Adaptive backstepping control of induction motor powered by photovoltaic generator

This paper is aimed at addressing the design of an effective adaptive nonlinear control of a photovoltaic (PV) water pumping system powering a submersible induction motor and a centrifugal water pump. Four objectives are achieved using an adaptive Backstepping controller. First, it is applied to ensure maximum power point tracking, and uses the latter as a reference in regulation of the rotor speed to convert the maximum electrical power into maximum mechanical power. Second, the adaptive controller is synthesized to control motor rotor flux and restrict the magnetic circuit to its linear interval. Third, it is used to online estimate the rotor time-constant and the load torque disturbance estimation. Finally, this controller is employed to limit the stator currents to protect induction motor windings. Mathematical modelling of the main elements of the system is presented. A sliding mode rotor flux estimator is employed in the output feedback control of the whole system. DC-AC converter is controlled by pulse width modulation. The feasibility, the robustness and the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive nonlinear controller are evaluated through simulations in MATLAB/Simulink environment

Lung ultrasonography in evaluation of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Objectives: To evaluate diagnostic ability of lung ultrasonography (LUS) in detection of pulmonary manifestations of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome as well as follow up the response to treatments. Patients and methods: One hundred neonates with clinical and radiographic signs of respiratory distress (RDS) were included in this prospective study. LUS was done using both a transthoracic and a transabdominal approach within the first 24 h of life and after that for detection of pulmonary manifestations and follow up the response to treatment. LUS findings were compared with chest radiography findings. Results: In comparison with chest X-ray the LUS had sensitivity 98% and specificity 92% in detection of pulmonary manifestations of RDS. In follow up to response of treatment the LUS had 100% sensitivity and 94% specificity. Conclusion: The LUS can be an alternative diagnostic imaging modality for chest X-ray in follow up neonates with RDS and subsequent reduction dose of radiation

Design, Synthesis, and Antipoliferative Activities of Novel Substituted Imidazole-Thione Linked Benzotriazole Derivatives

A new series of benzotriazole moiety bearing substituted imidazol-2-thiones at N1 has been designed, synthesized and evaluated for in vitro anticancer activity against the different cancer cell lines MCF-7(breast cancer), HL-60 (Human promyelocytic leukemia), and HCT-116 (colon cancer). Most of the benzotriazole analogues exhibited promising antiproliferative activity against tested cancer cell lines. Among all the synthesized compounds, BI9 showed potent activity against the cancer cell lines such as MCF-7, HL-60 and HCT-116 with IC50 3.57, 0.40 and 2.63 µM, respectively. Compound BI9 was taken up for elaborate biological studies and the HL-60 cells in the cell cycle were arrested in G2/M phase. Compound BI9 showed remarkable inhibition of tubulin polymerization with the colchicine binding site of tubulin. In addition, compound BI9 promoted apoptosis by regulating the expression of pro-apoptotic protein BAX and anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2. These results provide guidance for further rational development of potent tubulin polymerization inhibitors for the treatment of cancer

Utility of 64-row MDCT in assessment of neonates with congenital EA and distal TEF

