Recording of bridge damage areas by 3D integration of multiple images and reduction of the variability in detected results

Machine learning models have been developed to perform damage detection using images to improve bridge inspection efficiency. However, in damage detection using images alone, the 3D coordinates of the damage cannot be recorded. Furthermore, the accuracy of the detection depends on the quality of the images. This paper proposes a method to integrate and record the damage detected from multiple images into a 3D model using deep learning to detect the damage from bridge images and structure from motion to identify the shooting position. The proposed method reduces the variability of the detection results between images and can assess the scale of damage or, conversely, where there is no damage and the extent of inspection omissions. The proposed method has been applied to a real bridge, and it has been shown that the actual damage locations can be recorded as a 3D model.     

Study for improvement of solar cell efficiency by impurity photovoltaic effect

This paper is to study for efficiency improvement of solar cells by utilizing impurity traps introduced in the band gap of semiconductor, that is, impurity photovoltaic (IPV) effect. It is revealed theoretically that there is a certain energy range where impurity-traps act as stepping stones in two-step excitation of electrons from the valence band to the conduction band under suppression of carrier recombination through such traps. Indium is selected as one of proper impurities that satisfy this condition in crystalline silicon, and theoretical prediction is experimentally verified. A good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained concerned with photoconductive properties. It is concluded that the IPV effect is useful to improve the cell efficiency.     

Photocarrier generation in organic thin-film solar cells with an organic heterojunction

Photocurrent–voltage characteristics for organic solar cells with a heterojunction formed between copper phthalocyanine and a perylene derivative (or C₆₀) were studied. The photocurrent was observed under both reverse and forward biases. From the analysis of the photocurrent action spectra, the origin of the reverse photocurrent was attributed to the excitons formed in both the organic layers, whereas that of the forward photocurrent was attributed to the excitons formed in the perylene derivative (or C₆₀) layer. The photocurrent density under reverse bias increased at higher temperatures, suggesting that the charge recombination possibility was lowered at higher temperatures. On the basis of the time responses of the photocurrents observed after pulsed photoirradiation, the charge separation and transport processes are discussed.     

Direct Cardiac Epigenetic Reprogramming through Codelivery of 5′Azacytidine and miR-133a Nanoformulation

Direct reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts to induced cardiomyocytes (iCMs) is a promising approach to cardiac regeneration. However, the low yield of reprogrammed cells and the underlying epigenetic barriers limit its potential. Epigenetic control of gene regulation is a primary factor in maintaining cellular identities. For instance, DNA methylation controls cell differentiation in adults, establishing that epigenetic factors are crucial for sustaining altered gene expression patterns with subsequent rounds of cell division. This study attempts to demonstrate that 5′AZA and miR-133a encapsulated in PLGA-PEI nanocarriers induce direct epigenetic reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts to cardiomyocyte-like cells. The results present a cardiomyocyte-like phenotype following seven days of the co-delivery of 5′AZA and miR-133a nanoformulation into human cardiac fibroblasts. Further evaluation of the global DNA methylation showed a decreased global 5-methylcytosine (5-medCyd) levels in the 5′AZA and 5′AZA/miR-133a treatment group compared to the untreated group and cells with void nanocarriers. These results suggest that the co-delivery of 5′AZA and miR-133a nanoformulation can induce the direct reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts to cardiomyocyte-like cells in-vitro, in addition to demonstrating the influence of miR-133a and 5′AZA as epigenetic regulators in dictating cell fate.     

Dual Activity BLEG-1 from Bacillus lehensis G1 Revealed Structural Resemblance to B3 Metallo-β-Lactamase and Glyoxalase II: An Insight into Its Enzyme Promiscuity and Evolutionary Divergence

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) are class B β-lactamases from the metallo-hydrolase-like MBL-fold superfamily which act on a broad range of β-lactam antibiotics. A previous study on BLEG-1 (formerly called Bleg1_2437), a hypothetical protein from Bacillus lehensis G1, revealed sequence similarity and activity to B3 subclass MBLs, despite its evolutionary divergence from these enzymes. Its relatedness to glyoxalase II (GLXII) raises the possibility of its enzymatic promiscuity and unique structural features compared to other MBLs and GLXIIs. This present study highlights that BLEG-1 possessed both MBL and GLXII activities with similar catalytic efficiencies. Its crystal structure revealed highly similar active site configuration to YcbL and GloB GLXIIs from Salmonella enterica, and L1 B3 MBL from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. However, different from GLXIIs, BLEG-1 has an insertion of an active-site loop, forming a binding cavity similar to B3 MBL at the N-terminal region. We propose that BLEG-1 could possibly have evolved from GLXII and adopted MBL activity through this insertion.     

