Ring Resonators and Micro Fluidics: Novel Design for Drug/Disease Detection

MEMS systems are technologically developed from integrated circuit industry to create miniature sensors and actuators. Originally these semiconductor processes and materials were used to build electrical and mechanical systems, but expanded to include biological, optical fluidic magnetic and other systems 12]. Here a novel approach is suggested where in two different fields are integrated via moems, micro fluidics and ring resonators. It is well known at any preliminary stage of disease onset, many physiological changes occur in the body fluids like saliva, blood, urine etc. The drawback till now was that current calibrations are not sensitive enough to detect the minor physiological changes. This is overcome using optical detector techniques 1]. The basic concepts of ring resonators, with slight variations can be used for optical detection of these minute disease markers. A well known fact of ring resonators is that a change in refractive index will trigger a shift in the resonant wavelength 5]. The trigger for the wavelength shift in the case discussed will be the presence of disease agents. To trap the disease agents specific antibody has to be used (e. g. BSA).

Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors for Real Time Monitoring of Evacuation Process

Fiber bragg grating (FBG) sensors have been widely used for number of sensing applications like temperature, pressure, acousto-ultrasonic, static and dynamic strain, refractive index change measurements and so on. Present work demonstrates the use of FBG sensors in in-situ measurement of vacuum process with simultaneous leak detection capability. Experiments were conducted in a bell jar vacuum chamber facilitated with conventional Pirani gauge for vacuum measurement. Three different experiments have been conducted to validate the performance of FBG sensor in monitoring vacuum creating process and air bleeding. The preliminary results of FBG sensors in vacuum monitoring have been compared with that of commercial Pirani gauge sensor. This novel technique offers a simple alternative to conventional method for real time monitoring of evacuation process. Proposed FBG based vacuum sensor has potential applications in vacuum systems involving hazardous environment such as chemical and gas plants, automobile industries, aeronautical establishments and leak monitoring in process industries, where the electrical or MEMS based sensors are prone to explosion and corrosion.

Composite material and piezoelectric coefficient uncertainty effects on structural health monitoring using feedback control gains as damage indicators

This article addresses uncertainty effect on the health monitoring of a smart structure using control gain shifts as damage indicators. A finite element model of the smart composite plate with surface-bonded piezoelectric sensors and actuators is formulated using first-order shear deformation theory and a matrix crack model is integrated into the finite element model. A constant gain velocity/position feedback control algorithm is used to provide active damping to the structure. Numerical results show that the response of the structure is changed due to matrix cracks and this change can be compensated by actively tuning the feedback controller. This change in control gain can be used as a damage indicator for structural health monitoring. Monte Carlo simulation is conducted to study the effect of material uncertainty on the damage indicator by considering composite material properties and piezoelectric coefficients as independent random variables. It is found that the change in position feedback control gain is a robust damage indicator.

Origin of magnetism and trend in T-c in Cr-based double perovskites: Interplay of two driving mechanisms

Hamiltonian constructed in a first principles manner, we explored the origin of magnetism and the T-c trend in Cr-based double perovskite series, Sr2CrB'O-6 (B' = W/Re/Os). Our study shows that the apparently puzzling T-c trend in Sr2CrB'O-6 (B' = W/Re/Os) series can be understood in terms of the interplay of the hybridization driven mechanism and the superexchange mechanism.

Effective drug dosage design for treatment of infectious diseases using dynamic inversion

A generic nonlinear mathematical model describing the human immunological dynamics is used to design an effective automatic drug administration scheme. Even though the model describes the effects of various drugs on the dynamic system, this work is confined to the drugs that kill the invading pathogen and heal the affected organ. From a system theoretic point of view, the drug inputs can be interpreted as control inputs, which can be designed based on control theoretic concepts. The controller is designed based on the principle of dynamic inversion and is found to be effective in curing the �nominal model patient� by killing the invading microbes and healing the damaged organ. A major advantage of this technique is that it leads to a closed-form state feedback form of control. It is also proved from a rigorous mathematical analysis that the internal dynamics of the system remains stable when the proposed controller is applied. A robustness study is also carried out for testing the effectiveness of the drug administration scheme for parameter uncertainties. It is observed from simulation studies that the technique has adequate robustness for many �realistic model patients� having off-nominal parameter values as well.

