Super-linear speedup for real-time condition monitoring using image processing and drones

Real-time inspections for the large-scale solar system may take a long time to get the hazard situations for any failures that may take place in the solar panels normal operations, where prior hazards detection is important. Reducing the execution time and improving the system’s performance are the ultimate goals of multiprocessing or multicore systems. Real-time video processing and analysis from two camcorders, thermal and charge-coupling devices (CCD), mounted on a drone compose the embedded system being proposed for solar panels inspection. The inspection method needs more time for capturing and processing the frames and detecting the faulty panels. The system can determine the longitude and latitude of the defect position information in real-time. In this work, we investigate parallel processing for the image processing operations which reduces the processing time for the inspection systems. The results show a super-linear speedup for real-time condition monitoring in large-scale solar systems. Using the multiprocessing module in Python, we execute fault detection algorithms using streamed frames from both video cameras. The experimental results show a super-linear speedup for thermal and CCD video processing, the execution time is efficiently reduced with an average of 3.1 times and 6.3 times using 2 processes and 4 processes respectively

Molecular-level photo-orientation insights into macroscopic photo-induced motion in azobenzene-containing polymer complexes

As part of continuing efforts to deepen the understanding of photo-induced mass transport in azo-containing polymers, we compared the diffraction efficiency (DE) during surface-relief grating (SRG) inscription, photo-induced molecular orientation (), and thermal stability in two sets of supramolecular azopolymer complexes, namely, hydrogen-bonded (H-bonded) and ionically bonded (i-bonded) complexes, both as a function of the polymer degree of polymerization (DP). To that end, poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) polymers with DPs of 41, 480, and 1900 were H-bonded at an equimolar ratio with 4-hydroxy-4′-dimethylaminoazobenzene (azoOH), and the fully quaternized derivatives of the three P4VPs (P4VPMe) were i-bonded via ion exchange to sodium 4-[(4-dimethylamino)-phenylazo]benzene sulfonate (azoSO3), also known as methyl orange, where the OH functionality of azoOH is replaced by a sulfonate group. The i-bonded complexes show much better DE performances and levels than those of H-bonded complexes, which we relate to the liquid crystal structure of the former complexes. Fitting the curves by a biexponential equation leads to two parameters associated with a fast trans–cis or angular hole burning (AHB) process and a slow angular redistribution (AR) process of the azo, respectively. It is found that AHB is predominant in the H-bonded complexes, whereas the AR contribution is much greater in the i-bonded complexes, assuring their superior SRG efficiency that is enabled by the anisotropic free volume created mainly by the AR process. In each set of complexes, the SRG efficiency is much better for the lowest DP complex, while the AR contribution is constant (and low) for the H-bonded complexes and increases roughly linearly with the decrease in DP for the i-bonded complexes. The latter difference might be related to the presence of entanglements in the complexes with DPs 480 and 1900, which slow down the macroscopic movement during SRG inscription but not the molecular-scale movement in photo-orientation

Cytokine Detection and Modulation in Acute Graft vs. Host Disease in Mice

A murine model for acute lethal graft vs. host disease (GVHD) was used to study the role that a number of cytokines play in the development of lethal GVHD. In this study we focused on the role of IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α. Lethally irradiated (C57BL × CBA)F1 mice were reconstituted either with 107 allogeneic BALB/c spleen cells or with a similar number of syngeneic cells, as a control. A significant rise in serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ levels was found in allogeneically reconstituted mice. This is in contrast to the syngeneic control group in which no rise was seen. Serum IL-2 and IL-4 levels were below the detection limit. In the supernatant of Con A stimulated spleen cells from allogeneically reconstituted mice IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α concentrations were increased. The expression of mRNA for cytokines as detected by reverse transcription PCR was studied in spleen cells. In the allogeneic reconstituted mice the mRNA expression of IL-1α, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α displayed faster kinetics compared with that in syngeneic reconstituted mice. The effect of treatment with recombinant cytokines, antibodies to cytokines and to cytokine receptors on the development of GVHD was investigated. Administration of recombinant IL-2 to allogeneically reconstituted mice strongly increased the morbidity and mortality whereas injection of IL-1α and TNF-α did not influence survival. Administration of antibodies against IL-2 or the IL-2 receptor decreased the morbidity and mortality. Anti-IL-6, anti-IFN-γ, and anti-TNF-α mAB, on the other hand, did not affect the morbidity and mortality of GVHD. The results of this study suggest successive waves of cytokine-secreting cell populations consistent with the induction of an inflammatory response in the development of acute GVH disease

