Affordance-based robot object retrieval

Autonomous Robots - Natural language object retrieval is a highly useful yet challenging task for robots in human-centric environments. Previous work has primarily focused on commands specifying...     

A Topical Formulation of Melatoninergic Compounds Exerts Strong Hypotensive and Neuroprotective Effects in a Rat Model of Hypertensive Glaucoma

Melatonin is of great importance for regulating several eye processes, including pressure homeostasis. Melatonin in combination with agomelatine has been recently reported to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) with higher efficacy than each compound alone. Here, we used the methylcellulose (MCE) rat model of hypertensive glaucoma, an optic neuropathy characterized by the apoptotic death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), to evaluate the hypotensive and neuroprotective efficacy of an eye drop nanomicellar formulation containing melatonin/agomelatine. Eye tissue distribution of melatonin/agomelatine in healthy rats was evaluated by HPLC/MS/MS. In the MCE model, we assessed by tonometry the hypotensive efficacy of melatonin/agomelatine. Neuroprotection was revealed by electroretinography; by levels of inflammatory and apoptotic markers; and by RGC density. The effects of melatonin/agomelatine were compared with those of timolol (a beta blocker with prevalent hypotensive activity) or brimonidine (an alpha 2 adrenergic agonist with potential neuroprotective efficacy), two drugs commonly used to treat glaucoma. Both melatonin and agomelatine penetrate the posterior segment of the eye. In the MCE model, IOP elevation was drastically reduced by melatonin/agomelatine with higher efficacy than that of timolol or brimonidine. Concomitantly, gliosis-related inflammation and the Bax-associated apoptosis were partially prevented, thus leading to RGC survival and recovered retinal dysfunction. We suggest that topical melatoninergic compounds might be beneficial for ocular health.     

Lipopolysaccharides from three phytopathogenic pseudomonads

The use of acetylated phenyl 1-seleno-beta-D-galactofuranoside as a glycosyl donor for the synthesis of protected D-Galf-beta-(1-->3)-alpha-D-Manp as its methyl or ethylthio glycoside has been demonstrated. Activation of the selenoglycoside over a thioglycoside acceptor by NIS/TfOH is extremely selective and gives the ethylthio disaccharide in 91% yield. The parent disaccharide is found as a terminal and branched unit in the lipopeptidophosphoglycan oligosaccharides of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease.     

Unusual Lipid A from a Cold‐Adapted Bacterium: Detailed Structural Characterization

Colwellia psychrerythraea 34H is a Gram‐negative cold‐adapted microorganism that adopts many strategies to cope with the limitations associated with the low temperatures of its habitat. In this study, we report the complete characterization of the lipid A moiety from the lipopolysaccharide of Colwellia. Lipid A and its partially deacylated derivative were completely characterized by high‐resolution mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, and chemical analysis. An unusual structure with a 3‐hydroxy unsaturated tetradecenoic acid as a component of the primary acylation pattern was identified. In addition, the presence of a partially acylated phosphoglycerol moiety on the secondary acylation site at the 3‐position of the reducing 2‐amino‐2‐deoxyglucopyranose unit caused tremendous natural heterogeneity in the structure of lipid A. Biological‐activity assays indicated that C. psychrerythraea 34H lipid A did not show an agonistic or antagonistic effect upon testing in human macrophages.     

Wastewater Disinfection With Ozone - Process Control And Operating Results

The City of Indianapolis, Indiana operates two 125 mgd advanced wastewater treatment plants with ozone disinfection. The rated capacity of the oxygen-fed ozone generators is 6,380 Ib/day, which is used to meet geometric mean weekly and monthly disinfection permit limits for decal conforms of 400 and 200 per 100 mL, respectively. Since 1989, a disciplined process monitoring and control program was initiated. Records indicate a significant effect on process performance due to wastewater flow, contactor influent fecal coliform concentration, and ozone demand. Previously, ozone demand information was unknown. Several tasks/studies were performed in order to better control the ozone disinfection process. These include the recent installation of a pilot-scale ozone contactor to allow the plant staff to measure ozone demand on a daily basis. Also, tracer tests were conducted to measure contactor short-circuiting potential. Results demonstrated a noticeable benefit of adding additional baffles. Results also indicated operating strategies that could maximize fecal coliform removal, such as reducing the number of contactors in service at low and moderate flow conditions.     