Origin of a trend in ECMWF wind analysis and its objective removal

The suitability of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) operational wind analysis for the period 1980-1991 for studying interannual variability is examined. The changes in the model and the analysis procedure are shown to give rise to a systematic and significant trend in the large scale circulation features. A new method of removing the systematic errors at all levels is presented using multivariate EOF analysis. Objectively detrended analysis of the three-dimensional wind field agrees well with independent Florida State University (FSU) wind analysis at the surface. It is shown that the interannual variations in the detrended surface analysis agree well in amplitude as well as spatial patterns with those of the FSU analysis. Therefore, the detrended analyses at other levels as well are expected to be useful for studies of variability and predictability at interannual time scales. It is demonstrated that this trend in the wind field is due to the shift in the climatologies from the period 1980-1985 to the period 1986-1991.

Comparison of electrical resistivity by geophysical method and neutron probe logging for soil moisture monitoring in a forested watershed

Geophysical methods are becoming more popular nowadays in the field of hydrology due to their time and space efficiency. So an attempt has been made here to relate electrical resistivity with soil moisture content in the field. The experiments were carried out in an experimental watershed `Mulehole' in southern India, which is a forested watershed with approximately 80% red soil. Five auger holes were drilled to perform the soil moisture and electrical resistivity measurements in a toposequence having red and black soils, with sandy weathered soil at the bottom. Soil moisture was measured using neutron probe and electrical resistivity was measured using electrical logging tool. The results indicate that electrical resistivity measurements can be used to measure soil moisture content for red soils only.

Drug-drug co-crystals: Temperature-dependent proton mobility in the molecular complex of isoniazid with 4-aminosalicylic acid

Two drug-drug co-crystals of the anti-tuberculosis drugs isoniazid (INH), pyrazinamide (PYR) and 4-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) are reported. The first is the 1 : 1 molecular complex of INH and PAS. The second is the monohydrate of the 1 : 1 complex of PYR and PAS. The crystal structures of both co-crystals are characterized by a number of hydrogen bonded synthons. Hydrogen bonding of the COOH center dot center dot center dot N-pyridine type is found in both cases. In the INH : PAS co-crystal, there are two symmetry independent COOH center dot center dot center dot center dot N-pyridine hydrogen bonds. In one of these, the H-atom is located on the carboxylic group and is indicative of a co-crystal. In the second case, partial proton transfer occurs across the hydrogen bond, and the extent of proton transfer depends on the temperature. This is more indicative of a salt. Drug-drug co-crystals may have some bearing in the treatment of tuberculosis.

In-situ power monitoring scheme and its application in dynamic voltage and threshold scaling for digital CMOS integrated circuits

An in-situ power monitoring technique for Dynamic Voltage and Threshold scaling (DVTS) systems is proposed which measures total power consumed by load circuit using sleep transistor acting as power sensor. Design details of power monitor are examined using simulation framework in UMC 90nm CMOS process. Experimental results of test chip fabricated in AMS 0.35µm CMOS process are presented. The test chip has variable activity between 0.05 and 0.5 and has PMOS VTH control through nWell contact. Maximum resolution obtained from power monitor is 0.25mV. Overhead of power monitor in terms of its power consumption is 0.244 mW (2.2% of total power of load circuit). Lastly, power monitor is used to demonstrate closed loop DVTS system. DVTS algorithm shows 46.3% power savings using in-situ power monitor.