A 99-mm2 0.7-W single-chip MPEG-2 422P@ML video, audio,and system encoder with a 64-Mb embedded DRAM for portable 422P@HLencoder system

A scalable single-chip 422P@ML MPEG-2 video, audio, and system encoder LSI for portable 422P@HL system is described. The encoder LSI is implemented using 0.13-μm embedded DRAM technology. It integrates 3-M logic gates and 64-Mb DRAM in an area of 99-mm². The power consumption is suppressed to 0.7 W by adopting a low-power DRAM core. It performs real-time 422P@ML video encoding, audio encoding, and system encoding with no external DRAM. Furthermore, the encoder LSI realizes a 422P@HL video encoder with multichip configuration, due to its scalable architecture. This results in a PC-card size 422P@HL encoder for portable HDTV codec system     

Modification of polylactide upon physical properties by solution-cast blends from polylactide and polylactide-grafted dextran

Polylactide (PLA)-grafted polysaccharides with various lengths and numbers of graft chains were synthesized using a trimethylsilyl protection method. The properties of the cast films prepared from graft-copolymers were investigated through thermal and dynamic mechanical analyses. The graft-copolymer films exhibited a lower glass transition temperature (T_g), melting temperature, and crystallinity, and higher viscosity properties compared to PLA films. Moreover, the usefulness of graft-copolymer as a plasticizer was investigated with 1:4 blend films prepared from the graft-copolymers and PLA. The blend films showed lower T_g and crystallinity, and higher viscosity properties compared to PLA films.     

Central and peripheral mechanisms involved in hypertension induced by chronic inhibition of nitric oxide synthase in rats

OBJECTIVE: To study the possible central and peripheral mechanisms involved in hypertension induced by chronic inhibition of nitric oxide synthase. METHODS: We evaluated neurohormonal and renal responses of Wistar rats to chronic oral administration of 20 and 100 mg/kg per day NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Effects of intracerebroventricular and intravenous injections of NO donors (NOC-18 and FK-409) and an angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist CV-11974, and intravenous injection of alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonist phentolamine after chronic treatment with 100 mg/kg per day L-NAME were also studied. RESULTS: The chronic treatment with L-NAME induced a sustained dose-dependent hypertension with a decrease in heart rate. Urinary levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine decreased with no changes in plasma catecholamine levels, renin activity, and vasopressin level. Serum nitrate/nitrite levels in the rats treated with the high dose of L-NAME decreased. The intracerebroventricular and intravenous injections of the NO donors reduced arterial pressure in L-NAME-treated rats to a significantly greater extent than they did that in control rats. The intravenous but not intracerebroventricular injection of CV-11974 produced a sustained decrease in arterial pressure of L-NAME-treated rats. The depressor responses to intravenous injection of phentolamine of L-NAME-treated and control rats were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that L-NAME-induced hypertension is associated with a deficiency of nitric oxide, both peripherally and centrally. Circulating angiotensin II could contribute to the maintenance of hypertension via angiotensin II type 1 receptor while the sympathetic nervous system seems to be suppressed.     

Effect of etchant, etching period, and silane priming on bond strength to porcelain of composite resin

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of etching and silane priming on bond strength to a feldspathic porcelain (VMK 68) of a composite resin (Clearfil APX). Two hydrofluoric acid etchants (2.5% and 5%) and seven different etching times (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 seconds) were used to etch the porcelain specimens respectively. A self-curing bonding agent containing a silane coupler (Clearfil Porcelain Bond) was used on both etched and unetched porcelain surfaces. Etched relief patterns were observed by means of a scanning electron microscope, and the bond strengths between the photocured composite resin and the porcelain were determined. Scanning electron micrographs revealed complicated etching patterns with increased etching time periods. Shear testing results showed that the bond strength to the unetched porcelain of the composite resin was very low, and that etching periods for more than 30 seconds effectively enhanced the bond strength. Of the two etching agents applied to the unsilanated porcelain, the buffered 2.5% etchant produced higher bond strengths than the 5% etchant for all etching time periods except for 180 seconds. Silane priming was effective and critical for improving bond strength to the porcelain. Application of the silane bonding agent to the porcelain after hydrofluoric acid etching appeared to be suitable for achieving consistent bonding between the composite resin and the porcelain.