1 of this research project is to conduct multidisciplinary research that will contribute to fundamental scientific knowledge in several of the USAF critical technology areas. Specifically, neural networks, signal processing techniques, and electro-optic capabilities are utilized to solve problems associated with automated target acquisition, recognition, and tracking. To accomplish the stated objective, several tasks have been identified and were executed

Concept for a large master/slave-controlled robotic hand

A strategy is presented for the design and construction of a large master/slave-controlled, five-finger robotic hand. Each of the five fingers will possess four independent axes each driven by a brushless DC servomotor and, thus, four degrees-of-freedom. It is proposed that commercially available components be utilized as much as possible to fabricate a working laboratory model of the device with an anticipated overall length of two-to-four feet (0.6 to 1.2 m). The fingers are to be designed so that proximity, tactile, or force/torque sensors can be imbedded in their structure. In order to provide for the simultaneous control of the twenty independent hand joints, a multilevel master/slave control strategy is proposed in which the operator wears a specially instrumented glove which produces control signals corresponding to the finger configurations and which is capable of conveying sensor feedback signals to the operator. Two dexterous hand master devices are currently commercially available for this application with both undergoing continuing development. A third approach to be investigated for the master control mode is the use of real-time image processing of a specially patterned master glove to provide the respective control signals for positioning the multiple finger joints

INTRANASAL MICROEMULGEL AS SURROGATE CARRIER TO ENHANCE LOW ORAL BIOAVAILABILITY OF SULPIRIDE

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate microemulsion based gel (MBG) of sulpiride "a poorly water soluble antipsychotic with low oral bioavailability."Methods: Gelling polymers such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC-Na), hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC K4m), carbopol 940 and Na alginate were evaluated for their potential to gel sulpiride microemulsions (MEs) without affecting the MEs structure. Also, sulpiride solution (SS) and conventional gel (without ME) were prepared and compared with MBG. Gel formulations were checked for their viscosity, pH, spreadability (S), mucoadhesive force (MF), and nasal ciliotoxicity studies. The in vitro release of sulpiride across a cellophane membrane and its permeation through the nasal mucosa in phosphate buffered saline pH 6.8 (PBS) were also performed. In addition, a pharmacodynamic study of optimized formulae compared to SS and microemulsion (ME) was evaluated in rats.Results: CMC-Na and HPMC K4m were not able to gel sulpiride loaded MEs while Na alginate gave an unclear gel with a sticky texture. Results revealed that the viscosity, mucoadhesion force, and spreadability of the MBG increased with increasing carbopol 940 concentrations. The flux was arranged as the following, MBG>conventional gel>sulpiride solution (SS). According to histopathological study, safe and non-irritant MBGs suitable for nasal administration were successfully prepared. Finally, the pharmacodynamic study indicated that intranasal sulpiride MBG had a significant effect (*P<0.001) than SS and ME administered either intravenous or intranasal.Conclusion: MBG provides signiï¬cant enhancement in nasal bioavailability not only by absorption enhancing effect of ME but also, by increasing nasal residence tim

The Frequency of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among Diabetic Children in El Minia Governorate, Egypt

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in children and adolescents is becoming an increasingly important public health concern throughout the world. This study aimed to estimate the frequency of T2DM among diabetic young people in El-Minia Governorate, Egypt, and to detect its risk factors. Methods: A total of 210 diabetic patients under 18 years old in Minia Governorate were included in the study and underwent a thorough history-taking, a physical examination and laboratory investigations. Results: T2DM was present in 28 patients (13.3%); it was significantly present in 18 females (64.3%) and 20 (71.4%) of them had a positive family history of DM. T2DM patients had significantly higher BMI and waist circumference centiles for age and sex than those with T1DM. Also, haemoglobin A1c %, serum C-peptide and cholesterol levels were significantly higher in T2DM than T1DM patients. Finally, there were weak significant positive correlations between C-peptide level and both BMI and waist circumference. Conclusion: T2DM is no longer a disease of adults but can also occur in children and adolescents. The results suggested that obesity, female gender and a positive family history of DM are risk factors for T2DM. Also, patients with T2DM had poorer glycaemic control and hypercholesterolemia than those with other types of diabetes

Designing and Implementing of Electronic Health Record System in Ksa using Sql & Asp.Net