Data rectification and detection of trend shifts in jet engine path measurements using median filters and fuzzy logic

Filtering methods are explored for removing noise from data while preserving sharp edges that many indicate a trend shift in gas turbine measurements. Linear filters are found to be have problems with removing noise while preserving features in the signal. The nonlinear hybrid median filter is found to accurately reproduce the root signal from noisy data. Simulated faulty data and fault-free gas path measurement data are passed through median filters and health residuals for the data set are created. The health residual is a scalar norm of the gas path measurement deltas and is used to partition the faulty engine from the healthy engine using fuzzy sets. The fuzzy detection system is developed and tested with noisy data and with filtered data. It is found from tests with simulated fault-free and faulty data that fuzzy trend shift detection based on filtered data is very accurate with no false alarms and negligible missed alarms.

DNA topoisomerase I from mycobacteria - A potential drug target

DNA topoisomerases are ubiquitous group of enzymes altering the topology of DNA by concerted breakage and rejoining of the phosphodiester backbone of DNA. The enzymes are classified based on the pattern of DNA cleavage. Type IA enzymes found in all bacteria nick the DNA and attach themselves covalently to the 5' side of the nick during the first transesterification reaction. Most of the information on this group of enzymes comes from studies with E. coli topoisomerase I and III. Members of type IA group are single subunit Zn++ metalloenzymes recognizing single stranded DNA without high degree of sequence specificity during relaxation reaction of negatively super coiled DNA. So far no inhibitors are known for this group of enzymes inspite of their important role in maintaining homeostasis of DNA topology. Molecular characterization of DNA topoisomerase I from mycobacteria has revealed some of the important features of type IA enzymes hitherto unknown and provide scope for identifying novel inhibitors. The present review describes the recent developments in the area summarizing the distinctive features of mycobacterial topoisomerase I. The enzyme has several properties not shared by either type IA or 113 enzymes with respect to DNA binding, recognition, sequence specificity and interaction pattern. The physiological basis of the unusual features is discussed. The unique properties described would aid in developing the enzyme as a target molecule in pharmaceutical design. In addition, the findings lead to address some fundamental questions on the intracellular role of topoisomerase I in the biology of mycobacteria which are one of the most formidable group of pathogenic organisms.

Health monitoring,of a helicopter rotor in forward flight using fuzzy logic

A fuzzy logic system is developed for helicopter rotor system fault isolation. Inputs to the fuzzy logic system are measurement deviations of blade bending and torsion response and vibration from a "good" undamaged helicopter rotor. The rotor system measurements used are flap and lag bending tip deflections, elastic twist deflection at the tip, and three forces and three moments at the rotor hub. The fuzzy logic system uses rules developed from an aeroelastic model of the helicopter rotor with implanted faults to isolate the fault while accounting for uncertainty in the measurements. The faults modeled include moisture absorption, loss of trim mass, damaged lag damper, damaged pitch control system, misadjusted pitch link, and damaged flap. Tests with simulated data show that the fuzzy system isolates rotor system faults with an accuracy of about 90-100%. Furthermore, the fuzzy system is robust and gives excellent results, even when some measurements are not available. A rule-based expert system based on similar rules from the aeroelastic model performs much more poorly than the fuzzy system in the presence of high levels of uncertainty.

Photodissociation dynamics of CH2ICl at 222, 236, 266, 280, and-304 nm

Dynamics of I*(P-2(1/2)) formation from CH2ICl dissociation has-been investigated at five different ultraviolet excitation wavelengths, e.g., 222, 236, 266, 280, and similar to304 nm. The quantum yield of I*((2)p(1/2)) production, phi*, has been measured by monitoring nascent I(P-2(3/2)) and I* concentrations using a resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization detection scheme. The measured quantum yield as a function of excitation energy follows the same trend as that of methyl iodide except at 236 run. The photodissociation dynamics of CH2ICl also involves three upper states similar to methyl iodide, and a qualitative correlation diagram has been constructed to account for the observed quantum yield. From the difference in behavior at 236 nm, it appears that the crossing region between the two excited states ((3)Q(0) and (1)Q(1)) is located near the exit valley away from the Franck Condon excitation region. The B- and C-band transitions do not participate in the dynamics, and the perturbation of the methyl iodide states due to Cl-I interaction is relatively weak at the photolysis wavelengths employed in this investigation.