Risk factors for postoperative pain in the first three weeks after arthroscopic or open shoulder surgery

Introduction: Shoulder surgery is a painful procedure. Adequate postoperative pain control increases patient satisfaction. The objectives of this study were to investigate postoperative pain development in shoulder surgery and to assess risk factors for high postoperative pain.Hypothesis: Patients who undergo rotator cuff repair are more painful than patients who undergo different kinds of shoulder surgery.Material and methods: Four hundred and sixty five patients who underwent shoulder surgery were included in this retrospective cohort study. A linear mixed model analysis was used to compare NRS (Numeric Rating Scale) for pain between different kinds of shoulder surgery in the first three weeks postoperatively. To assess risk factors for high postoperative pain odds ratios were calculated.Results: Pain development in the first 3 weeks differed between procedures with rotator cuff repair being the most painful procedure. Risk factors for high postoperative pain were female sex and subacromial decompression with distal clavicle resection.Discussion: Patients who undergo rotator cuff repair are indeed more painful than patients who undergo different kinds of shoulder surgery. With identifying these differences in pain development and the risk factors for high postoperative pain after shoulder surgery, we can optimize postoperative pain treatment. However, further research is needed to support these results.Level of evidence: IV, retrospective cohort study.Keywords: Arthroscopy; Pain; Postoperative; Risk factors; Shoulder surgery.</p

Hydrophobically Modified Sulfobetaine Copolymers with Tunable Aqueous UCST through Postpolymerization Modification of Poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate)

Polysulfobetaines, polymers carrying highly polar zwitterionic side chains, present a promising research field by virtue of their antifouling properties, hemocompatibility, and stimulus-responsive behavior. However, limited synthetic approaches exist to produce sulfobetaine copolymers comprising hydrophobic components. Postpolymerization modification of an activated ester precursor, poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate), employing a zwitterionic amine, 3-((3-aminopropyl)dimethylammonio)propane-1-sulfonate, ADPS, is presented as a novel, one-step synthetic concept toward sulfobetaine (co)polymers. Modifications were performed in homogeneous solution using propylene carbonate as solvent with mixtures of ADPS and pentylamine, benzylamine, and dodecylamine producing a series of well-defined statistical acrylamido sulfobetaine copolymers containing hydrophobic pentyl, benzyl, or dodecylacrylamide comonomers with well-controllable molar composition as evidenced by NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography.This synthetic strategy was exploited to investigate, for the first time, the influence of hydrophobic modification on the upper critical solution temperature (UCST) of sulfobetaine copolymers in aqueous solution. Surprisingly, incorporation of pentyl groups was found to increase solubility over a wide composition range, whereas benzyl groups decreased solubility—an effect attributed to different entropic and enthalpic contributions of both functional groups. While UCST transitions of polysulfobetaines are typically limited to higher molar mass samples, incorporation of 0–65 mol % of benzyl groups into copolymers with molar masses of 25.5–34.5 kg/mol enabled sharp, reversible transitions from 6 to 82 °C in solutions containing up to 76 mM NaCl, as observed by optical transmittance and dynamic light scattering. Both synthesis and systematic UCST increase of sulfobetaine copolymers presented here are expected to expand the scope and applicability of these smart materials