Electronic health record (EHR) rapid progress for reporting electronic data storage that employs uniform data standards will enable health care organizations to respond more quickly to federal state, and private reporting requirements, including those that support patient safety and disease surveillance. An examination of many hospitals that recently implemented in King Saudi Arabia (KSA). A little of electronic health record (EHR) system finds that clinical and administrative leaders built EHR adoption into their strategic plans to integrate, inpatient and outpatient care system and a provide  continuum of coordinated services. Using Relational Data Base Management Systems (RDBMS) with eXtend Marker Language (XML) Systems and ASP.NET as web based system. Successful implementation depended on: strong leadership, full involvement of clinical staff in design and implementation, mandatory staff training, and strict adherence to timeline and budget. The EHR systems facilitate patient safety and quality development through; use of checklists, alerts, and predictive tools embedded clinical guidelines that promote standardized, evidence-based practices electronic prescribing and test-ordering that reduces errors and redundancy and discrete data fields that foster use of performance dashboards and compliance reports. The proposed system will be developed using ASP.NET as a technology of web based system. In this paper; most of the services, enjoyed on the Web are provided by web database applications and using .net technology. Such as, Web-based email, online shopping, forums and bulletin boards, corporate web sites, and sports and news portals are all database-driven. The main goals in this work, building a modern web site of electronic health record system in KSA hospitals. Keywords: XML, RDBMS, EHR , EMR, EPR, GIS, PH

Reproductive biology of greasy grouper, Epinephelus tauvina and coral hind grouper Cephalopholis miniata (Family: Serranidae) in the southern Red Sea, Shalatien, Egypt

Groupers are the main component of commercial fisheries in the Red Sea. The reproductive biology of Epinephelus tauvina and Cephalopholis miniata collected at the Shalatien landing site in the southern Egyptian Red Sea were investigated from January to December 2017. A total of 212 specimens of E. tauvina with a total length range of 23.6 to 70.3 cm and 243 specimens of C. miniata with a total length range of 17.4 to 42.1 cm were examined. Females of E. tauvina and C. miniata accounted for 61.7 and 61.9% of the total fish sampled, showing a 1:1.61 and 1:1.63 male-to-female sex ratio, respectively. The monthly distribution of maturity stages and gonadosomatic index values showed that the spawning season for both sexes was extended from April to October for E. tauvina and from April to September for C. miniata. The lengths at first sexual maturity of the males and females of E. tauvina were estimated at 49 and 48.1 cm, respectively, while those for C. miniata were estimated at 23.2 and 22.7 cm, respectively. All our results can help in the proper management of these valuable resources

Modeling and control of single-stage quadratic-boost split source inverters

This paper aims to develop the recently introduced Spilt-Source Inverter (SSI) topology to improve its boosting characteristics. New SSI topologies with high voltage gain are introduced in this paper. The proposed converters square the basic SSI’s boosting factor by utilizing an additional inductor, capacitor, and two diodes. Thus, the proposed converters are called Quadratic-Boost (or Square-Boost) SSIs (QBIs or SBIs). Four different QBI topologies are presented. One with continuous input current (CC-QBI), and the other draws a discontinuous input current (DC-QBI) but with reduced capacitor voltage stresses. This paper also introduces the small-signal model of the CC-QBI using state variables perturbance. Based on this model, the closed-loop voltage and current control approach of the dc-boosting factor are designed. Moreover, a modified space vector modulation (MSVM) scheme is presented to reduce the input current ripples. To evaluate the performance of the proposed topologies, a comparative study between them and the other counterpart from different perspectives is introduced. It can be found that the CC-QBI topology has superior boosting characteristics when operating with low input voltage compared with their counterparts. It has a higher boosting capability, lower capacitor voltages, and semiconductor stresses, especially when high voltage gains are required. These merits make the proposed topologies convenient to the Photovoltaic and Fuel-Cell systems. Finally, the feasibility of the suggested topology and the introduced mathematical model is verified via simulation and experimental results, which show good accordance with the theoretical analysis. AuthorScopu

Phytochemical Screening, Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrometry Analysis, and Antidiabetic Effects of Corchorus olitorius Leaves in Rats

BACKGROUND: Therapies for diabetes mellitus are still meeting failure in most cases, especially in the developed stages of the disease due to incredible associating complications. Hence, there is a need for continuous development of curative therapies for that stubborn disease. AIM: We aimed to investigate the antidiabetic effects of one of the most popular plants cultivated in Egypt, C. olitorius. METHODS: Phytochemical screening of total alcoholic extract of Corchorus olitorius leaves and its aqueous and chloroform fractions revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, carbohydrates, tannins, coumarins, and alkaloids. RESULTS: The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed the presence of 12 and nine chemical compounds in aqueous and chloroform extracts, respectively. C. olitorius decreased serum glucose level and α-amylase activity. This effect was more pronounced in the total alcoholic extract and its chloroform fraction than the aqueous one. The extracts also adjusted the lipid profile, reduced liver injury parameters, and caused remarkable improvement and increase number, size, and density of functioning β-cells. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest the antihyperglycemic and antioxidant effects of C. olitorius besides its beneficial effect on diabetic complications such as hyperlipidemia and liver injury. The presence of some phytochemicals such as theophylline, trans-2, 3-dimethoxycinnamic acid, 7-hydroxy-4-methyl coumarin, apigenin 7-glucoside, and glycitein may contribute to such pharmacological effects