Introduction: Esophageal atresia (EA), with or without trachea-esophageal fistula (TEF), is one of the most challenging congenital anomalies in neonates, due to its high morbidity and mortality. The anatomy of the EA should be clearly known before surgery because the surgical approach of congenital EA with distal TEF depends on the correct evaluation of the trachea–bronchial tree and the distance between the proximal pouch and distal fistula. Aim: To evaluate the application of multiple planar reformatting (MPR) and three-dimensional (3D) transparency lung volume rendering (TL-VR) with virtual tracheo-bronchoscopy by 64-row multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in neonates with congenital EA and distal TEF. Methods: Twenty-three neonates (10 boys and 13 girls) born with EA and distal TEF were enrolled in this study. All patients were preoperatively examined by 64 multidetector non-enhanced CT examinations with multiplanar reformatting, 3D volume rendering TLVR and virtual endoscopy. The MDCT findings were correlated with operative findings in 19 cases. Results: MDCT could detect the proximal esophageal pouches, gap distance in all patients. The gap distances ranged from 7 mm to 38 mm (mean 18 mm). The gap distances by MDCT were the same of surgical findings in 14 cases and less than surgical findings by 1–2 mm in 5 cases. No statistically significant difference was detected between the two measurements, P = 0.908. The site of the fistula was seen by the axial images in 23 patients, followed by sagittal MPR and 3D TL-VR (20 patients), coronal MPR images in 18 patients while the virtual tracheo-bronchoscopy showed the site of the fistula in 16 patients. The most common site of distal fistula in this study was main trachea in 10 of 23 neonates (43.5%). Conclusion: Preoperative MDCT scan with MPVR, 3D TL-VR of 64-row MDCT which is a noninvasive technique could provide more accurate information about the assessment of the origin of the fistula, the distal esophageal pouches and inter-pouch distance in neonates with EA and distal TEF

Design, ecofriendly synthesis, anticancer and antimicrobial screening of innovative Biginelli dihydropyrimidines using β-aroylpyruvates as synthons

New ecofriendly Biginelli reaction procedures have been adapted to prepare new dihydropyrimidines (DHPMs) using a multicomponent one-pot reaction. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated for their anticancer activity against 59 human cancer cell lines and evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against representatives of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Compound 4 showed marked wide spectrum anticancer activity towards most of the tested cancer cell lines with a percentage of growth inhibition of 29.04–71.68% against leukemia cell line (K-562 and SR), lung cancer cell line (NCI-H522), five colon cancer cell lines (HCT-116, HCT-15, HT29, KM12 and SW-620), CNS cancer cell line (SF-295 and SNB-75), melanoma cell lines (MALME-3M and M14), renal cancer cell line (CAKI-1) and breast cancer cell lines (MCF7 and MDA-MB-468). The highest observed anticancer activity was against leukemia cell lines K-562 and SR with inhibition percentages of 64.97 and 71.68%, respectively. The renal cancer cell line (UO-31) was particularly sensitive towards all the evaluated compounds. Compounds including 2b and 5c exhibited antibacterial activity against S. aureus while 2a and 5b exhibited antifungal activity against C. albicans. The results also showed that compounds 2c and 5e exhibited both antibacterial and antifungal activity against S. aureus and C. albicans respectively

In Vitro Anticancer Activity Screening of Novel Fused Thiophene Derivatives as VEGFR-2/AKT Dual Inhibitors and Apoptosis Inducers

Protein kinases are seen as promising targets in controlling cell proliferation and survival in treating cancer where fused thiophene synthon was utilized in many kinase inhibitors approved by the FDA. Accordingly, this work focused on adopting fused thienopyrrole and pyrrolothienopyrimidine scaffolds in preparing new inhibitors, which were evaluated as antiproliferative agents in the HepG2 and PC-3 cell lines. The compounds 3b (IC50 = 3.105 and 2.15 μM) and 4c (IC50 = 3.023 and 3.12 μM) were the most promising candidates on both cells with good selective toxicity-sparing normal cells. A further mechanistic evaluation revealed promising kinase inhibitory activity, where 4c inhibited VEGFR-2 and AKT at IC50 = 0.075 and 4.60 μM, respectively, while 3b showed IC50 = 0.126 and 6.96 μM, respectively. Moreover, they resulted in S phase cell cycle arrest with subsequent caspase-3-induced apoptosis. Lastly, docking studies evaluated the binding patterns of these active derivatives and demonstrated a similar fitting pattern to the reference ligands inside the active sites of both VEGFR-2 and AKT (allosteric pocket) crystal structures. To conclude, these thiophene derivatives represent promising antiproliferative leads inhibiting both VEGFR-2 and AKT and inducing apoptosis in liver cell carcinoma