Type-2 fuzzy system based blood pressure parameters estimation

Blood pressure parameters; Systolic, Diastolic and Mean Blood Pressure, have high correlation relationship with heart rate, but this relationship is nonlinear, multimode, and ambiguity. Type-2 Fuzzy is an intelligent technique and it has high capability to deal with the problem with high uncertainty that blood pressure parameters with heart rate relationship can be classify under them. This paper presents an Interval Type-2 Fuzzy System to estimate Systolic, Diastolic and Mean blood pressure; based on the relationship between systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures and heart rate. The Interval Type-2 Fuzzy System is used to estimate systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures values of thirty cases. The results are compared with real reading of systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure and very encouraging results are achieved; the absolute value of mean of difference between real systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures and estimated systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures are less than 5 mmIIg. © 2008 IEEE

Organoaluminium complexes derived from Anilines or Schiff bases for ring opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone, delta-valerolactone and rac-lactide

Reaction of R¹R²CHN=CH(3,5-tBu₂C₆H₂-OH-2) (R¹ = R² = Me L¹H; R¹ = Me, R² = Ph L²H; R¹ = R2 = Ph L³H) with one equivalent of R³3Al (R³ = Me, Et) afforded [(L¹-³)AlR³₂] (L¹, R³ = Me 1, R³ = Et 2; L², R³ = Me 3, R³ = Et 4; L³ R³ = Me 5, R³ = Et 6); complex 1 has been previously reported. Use of the N,O-ligand derived from 2,2/-diphenylglycine afforded either 5 or a by-product [Ph₂NCH₂(3,5-tBu₂C₆H₂-O-2)AlMe₂] (7). The known Schiff base complex [2-Ph₂PC₆H4CH₂(3,5-tBu₂C₃H₂-O-2)AlMe₂] (8) and the product of the reaction of 2-diphenylphosphinoaniline 1-NH₂,2-PPh₂C₆H4 with Me3Al, namely {Ph₂PC₆H4N[(Me₂Al)₂mu-Me](mu-Me₂Al)} (9) were also isolated. For structural and catalytic comparisons, complexes resulting from interaction of Me₃Al with diphenylamine or benzhydrylamine, namely {Ph₂N[(Me₂Al)2mu-Me]} (10) and [Ph₂CHNH(mu-Me₂Al)]₂·MeCN (11), were prepared. The molecular structures of the Schiff pro-ligands derived from Ph₂CHNH₂ and 2,2/-Ph2C(CO₂H)(NH₂), together with complexes 5, 7 and 9 - 11·MeCN were determined. All complexes have been screened for their ability to ring opening polymerization (ROP) epsilon-caprolactone, delta-valerolactone or rac-lactide, in the presence of benzyl alcohol, with or without solvent present. The co-polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone with rac-lactide has also been studied

Deformation and mechanical properties of the expansive cements produced by inter-grinding cement clinker and MgOs with various reactivities

Magnesia (MgO) either intrinsically contained in cement clinker or prepared separately as expansive additive has been used to compensate for the shrinkage of cementitious materials. In this study, for improving the homogenous distribution of MgOs, the cement clinker was inter-ground with MgO expansive additives with various reactivities ranging from 50 to 400 s to prepare series of expansive Portland cements and blended cements with incorporation of slag and fly ash. The deformations and mechanical properties of the expansive cements were investigated. Results showed that the expansive cements containing more reactive MgOs produced more rapid expansion under sealed condition or water curing, leading to effective autogenous shrinkage compensations at early age. The reactivities of MgOs caused insignificant influences on the mechanical strengths of expansive cements. The blended cements had lower strengths at early age but higher strengths than that of the corresponding Portland cements at late age due to the pozzolanic reaction.The financial support from the Royal Academy of Engineering UK/China, India Exchange, The National Key Technology R&D Program (2011BAE27B01-1), Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (51461135003) are acknowledged.This is the accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950061815000914#

Meso-scale Modeling of the Drilling of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic: Geometry and Numerical Analysis

