Autonomic regulation therapy to enhance myocardial function in heart failure patients: the ANTHEM-HFpEF study.

BackgroundApproximately half of the patients presenting with new-onset heart failure (HF) have HF with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with mid-range left ventricular ejection fraction (HFmrEF). These patients have neurohormonal activation like that of HF with reduced ejection fraction; however, beta-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have not been shown to improve their outcomes, and current treatment for these patients is symptom based and empiric. Sympathoinhibition using parasympathetic stimulation has been shown to improve central and peripheral aspects of the cardiac nervous system, reflex control, induce myocyte cardioprotection, and can lead to regression of left ventricular hypertrophy. Beneficial effects of autonomic regulation therapy (ART) using vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) have also been observed in several animal models of HFpEF, suggesting a potential role for ART in patients with this disease.MethodsThe Autonomic Neural Regulation Therapy to Enhance Myocardial Function in Patients with Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction (ANTHEM-HFpEF) study is designed to evaluate the feasibility, tolerability, and safety of ART using right cervical VNS in patients with chronic, stable HFpEF and HFmrEF. Patients with symptomatic HF and HFpEF or HFmrEF fulfilling the enrolment criteria will receive chronic ART with a subcutaneous VNS system attached to the right cervical vagus nerve. Safety parameters will be continuously monitored, and cardiac function and HF symptoms will be assessed every 3 months during a post-titration follow-up period of at least 12 months.ConclusionsThe ANTHEM-HFpEF study is likely to provide valuable information intended to expand our understanding of the potential role of ART in patients with chronic symptomatic HFpEF and HFmrEF

A CONCEPTUAL MOBILE GIS SYSTEM FOR GLOBAL EMISSION MONITORING

Today information systems play key role in new century, geographical information system (GIS) as a special class of information system. Now we are moving wired to wireless network, that is mobile environment shown in fig2 (any where any time and any thing computing), plays key role in this new century. In this application mobile GIS, which will be a network environment, is proposed, which can perform monitoring of emission levels at a city level or country level or Global level. The concept will be as follows. The analog data of Automated weather monitoring devices (AWMD) will be converted into digital form where by the respective Clint device will transfer data to the server using wireless application protocol (WAP) the hardware and software system need to be integrated where by the mobile GIS components include atmospheric emission data receivers/analyzers WAP clients of GPS enabled system routers are linked to a GIS with relevant software. In the light of Kyoto protocol speedy and accurate determination of emission levels is need of the hour. This is especially required for signatory countries of Kyoto protocol. In this context fixed mobile automated weather stations can be connected to a mobile GIS based data base on a network / web based GIS. This will enable daily/weekly/monthly / yearly monitoring of hazardous parameters from the atmosphere is possible. In this paper the mobile GIS based system its principle of operation hardware and software requirements and the conceptualization are presented. This system is believed to be idealistic for the monitoring and emission quantification

Development of a 1-D Catalyzed Diesel Particulate Filter Model for Simulation of the Performance and the Oxidation of Particulate Matter and Nitrogen Oxides Using Passive Oxidation and Active Regeneration Engine Experimental Data

Back-pressure on a diesel engine equipped with an aftertreatment system is a function of the pressure drop across the individual components of the aftertreatment system, typically, a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), catalyzed particulate filter (CPF) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. Pressure drop across the CPF is a function of the mass flow rate and the temperature of the exhaust flowing through it as well as the mass of particulate matter (PM) retained in the substrate wall and the cake layer that forms on the substrate wall. Therefore, in order to control the back-pressure on the engine at low levels and to minimize the fuel consumption, it is important to control the PM mass retained in the CPF. Chemical reactions involving the oxidation of PM under passive oxidation and active regeneration conditions can be utilized with computer numerical models in the engine control unit (ECU) to control the pressure drop across the CPF. Hence, understanding and predicting the filtration and oxidation of PM in the CPF and the effect of these processes on the pressure drop across the CPF are necessary for developing control strategies for the aftertreatment system to reduce back-pressure on the engine and in turn fuel consumption particularly from active regeneration. Numerical modeling of CPF\u27s has been proven to reduce development time and the cost of aftertreatment systems used in production as well as to facilitate understanding of the internal processes occurring during different operating conditions that the particulate filter is subjected to. A numerical model of the CPF was developed in this research work which was calibrated to data from passive oxidation and active regeneration experiments in order to determine the kinetic parameters for oxidation of PM and nitrogen oxides along with the model filtration parameters. The research results include the comparison between the model and the experimental data for pressure drop, PM mass retained, filtration efficiencies, CPF outlet gas temperatures and species (NO2) concentrations out of the CPF. Comparisons of PM oxidation reaction rates obtained from the model calibration to the data from the experiments for ULSD, 10 and 20% biodiesel-blended fuels are presented