Enhancement of Wastewater Disinfection Efficiency in Full-Scale Ozone Bubble-Diffuser Contactors

Tracer and disinfection tests were performed with the ozone bubble-diffuser contactors at the Belmont and Southport Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plants operated by the City of Indianapolis, Department of Public Works. The objective of the study was to develop a better understanding for the role of hydrodynamics and contactor design on the disinfection efficiency achieved in these contactors. Tracer tests were performed at varying gas and wastewater flow rates. The results indicated that high backmixing occurred within each chamber of the over-under ozone bubble-diffuser contactor trains. The addition of three baffles to one of the contactor trains resulted in a decrease in overall contactor backmixing. Low contactor backmixing was observed at high wastewater flow rates combined with high or medium gas flow rates for both the modified and original trains. Monitoring of effluent fecal coliform concentrations for both the original and modified contactor trains revealed lower average concentrations in the modified train effluent as compared to the original train.     

Chemical structure of two phytotoxic exopolysaccharides produced by Phomopsis foeniculi

The two main exocellular polysaccharides produced in vitro by Phomopsis foeniculi, a fungal pathogen of fennel, were isolated and characterized by chemical and spectroscopic methods as a galactan with the known structure [-->6)-beta-D-Galf-(1-->5)-beta-D- Galf-(1-->5)-beta-D-Galf-(1-->]n and a mannan. The latter consists of a backbone of alpha-(1-->6)-linked mannopyranose units. Almost all of these are branched at the 2 position with arms containing 2- and 3-linked mannopyranose units. The crude polysaccharide fraction and its components, galactan and mannan, showed phytotoxic effects, i.e. chlorosis, necrosis and/or wilting, on fennel and on two non-host plants, tobacco and tomato.     

Multicycle Polling Scheduling Algorithms for FieldBus Networks

The paper deals with the scheduling of periodic information flow in a FieldBus environment. The scheduling problem is defined from an analytical point of view, giving a brief survey of the most well-known solutions. One of these is called multicycle polling scheduling, which is based on the hypothesis that all the production periods of the periodic processes to be scheduled are harmonic. Although in some process control or manufacturing scenarios, this hypothesis may be acceptable, there are many real industrial processes to which it cannot be applied. The aim of the paper is to make a contribution towards solving the scheduling problem. It essentially concerns extension of the theory on which multicycle polling scheduling is based to a much more realistic and general scenario, where the periods of all the processes to be scheduled have arbitrary values. The authors present a new formulation of multicycle polling scheduling, called extended multicycle polling scheduling, and demonstrate that it comprises the scenario currently considered in the literature. Two algorithmic solutions for extended multicycle polling scheduling are then proposed, giving a computational complexity analysis which will highlight the capability of the algorithmic scheduling solutions to be performed on-line. The paper concludes by comparing the multicycle polling scheduling approach known in literature and the one presented in the paper. Comparison is performed by evaluating the use of available bandwidth to serve both periodic and asynchronous traffic in the two approaches.     

The Conversion of Syngas to Liquid Fuels in a Dual-Bed Single Reactor Process

The effects of HZSM-5 temperature and weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) on conversion of syngas to liquid fuels were investigated in a single reactor process. The temperature of FT catalyst was constant (463 K), whereas the temperature of HZSM-5 varied (523, 573, 623 K). The value of WHSV ranged between 16 and 24 h^?1. HZSM-5 addition suppressed the formation of CH₄ and remarkably enhanced the formation of iso-C₅-C₁₂ paraffins. An increase of HZSM-5 temperature resulted in an enhancement of gaseous hydrocarbons, C₁₈₊ paraffins, and olefins. The optimal HZSM-5 temperature and WHSV were identified as 523 K and 16 h^?1, respectively.