Synthesis of a novel series of Cu(I) complexes bearing alkylated 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane as homogeneous and carbon-supported catalysts for the synthesis of 1-and 2-substituted-1,2,3-triazoles

Funding Information: This research was funded by the Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, project UIDB/00100/2020 of the Centro de Qu?mica Estrutural, FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020) from Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry?LAQV, Scientific Employment Stimulus?Institutional Call (CEECINST/00102/2018) and by the RUDN University Strategic Academic Leadership Program. I.L.L. acknowledges the FCT through the CATSUS PhD Program (PD/BD 135555/2018). A.G.M. was funded by Instituto Superior T?cnico, Portugal through the project CO2usE-1801P.00867.1.01 (contract no. IST-ID/263/2019). Funding Information: Funding: This research was funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, project UIDB/00100/2020 of the Centro de Química Estrutural, FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020) from Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry—LAQV, Scientific Employment Stimulus—Institutional Call (CEECINST/00102/2018) and by the RUDN University Strategic Academic Leadership Program. I.L.L. acknowledges the FCT through the CATSUS PhD Program (PD/BD 135555/2018). A.G.M. was funded by Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal through the project CO2usE-1801P.00867.1.01 (contract no. IST-ID/263/2019). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.The N-alkylation of 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) with ortho-, meta-and para-substituted nitrobenzyl bromide under mild conditions afforded three hydrophilic PTA ammonium salts, which were used to obtain a new set of seven water-soluble copper(I) complexes. The new compounds were fully characterized and their catalytic activity was investigated for the low power microwave assisted one-pot azide–alkyne cycloaddition reaction in homogeneous aqueous medium to obtain disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles. The most active catalysts were immobilized on activated carbon (AC), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT), as well as surface functionalized AC and CNT, with the most efficient support being the CNT treated with nitric acid and NaOH. In the presence of the immobilized catalyst, several 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles were obtained from the reaction of terminal alkynes, organic halides and sodium azide in moderate yields up to 80%. Furthermore, the catalyzed reaction of terminal alkynes, formaldehyde and sodium azide afforded 2-hydroxymethyl-2H-1,2,3-triazoles in high yields up to 99%. The immobilized catalyst can be recovered and recycled through simple workup steps and reused up to five consecutive cycles without a marked loss in activity. The described catalytic systems proceed with a broad substrate scope, under microwave irradiation in aqueous medium and according to “click rules”.publishersversionpublishe

The catalytic activity of carbon-supported Cu(I)-phosphine complexes for the microwave-assisted synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles

This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, through project UIDB/00100/2020 of the Centro de Química Estrutural. It was also funded by national funds though FCT, under the Scientific Employment Stimulus-Institutional Call (CEECINST/ 00102/2018). We also acknowledge the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry—LAQV financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020). I.L.L. is grateful to the CATSUS Ph.D. Program for her grant (PD/BD 135555/2018). AGM is grateful to Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal for his post-doctoral fellowship through the project CO2usE-1801P.00867.1.01 (Contract No. IST-ID/263/2019). It was also supported by the RUDN University Strategic Academic Leadership Program.A set of Cu(I) complexes with 3,7-diacetyl-1,3,7-triaza-5-phosphabicyclo-[3.3.1]nonane (DAPTA) phosphine ligands viz. [CuX(κP-DAPTA)3] (1: X = Br; 2: X = I) and [Cu(µ-X)((κP-DAPTA)2]2 (3: X = Br; 4: X = I) were immobilized on activated carbon (AC) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT), as well as on these materials after surface functionalization. The immobilized copper(I) complexes have shown favorable catalytic activity for the one-pot, microwave-assisted synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles via the azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC). The heterogenized systems with a copper loading of only 1.5-1.6% (w/w relative to carbon), established quantitative conversions after 15 min, at 80 °C, using 0.5 mol% of catalyst loading (relative to benzyl bromide). The most efficient supports concerning heterogenization were CNT treated with nitric acid and NaOH, and involving complexes 2 and 4 (in the same order, 2_CNT-ox-Na and 4_CNT-ox-Na). The immobilized catalysts can be recovered and recycled by simple workup and reused up to four consecutive cycles although with loss of activity.publishersversionpublishe