This paper presents a complete procedure on prototyping using the FPGA of the STEMlab board and is intended to serve as a guide for developers, students and researchers interested in speeding up ...their projects and experiments. Due to the reconfigurability of its internal circuitry, being as simple as a code modification (using hardware description language), FPGA technology allows testing of several controller topologies and/or parameters without the need of any physical change at hardware. This feature allows a much faster development cycle of either commercial products or academic experiments. Besides the reconfigurability of the FPGA, the STEMlab board also offers the advantage of several peripheral already available, which includes, among others, high speed analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, Ethernet communication and a dual-core ARM processor capable of running a Linux operating system. In this paper, a didactic method of use of this board is presented, from getting started to a complete academic and industrial application: detection of early damage on an induction motor using frequency response analysis.
This paper presents the detailed project of a modular educational kit to be used in research and teaching activities in the area of power electronics - with emphasis on applications in medium voltage ...multilevel converters. The half bridge topology has been chosen for the submodules, as they can be arranged together in a multitude of other topologies. A system composed by a mother board and daughter cards is presented. A DSP control card and a FPGA System-On-Module are inserted in the mother board in order to control the half bridge submodules. The targets of this project are applications in medium voltage - hence, the communication between the submodules and the FPGA/DSP is performed through optical fibers. Also a self power system is presented for the submodules, in order for them to operate at floating potentials. Experimental results have been presented for the most usual topologies of converters, including a Modular Multilevel Converter operating at 2000V.
Idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in dogs can be challenging to diagnose and fecal markers of disease that correlate with its severity could potentially be clinically useful. Surrogate ...inflammatory markers, such as the concentration of fecal S100A12, are used to detect active IBD in humans. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between fecal canine S100A12 concentrations and clinical, endoscopic, and histologic disease severity.
Twenty-six dogs with IBD and 90 healthy control dogs were enrolled. Spot fecal samples were collected and fecal canine S100A12 concentrations measured by an in-house ELISA. The correlation of fecal canine S100A12 concentrations with clinical disease activity (using the canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index scoring system) and with endoscopic and histologic disease severity (using semi-quantitative grading systems) was assessed in dogs with IBD.
Concentrations of fecal canine S100A12 were significantly higher in dogs with IBD (median interquartile range: 223 21–3477ng/g) than in healthy controls (median interquartile range: 9 5–31ng/g; P<0.0001). Fecal canine S100A12 concentrations correlated with the CCECAI score (ρ=0.4778; P=0.0408) and the severity of endoscopic lesions in the duodenum (ρ=0.4703; P=0.0354) and colon (ρ=0.9747; P=0.0144), but not with the severity of histopathologic changes except for inflammatory lesions in the colon (ρ=0.8669; P=0.0230). A concentration of 273ng fecal canine S100A12/g feces or greater distinguished (a) dogs with moderate to severe endoscopic disease in any GI section from dogs with at most mild endoscopic disease, and (b) dogs with very severe clinical disease (i.e., a CCECAI score of ≥12) from dogs with a CCECAI score of <12, with a sensitivity of 71% and 90%, respectively, and a specificity of 89% and 75%, respectively.
This study showed that fecal canine S100A12 concentrations are increased in dogs with IBD. Further, this study showed that fecal canine S100A12 is associated with the clinical disease activity, the severity of endoscopic lesions, and the severity of colonic inflammation in dogs with IBD. Fecal S100A12 concentrations are potentially useful as a biomarker of inflammation in dogs with IBD.
Inconsistent with prevailing models for nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) in mammals, the mRNA levels of immunoglobulin-μ (Ig-μ) genes with premature termination codons (PTCs) in the penultimate ...exon are still reduced by NMD when the intron furthest downstream is deleted. As in yeast, this exon junction complex-independent NMD of Ig-μ mRNAs depends on the distance between the termination codon and the poly(A) tail and suggests an evolutionarily conserved mode of PTC recognition.
Background Dental disease is more extensive in adults with chronic kidney disease, but whether dental health and behaviors are associated with survival in the setting of hemodialysis is unknown. ...Study Design Prospective multinational cohort. Setting & Participants 4,205 adults treated with long-term hemodialysis, 2010 to 2012 (Oral Diseases in Hemodialysis ORAL-D Study). Predictors Dental health as assessed by a standardized dental examination using World Health Organization guidelines and personal oral care, including edentulousness; decayed, missing, and filled teeth index; teeth brushing and flossing; and dental health consultation. Outcomes All-cause and cardiovascular mortality at 12 months after dental assessment. Measurements Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models fitted with shared frailty to account for clustering of mortality risk within countries. Results During a mean follow-up of 22.1 months, 942 deaths occurred, including 477 cardiovascular deaths. Edentulousness (adjusted HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.10-1.51) and decayed, missing, or filled teeth score ≥ 14 (adjusted HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.33-2.17) were associated with early all-cause mortality, while dental flossing, using mouthwash, brushing teeth daily, spending at least 2 minutes on oral hygiene daily, changing a toothbrush at least every 3 months, and visiting a dentist within the past 6 months (adjusted HRs of 0.52 95% CI, 0.32-0.85, 0.79 95% CI, 0.64-0.97, 0.76 95% CI, 0.58-0.99, 0.84 95% CI, 0.71-0.99, 0.79 95% CI, 0.65-0.95, and 0.79 95% CI, 0.65-0.96, respectively) were associated with better survival. Results for cardiovascular mortality were similar. Limitations Convenience sample of clinics. Conclusions In adults treated with hemodialysis, poorer dental health was associated with early death, whereas preventive dental health practices were associated with longer survival.
