53 research outputs found
Electrochemomechanics in Mixed Ionic Electronic Conductors and solid oxide cells
No full textThis thesis presents a model for coupled electrochemomechanics in Mixed Ionic Electronic Conductors (MIEC). A continuum model is formulated to simulate the transport of ionic defects and the stress distribution in the conductor arising from the chemical expansion associated with the defects. First, a finite element formulation of the model is developed and validated with various analytical solutions and comparisons with experimental results. In the third chapter the coupled model is used along with an iterative scheme to simulate the transport characteristics in solid oxide cells with oxygen surface exchange and results are compared with experimental cell operation. The model is used to study the effect of oxygen surface exchange and the bulk diffusion of defects on the performance of solid oxide cell. In the fourth chapter, the transport of ionic defects is studied under spatially varying oxygen surface exchange in solid oxide cells due to the presence of metal current collector. Various defect transport mechanisms (boundary value problem setups) are proposed and studied to identify and explain the influence of metal current collector on oxygen exchange at the electrode film surface.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2022-08-01The student, Rupesh Kumar Mahendran, accepted the attached license on 2020-07-21 at 16:46.The student, Rupesh Kumar Mahendran, submitted this Thesis for approval on 2020-07-21 at 17:01.This Thesis was approved for publication on 2020-07-24 at 10:34.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #15716 on 2020-10-02 at 15:34:04Made available in DSpace on 2020-10-07T22:44:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3
MAHENDRAN-THESIS-2020.pdf: 3708078 bytes, checksum: 463ee47cd0eb92e25537a9b91dc2fee4 (MD5)
Rupesh thesis - final draft_corrected.docx: 4319366 bytes, checksum: baa891bc123f75ecfe18236ec31038ee (MD5)
LICENSE.txt: 4219 bytes, checksum: 2eee58e4d1046f8f5db401af57c80c25 (MD5)
Previous issue date: 2020-07-24Embargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 116264
Lift date: 2022-10-07T22:44:53Z
Reason: Author requested U of Illinois access only (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemAuthor requested U of Illinois access only (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemU of I Onl
Assessment and application of non-technical skills in robotic-assisted surgery: a systematic review.
No full textOpen Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.Background: Undeniably, robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) has become very popular in recent decades, but it has introduced challenges to the workflow of the surgical team. Non-technical skills (NTS) have received less emphasis than technical skills in training and assessment. The systematic review aimed to update the evidence on the role of NTS in robotic surgery, specifically focusing on evaluating assessment tools and their utilisation in training and surgical education in robotic surgery.
Methods: A systematic literature search of PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and EMBASE was conducted to identify primary articles on NTS in RAS. Messick's validity framework and the Modified Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument were utilised to evaluate the quality of the validity evidence of the abstracted articles.
Results: Seventeen studies were eligible for the final analysis. Communication, environmental factors, anticipation and teamwork were key NTS for RAS. Team-related factors such as ambient noise and chatter, inconveniences due to repeated requests during the procedure and constraints due to poor design of the operating room may harm patient safety during RAS. Three novel rater-based scoring systems and one sensor-based method for assessing NTS in RAS were identified. Anticipation by the team to predict and execute the next move before an explicit verbal command improved the surgeon's situational awareness.