The adequacy of the legal and institutional frameworks to prevent and combat marine pollution in Mauritius

The Global concern for the environment and the adverse consequences of pollution on both developed and developing countries alike, including small islands, have not left Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean, uninfluenced. The Government of Mauritius has now become very much conscious about the environment and its importance in the economic development of the country. Mauritius was a British colony and achieved independence in 1968. From originally a mono-crop country, namely agriculture, the country subsequently pursued a diversified economic policy devoid of environmental consideration in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The country experienced considerable economic progress. Unfortunately, this economic growth was achieved at the expense of both terrestrial and marine pollution. The negative impacts of pollution as a result of the remarkable economic growth were seriously felt in the 1980’s. Government enacted certain laws, promulgated various regulations, ratified a few international treaties and established institutions to deal with both land-based and marine pollution. The existing legal and institutional frameworks have been evaluated and proven to be inadequate to prevent and combat marine pollution effectively. The author suggests several measures and recommendations to reinforce the laws and institutional capabilities for controlling and combating marine pollution in an effective fashion to safeguard and protect the environment with a view to ensure a better quality of life and sustainable development

Vehicle Interior Access Deployable Worksurface Mechanism Concept Product Design

by Premchand Gunachandran The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2019 Under the Supervision of Professor Mohammad Habibur Rahman Easy access and adjusting the vehicle interior configuration to a variety of situations and uses is the general desire for any vehicle user. To meet such desire an attempt has been made in this study to conceptualize a design to develop a new mechatronic product called re-configurable vehicle interior console mechanism to deploy a worksurface (DWS), which will provide flexible use of the vehicle’s interior of both partial and fully autonomous vehicles. This re-configurable vehicle interior console will deploy the DWS using a power sliding mechanism concept enabled by electrical and electronic control unit circuits. This DWS will have 2 degrees of freedom (DOF) in its operation. Each user can access a DWS by pressing the nearby button. The console will move towards the center of the leg space and the electrical motor actuator and lead screw inside the console will drive the DWS by sliding it up and the DWS will down fold over the lap level of the user to offer a convenient individual worksurface. The inner side of the console body is designed to accommodate four DWS units, two each on its right and left sides, to cater to four users in a vehicle. The DWS power sliding mechanism concept product design will address the problems faced by the extreme users in the carpooling group of office goers, business travellers, family and friends going on a long road travel vacation trips. This DWS mechanism product’s performance and size can be customized, re-designed and modified to assemble inside the console body for the user’s accessibility, personalized and sharing experience in vehicle interiors of SUV, minivan and autonomous vehicles as well. Keywords: Vehicle Interior Access, Deployable Worksurface (DWS), Re-configurable Console, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM

Energy Loss Prediction in a Compound Channel having Skewed Flood Plains using Artificial Neural Network

Energy loss in a compound channel is an essential requirement for determining any hydraulic parameters in a compound channel. Compound channels are generally classified as prismatic compound channels and non-prismatic compound channels. In prismatic compound channel the geometry of the channel remains same throughout the channel length and the energy loss takes place in a simple manner where as in the case of non-prismatic compound channels the geometry of the channel does not remains same throughout the channel length and the energy loss takes place in a complex phenomenon. In the present study non-prismatic compound channel with skewed flood plains is taken into consideration and the effect of skew angle and the skewed distance on the energy loss is studied. Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) is used as a tool for developing a relation among energy loss and different hydraulic parameters. Software named Computational Centre for Hydro-science and Engineering (CCHE-2D) is used to analyse the flow characteristics in a compound channel having skewed flood plains by simulating the Digital Elevation Model(DEM) of an artificial channel created using software named ARC-GIS. The flow parameters include depth averaged velocity and boundary shear stress values. Variation of depth averaged velocities of the compound channel was studies along five different sections along the skewed region of the channel. From the study it was clear that as the skew angle increases the velocity along the sections decreases. From ANN a model equation has developed using trained weights and biases and in order to find out the important parameter that is responsible for energy loss a technique called sensitivity analysis was carried out. From this sensitivity analysis skew angle (θ) was found to be the most important influencing parameter

Rituals and Practices of Megalith Building: An Archaeological and Ethnographic Study of Megaliths in Oinam Village in Manipur, Northeast India

Despite some reports of the living tradition of megalith building among a few communities in Northeast India, the rituals and practices involved in such undertakings have not been studied in detail. In this paper, I present the outcomes of an archaeological and ethnographic study of megaliths in Oinam, a village inhabited by the Poumai Naga tribe (a Tibeto-Burman ethnic community) in India’s northeastern state of Manipur. The practice of the erection of megaliths, albeit in modified forms, is also a living tradition in this village, offering avenues for multidisciplinary investigations. My survey documented and mapped 407 megaliths around Oinam, including 374 menhirs, 5 fallen menhirs, 2 slab graves, and 26 stone circles in the habitation areas and pathways descending from the village to the paddy fields. I also interviewed residents and documented the associated rituals and practices in megalith building. The study reveals that the motives behind the construction of megaliths and hosting feasts by sponsors are associated with ritual fulfilments and personal gratifications. However, while such endeavours are costly, they also bear features of economic redistribution of wealth in society and can be seen as an expression of the identity of Poumai Nagas of Oinam