Abstract
The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observed the black hole X-ray binary 4U 1630–47 in the steep power-law (or very high) state. The observations reveal a linear polarization ...degree of the 2–8 keV X-rays of 6.8% ± 0.2% at a position angle of 21.°3 ± 0.°9 east of north (all errors at 1
σ
confidence level). Whereas the polarization degree increases with energy, the polarization angle stays constant within the accuracy of our measurements. We compare the polarization of the source in the steep power-law state with the previous IXPE measurement of the source in the high soft state. We find that, even though the source flux and spectral shape are significantly different between the high soft state and the steep power-law state, their polarization signatures are similar. Assuming that the polarization of both the thermal and power-law emission components are constant over time, we estimate the power-law component polarization to be 6.8%–7.0% and note that the polarization angle of the thermal and power-law components must be approximately aligned. We discuss the implications for the origin of the power-law component and the properties of the emitting plasma.
We aimed to develop a set of quality indicators for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in intensive care units (ICUs) across Europe and to explore barriers and facilitators for implementation ...of these quality indicators.
A preliminary list of 66 quality indicators was developed, based on current guidelines, existing practice variation, and clinical expertise in TBI management at the ICU. Eight TBI experts of the Advisory Committee preselected the quality indicators during a first Delphi round. A larger Europe-wide expert panel was recruited for the next two Delphi rounds. Quality indicator definitions were evaluated on four criteria: validity (better performance on the indicator reflects better processes of care and leads to better patient outcome), feasibility (data are available or easy to obtain), discriminability (variability in clinical practice), and actionability (professionals can act based on the indicator). Experts scored indicators on a 5-point Likert scale delivered by an electronic survey tool.
The expert panel consisted of 50 experts from 18 countries across Europe, mostly intensivists (N = 24, 48%) and neurosurgeons (N = 7, 14%). Experts agreed on a final set of 42 indicators to assess quality of ICU care: 17 structure indicators, 16 process indicators, and 9 outcome indicators. Experts are motivated to implement this finally proposed set (N = 49, 98%) and indicated routine measurement in registries (N = 41, 82%), benchmarking (N = 42, 84%), and quality improvement programs (N = 41, 82%) as future steps. Administrative burden was indicated as the most important barrier for implementation of the indicator set (N = 48, 98%).
This Delphi consensus study gives insight in which quality indicators have the potential to improve quality of TBI care at European ICUs. The proposed quality indicator set is recommended to be used across Europe for registry purposes to gain insight in current ICU practices and outcomes of patients with TBI. This indicator set may become an important tool to support benchmarking and quality improvement programs for patients with TBI in the future.
ABSTRACT The aluminum source to produce toxicity in upland rice in nutrient solution experiments is not yet well established, althought the aluminum potassium sulfate has been utilized source to ...produce aluminum toxicity. However, in recent studies have used aluminum chloride. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of aluminum sources and doses to produce toxicity in upland rice plants grown in nutrient solution. The experiment was arranged in a block randomized design, in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme and four repetitions. The treatments were two aluminum sources (aluminum potassium sulfate - AlK(SO4)2.12H2O and aluminum chloride - AlCl3.6H2O) and five aluminum doses in nutrient solution (0, 370, 740, 1100 and 1480 μmol L-1). The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in Botucatu city, São Paulo state, Brazil, starting in April 2012, and was carried out for 56 days from transplanting of the seedlings. Using aluminum chloride, the rice plants show lower production of root and total dry weight, area and root volume, medium and thick root length, potassium and sulfur contents and accumulations. Using aluminum potassium sulfate, there are lower aluminum activity and availability, besides the formation of large amount of aluminum compounds non-toxic to the plants (aluminum sulfate) in the nutrient solution. The aluminum doses between 1100 to 1480 µmol L-1, corresponding to aluminum activity of 336.8 to 429.0 µmol L-1 of aluminum chloride as source, are more effective to produce aluminum toxicity in upland rice plants grown in nutrient solution.
RESUMO Não é ainda bem definida a fonte de alumínio para gerar toxidez em experimentos de solução nutritiva com plantas de arroz, embora o sulfato de alumínio e potássio tem sido utilizado como fonte para gerar toxidez por alumínio. Entretanto, em publicações mais recentes, tem-se utilizado o cloreto de alumínio. Assim, o objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a capacidade de fontes e doses de alumínio em causar toxidez em plantas de arroz de terras altas cultivadas em solução nutritiva. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados, disposto em esquema fatorial 2 x 5, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram duas fontes de alumínio (sulfato de alumínio e de potássio - AlK(SO4)2.12H2O e cloreto de alumínio - AlCl3.6H2O) e cinco doses de alumínio em solução nutritiva (0, 370, 740, 1100 e 1480 μmol L-1). O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, no município de Botucatu, São Paulo; foi iniciado em abril de 2012 e conduzido por 56 dias. Ao utilizar o cloreto de alumínio, as plantas de arroz apresentaram menor produção de massa seca total e de raiz; área e volume radicular; comprimento de raízes médias e grossas; teor e acúmulo de potássio e sulfato. Utilizando-se sulfato de alumínio e de potássio há menor atividade e disponibilidade de alumínio, além de formação de grande quantidade de compostos de alumínio não tóxico às plantas (sulfato de alumínio) na solução nutritiva. As doses de alumínio entre 1100 a 1480 µmol L-1, correspondente à atividade de alumínio de 336,8 a 429,0 µmol L-1, utilizando o cloreto de alumínio são mais eficazes em causar toxidez por alumínio em plantas de arroz de terras altas cultivadas em solução nutritiva.
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