Conclusion: This systematic review highlighted the paucity of reporting on non-technical skills in robotic surgery with only three bespoke objective assessment tools being identified. Communication, environmental factors, anticipation, and teamwork are the key non-technical skills reported in robotic surgery, and further research is required to investigate their benefits to improve patient safety during robotic surgery
Investigation of antimicrobial properties and in-vitro bioactivity of Ce3+-Sr2+dual-substituted nano hydroxyapatites
No full textDual doped calcium apatite has been widely focused as it enhances the osteoconductive property for the possible applications in orthopedic and dental implants. In this work, we investigate the antimicrobial and bioactive properties of cerium/strontium (Ce3+/Sr2+) co‐substituted hydroxyapatite (HA ) nanoparticles synthesized by sol‐gel assisted precipitation method. The structure, morphology, functional groups, photoluminescence, and thermal stability of the developed systems are examined. The comparative studies performed among the pure HA , Sr2+, and Ce3+‐substituted HA nanoparticles illustrate higher antibacterial activity with lowered apatite‐forming ability and biocompatibility for the Ce3+‐substituted HA . However, the Ce3+/Sr2+co‐substituted HA exhibits better biocompatibility, apatite‐forming ability, and good antimicrobial properties. Sr2+ ion inclusion leads to better biological properties and compromise the cytotoxic nature of the Ce3+‐HA . In addition, the Ce3+/Sr2+‐HA nanoparticles prevent thermal decomposition up to 700°C, pointing also toward the possibility of this co‐substituted HA in bone implant applications.This work has been funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC) SERO, Hyderabad, India (No. F MRF-6819/16) (SERO/UGC). The author Dr. C. Mahendran is grateful for the financial support.Scopu
A Framework for Ranking Hospitals Based on Customer Perception Using Rough Set and Soft Set Techniques
No full textHospital ranking is a cumbersome task, as it involves dealing with a large volume of underlying data. Rankings are usually accomplished by comparing different dimensions of quality and services. Even the quality care measurement of a hospital is multi-dimensional: It includes the experience of both clinical care and patient care. In this research, however, the authors focus on ratings based only on customer perception. A framework which consists of two stages—Stage I and Stage II—is designed. In the first stage, the model uses a rough set in a fuzzy approximation space (RSFAS) technique to classify the data; whereas in the second stage, a fuzzy soft set (FSS) technique is employed to generate the rating score. The model is employed for comparing USA hospitals by region using annual HCAHPS survey data. This article shows how ranking of the healthcare institutions can be carried out using the RSFAS (rough set in a fuzzy approximation space) and fuzzy soft set techniques
Non-blind color GIS image watermarking algorithm based on lifting wavelet using MSVD
No full textA non-blind color GIS image watermarking algorithm based on the concept of LWT using MSVDtechnique has been proposed. The maximum valued coefficients of LWT in a block of size 2 × 2 have been used to embed color watermark. It has been observed that the perceptual quality of the watermarked image is comparatively better. The performance of the algorithm has been tested on crowd sourced GIS images taken through mobile based e-governance applications and the experimental results have been compared with some existing methods. The obtained results show that this algorithm has performed better than existing algorithms and is also robust against geometrical image processing attacks.</div
Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 mediates gonadotropin-releasing hormone signaling to a specific extracellularly regulated kinase-sensitive transcriptional locus in the luteinizing hormone beta-subunit gene
No full textG protein-coupled receptor regulation of gene transcription primarily occurs through the phosphorylation of transcription factors by MAPKs. This requires transduction of an activating signal via scaffold proteins that can ultimately determine the outcome by binding signaling kinases and adapter proteins with effects on the target transcription factor and locus of activation. By investigating these mechanisms, we have elucidated how pituitary gonadotrope cells decode an input GnRH signal into coherent transcriptional output from the LH beta-subunit gene promoter. We show that GnRH activates c-Src and multiple members of the MAPK family, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1/2, p38MAPK, and ERK1/2. Using dominant-negative point mutations and chemical inhibitors, we identified that calcium-dependent proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 specifically acts as a scaffold for a focal adhesion/cytoskeleton-dependent complex comprised of c-Src, Grb2, and mSos that translocates an ERK-activating signal to the nucleus. The locus of action of ERK was specifically mapped to early growth response-1 (Egr-1) DNA binding sites within the LH beta-subunit gene proximal promoter, which was also activated by p38MAPK, but not c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1/2. Egr-1 was confirmed as the transcription factor target of ERK and p38MAPK by blockade of protein expression, transcriptional activity, and DNA binding. We have identified a novel GnRH-activated proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2-dependent ERK-mediated signal transduction pathway that specifically regulates Egr-1 activation of the LH beta-subunit proximal gene promoter, and thus provide insight into the molecular mechanisms required for differential regulation of gonadotropin gene expression
Prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection among pregnant women in Nigeria: a systematic review