Experimental and modeling study of the filtration and oxidation characteristics of a diesel oxidation catalyst and a catalyzed particulate filter

A diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) with a catalyzed diesel particulate filter (CPF) is an effective exhaust aftertreatment device that reduces particulate emissions from diesel engines, and properly designed DOC-CPF systems provide passive regeneration of the filter by the oxidation of PM via thermal and NO2/temperature-assisted means under various vehicle duty cycles. However, controlling the backpressure on engines caused by the addition of the CPF to the exhaust system requires a good understanding of the filtration and oxidation processes taking place inside the filter as the deposition and oxidation of solid particulate matter (PM) change as functions of loading time. In order to understand the solid PM loading characteristics in the CPF, an experimental and modeling study was conducted using emissions data measured from the exhaust of a John Deere 6.8 liter, turbocharged and after-cooled engine with a low-pressure loop EGR system and a DOC-CPF system (or a CCRT® - Catalyzed Continuously Regenerating Trap®, as named by Johnson Matthey) in the exhaust system. A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the DOC-only, CPF-only and DOC-CPF configurations at two engine speeds (2200 and 1650 rpm) and various loads on the engine ranging from 5 to 100% of maximum torque at both speeds. Pressure drop across the DOC and CPF, mass deposited in the CPF at the end of loading, upstream and downstream gaseous and particulate emissions, and particle size distributions were measured at different times during the experiments to characterize the pressure drop and filtration efficiency of the DOCCPF system as functions of loading time. Pressure drop characteristics measured experimentally across the DOC-CPF system showed a distinct deep-bed filtration region characterized by a non-linear pressure drop rise, followed by a transition region, and then by a cake-filtration region with steadily increasing pressure drop with loading time at engine load cases with CPF inlet temperatures less than 325 °C. At the engine load cases with CPF inlet temperatures greater than 360 °C, the deep-bed filtration region had a steep rise in pressure drop followed by a decrease in pressure drop (due to wall PM oxidation) in the cake filtration region. Filtration efficiencies observed during PM cake filtration were greater than 90% in all engine load cases. Two computer models, i.e., the MTU 1-D DOC model and the MTU 1-D 2-layer CPF model were developed and/or improved from existing models as part of this research and calibrated using the data obtained from these experiments. The 1-D DOC model employs a three-way catalytic reaction scheme for CO, HC and NO oxidation, and is used to predict CO, HC, NO and NO2 concentrations downstream of the DOC. Calibration results from the 1-D DOC model to experimental data at 2200 and 1650 rpm are presented. The 1-D 2-layer CPF model uses a ‘2-filters in series approach’ for filtration, PM deposition and oxidation in the PM cake and substrate wall via thermal (O2) and NO2/temperature-assisted mechanisms, and production of NO2 as the exhaust gas mixture passes through the CPF catalyst washcoat. Calibration results from the 1-D 2-layer CPF model to experimental data at 2200 rpm are presented. Comparisons of filtration and oxidation behavior of the CPF at sample load-cases in both configurations are also presented. The input parameters and selected results are also compared with a similar research work with an earlier version of the CCRT®, to compare and explain differences in the fundamental behavior of the CCRT® used in these two research studies. An analysis of the results from the calibrated CPF model suggests that pressure drop across the CPF depends mainly on PM loading and oxidation in the substrate wall, and also that the substrate wall initiates PM filtration and helps in forming a PM cake layer on the wall. After formation of the PM cake layer of about 1-2 µm on the wall, the PM cake becomes the primary filter and performs 98-99% of PM filtration. In all load cases, most of PM mass deposited was in the PM cake layer, and PM oxidation in the PM cake layer accounted for 95-99% of total PM mass oxidized during loading. Overall PM oxidation efficiency of the DOC-CPF device increased with increasing CPF inlet temperatures and NO2 flow rates, and was higher in the CCRT® configuration compared to the CPF-only configuration due to higher CPF inlet NO2 concentrations. Filtration efficiencies greater than 90% were observed within 90-100 minutes of loading time (starting with a clean filter) in all load cases, due to the fact that the PM cake on the substrate wall forms a very efficient filter. A good strategy for maintaining high filtration efficiency and low pressure drop of the device while performing active regeneration would be to clean the PM cake filter partially (i.e., by retaining a cake layer of 1-2 µm thickness on the substrate wall) and to completely oxidize the PM deposited in the substrate wall. The data presented support this strategy