This paper discussed the 3D finite element modeling (FEM) of the drilling of uni-directional Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP). Most of the real life parts of CFRP are modeled with single layer shell element and can be modeled as composite by assigning a composite property to it. A Meso-Scale (Laminate Level) approach has been developed to extract displacements, overall stiffness behavior, and detailed stresses and strains. The objective of this study is to implement a ply-based modeling technology to model the laminates and to analyze the interaction mechanisms between the drilling tool and material to validate if the meso-scale approach would be the ideal solution to characterize the drilling induced damage. Results show the model has proved its ability to correctly estimate the thrust force and torque

Magnesia-bearing materials for challenging infrastructure and environment

Our infrastructure and environment face unprecedented challenges in addressing a low carbon future with limited natural resources, expanding population, increased pollution and climatic uncertainties. Adaptation and innovations must therefore play a vital role in addressing the anticipated wide ranging complex scenarios ahead. The environment in which construction materials will need to function will become far more complex and aggressive and hence a fundamental revaluation of the most appropriate materials for future infrastructure and environment will be required in order to tackle those challenges. This paper focuses on a class of construction materials, both old and new, based on magnesia (MgO). They include a wide range of materials from those that contain MgO as a small additive to those which solely consist of MgO. They include concrete with MgO as an expansive additive, pervious concrete, alkali-activated cements, magnesium phosphate cements, carbonated products, stabilising additives for ground improvement, self-healing additives, carbon capture and storagematerials and binders for waste 105 and contaminated land remediation. Those materials and products offer a range of technical and sustainability benefits for a range of structural, geotechnical and environmental applications. The paper highlights the applications and benefits that would be achieved with magnesia-bearing construction materials

Deformation and mechanical properties of quaternary blended cements containing ground granulated blast furnace slag, fly ash and magnesia

Shrinkages of cementitious materials may lead to cracking under restrained conditions. This study was motivated to develop non-shrinkage quaternary blended cements through blending slag and fly ash with Portland cement containing reactive MgO. The hydration process, autogenous shrinkage at early age, long-term volume deformation, mechanical properties, and microstructure of cement specimens were investigated. Results showed that the autogenous shrinkage of the cement pastes was effectively mitigated due to the compensation of the MgO present and the reduction of cement content owing to the partial replacements with slag and fly ash. The mechanical strengths of the blended cement mortars were lower than that of the corresponding plain Portland cement mortars at early age of 3 d, but increased significantly to be similar or higher at late ages of 28 d and 90 d. This is attributed to the microstructure densification and the interface microstructure enhancement due to the reaction of SCMs with clinker phases.The financial support from the Royal Academy of Engineering UK/China Exchange (12/13RECI013), the National Key Technology R&D Program (2011BAE27B01-1), the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51461135003) is acknowledged.This is the accepted manuscript. The final published version is available from Elsevier at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008884615000319

Sensory Electrical Stimulation Improves Foot Placement during Targeted Stepping Post-Stroke

Proper foot placement is vital for maintaining balance during walking, requiring the integration of multiple sensory signals with motor commands. Disruption of brain structures post-stroke likely alters the processing of sensory information by motor centers, interfering with precision control of foot placement and walking function for stroke survivors. In this study, we examined whether somatosensory stimulation, which improves functional movements of the paretic hand, could be used to improve foot placement of the paretic limb. Foot placement was evaluated before, during, and after application of somatosensory electrical stimulation to the paretic foot during a targeted stepping task. Starting from standing, twelve chronic stroke participants initiated movement with the non-paretic limb and stepped to one of five target locations projected onto the floor with distances normalized to the paretic stride length. Targeting error and lower extremity kinematics were used to assess changes in foot placement and limb control due to somatosensory stimulation. Significant reductions in placement error in the medial–lateral direction (p = 0.008) were observed during the stimulation and post-stimulation blocks. Seven participants, presenting with a hip circumduction walking pattern, had reductions (p = 0.008) in the magnitude and duration of hip abduction during swing with somatosensory stimulation. Reductions in circumduction correlated with both functional and clinical measures, with larger improvements observed in participants with greater impairment. The results of this study suggest that somatosensory stimulation of the paretic foot applied during movement can improve the precision control of foot placement