No full textReview objectives What is the prevalence of HIV infection among pregnant women in Nigeria? Searches Relevant healthcare databases such as PubMed (MEDLINE), CINAHL, PsycINFO, Global Health, E-journals, Academic Search Elite, and AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine Database) were searched in addition to author institutional libraries and online resources such as Google Scholar. Google Scholar search showed the first 1000 yielded articles. A combination of text words were used for the search covering the target population and outcome elements such as: - (Human immunodeficiency virus OR HIV OR AIDS) AND (prevalence OR incidence OR epidemiology OR frequency OR occurrence) AND (pregnancy OR pregnant OR prenatal OR antenatal OR perinatal OR maternal) AND Nigeria. Following the rigorous databases searches, literature that scaled through the screening process were subjected to reference list checking to ensure there is no omission of any relevant article. Studies published in English language between 2008 and 2018 were included. Study design Published quantitative primary and secondary studies on the prevalence of HIV infection among pregnant women carried out in Nigeria
Optical Gain and Photostability of Different Laser Dyes, Quantum Dots and Quantum Rods for Liquid Crystal Micro Lasers
No full textSince the discovery of dye lasers, constant efforts are made towards developing optical gain materials with improved performance. Choosing an optical gain material for application in high-performance cholesteric liquid crystal micro-lasers requires a dedicated screening method. We employ Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE), and time-dependent fluorescence under pulsed excitation to study the optical gain parameter and photo-stability of laser dyes pyrromethene 567, pyrromethene 580, pyrromethene 597, pyrromethene 650, DCM, and Nile Red, dissolved in a nematic liquid crystal 5CB. Optical gain of CdSe/ZnS coreshell quantum dots dispersed in dodecene and CdSe/CdS coreshell quantum rods, dispersed in toluene was also measured and found to be much lower compared to the gain of fluorescent dyes. Pump energy and polarization dependence of ASE from dye molecules incorporated in the planar-aligned liquid crystal matrix is addressed. We determine the optical gain coefficient for different laser dyes by using the variable laser stripe illumination method using the small-signal gain model. The polarization dependence of ASE is determined in various geometries. We depict photostability from the half-life of emission intensity decay over a large number (106-107) of repeated laser pulses for fluorescent dyes, quantum rods and quantum dots. We find that quantum rods and quantum dots are much more stable compared to fluorescent dyes. Based on the photophysical characterization, we select pyrromethene 567 and pyrromethene 597 as efficient laser dyes for nematic liquid crystal micro-lasers.Corresponding author: Igor Muševič ([email protected]
Combining multiple human physiological signals using fuzzy logic to determine stress caused by battle dress uniforms
No full text© 2022, The Author(s). cc-byAbstract: This study presents a novel stress index for clothing using physiological signals to estimate stress induced by battle dress uniforms (BDU) during physical activity. The approach uses a fuzzy logic-based nonlinear mapping to compute the stress from physiological signals. Ten healthy men performed a battery of physical activities in a controlled environment. Heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR), skin temperature (ST), and galvanic skin response (GSR) were measured continuously for the participants during activity wearing three kinds of clothing (two BDUs and a control garment). The individual physiological responses were combined using a fuzzy-logic system to derive a stress measure called Clothed Activity Stress Index (CASI). Repeated measures ANOVA showed that the garments significantly (α =.05) affected the HR (p <.001) and RR (p <.001). In addition, interactions between the activity and garment were significant for HR, RR, and ST (p <.001, p <.001, p <.036). The physiological measures differed significantly between rest and activity for the two uniforms. The stress indices (ranging between 0 and 1) during rest and activity were 0.24 and 0.35 for control, 0.27 and 0.43 for BDU-1, and 0.33 and 0.44 for BDU-2. It is shown here that clothing systems impact human stress levels to a measurable level. This computational approach is applicable to measure stress caused by protective wear under different operational conditions and can be suitable for sports and combat gears. Article Highlights: A computational approach to non-linearly map human physiological signals and stress is presented.The stress caused by functional clothing systems is estimated using a fuzzy-logic mapping system for battle dress uniforms.Heart and respiration rates are highly sensitive to stress, while skin temperature and galvanic skin response are moderately sensitive
The Influence of Netspeak on Students' Writing
No full textThis study on Netspeak writes about words or phrases that are abbreviated and used frequently by Internet users. Language incorporates explosive items which need special care when handling the components in it. Wide knowledge regarding the various aspect of language will help readers to be able to handle the substance. Therefore, the author calls for a deeper comprehension of certain linguistic realities. This study helps to enlighten the various types of language used while using different mode of communication, thus avoiding harsh judgments regarding the informal use of language. The study also hopes to show that there is nothing linguistically eccentric about using Netspeak while communicating online. They are regarded a negative influence only if they are used in a formal environment. This study deals with the notion that Netspeak is a common language used especially by the younger generation to communicate with one another while online. Although, most educators have regarded the influence of Netspeak as negative and detrimental towards students’ writing, however, Netspeak is still prevalent. This study also gives the statement of problem, its objectives, significance and limitations. It is hoped that the people in the society, especially educators will not view Netspeak as only a cause of the decline of students’ writing standard, but a fixture in language, which is acknowledged for its passing style and momentary trend
- …
