scholarly journals Very High Throughput Many-Persons-To-1-Test-Kit Infectious Disease Screening

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiok Nam Tay
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Basic Unit ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Moderate Number ◽  
Industry Standard ◽  
Test Kit ◽  
Negative Controls ◽  
Diagnostic Technologies ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Very High

Abstract The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic presses huge demand for testing capacity. We posted a new idea--multiplier grid (MG)--online in mid-March 2020 and circulated a writeup by email shortly after to address this issue. It enables use of a moderate number of test kits to screen a large number of individuals to look for a small number of infected individuals. Now, we describe a protocol to implement the MG based on existing diagnostic technologies and existing automated lab equipment. Using industry standard 96-well plate (reserving first 2 wells for positive/negative controls), screening 94*94 = 8,836 individuals needs only 2*96 = 192 sets of test kits, with multiplier being 46. If a test costs $250/kit, with MG per person cost goes down to about $5. The very low cost makes periodic blanket screening (e.g. twice weekly) post-lockdown feasible, without putting pressure on reagent supply and equipment time. Going further, pooling samples from individuals that share the same basic unit of the population beforehand boosts the multiplier further to 46*4 = 184 for average household size of 4, and the number of individuals screened to 94*94*4 = 34,344, using only 2*96 + 4 = 196 sets of test kits. the MG can also be used in livestock farming to detect infection early to avoid mass culling.

Decomposition of the metastable beta titanium alloy Ti-15-3

1983 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 264-265
Author(s):  
Y. L. Chen ◽  
S. Fujlshiro
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Alpha Phase ◽  
Thick Sheet ◽  
Omega Phase ◽  
Beta Titanium Alloy ◽  
Beta Titanium ◽  
Beta Matrix ◽  
Metastable Beta ◽  
Very High

Metastable beta titanium alloys have been known to have numerous advantages such as cold formability, high strength, good fracture resistance, deep hardenability, and cost effectiveness. Very high strength is obtainable by precipitation of the hexagonal alpha phase in a bcc beta matrix in these alloys. Precipitation hardening in the metastable beta alloys may also result from the formation of transition phases such as omega phase. Ti-15-3 (Ti-15V- 3Cr-3Al-3Sn) has been developed recently by TIMET and USAF for low cost sheet metal applications. The purpose of the present study was to examine the aging characteristics in this alloy.The composition of the as-received material is: 14.7 V, 3.14 Cr, 3.05 Al, 2.26 Sn, and 0.145 Fe. The beta transus temperature as determined by optical metallographic method was about 770°C. Specimen coupons were prepared from a mill-annealed 1.2 mm thick sheet, and solution treated at 827°C for 2 hr in argon, then water quenched. Aging was also done in argon at temperatures ranging from 316 to 616°C for various times.

Review on Switches for Power Applications: Macro to Micro

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 200-209
Author(s):  
Femi Robert
Keyword(s):  
Leakage Current ◽  
Power Loss ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Electrical System ◽  
High Isolation ◽  
Fast Switching ◽  
Environmental Friendly ◽  
State Resistance ◽  
Very High ◽  
Bulk Production

Background: Switches are important component in electrical system. The switches needs to have the advantages of low ON-state resistance, very high OFF-state resistance, high isolation, no leakage current, less power loss, fast switching, high linearity, small size, arcless and low cost in bulk production. Also these switches have to be reliable and environmental friendly. Methods: In this paper, macro and microswitches for power applications are extensively reviewed and summarized. Various types of switches such as mechanical, solid-state, hybrid and micromechanical switches have been used for power applications are reviewed. The importance and challenge in achieving arcless switching is presented. Results: The use of micromechanical switches for power applications, actuation techniques, switching modes, reliability and lifetime are also reviewed. The modeling and design challenges are also reviewed. Conclusion: The applications of micromechanical switches shows that the switches can reduce the leakage current in battery operated systems and reduce the size of the system considerably.

scholarly journals A low-cost wireless endoscope camera: a preliminary report

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Lazarus ◽  
M. Ncube
Keyword(s):  
Minimally Invasive Surgery ◽  
Minimally Invasive ◽  
Video Transmission ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Battery Life ◽  
Resource Constrained ◽  
High Definition ◽  
Industry Standard ◽  
Constrained Environments ◽  
The Cost

Abstract Background Technology currently used for surgical endoscopy was developed and is manufactured in high-income economies. The cost of this equipment makes technology transfer to resource constrained environments difficult. We aimed to design an affordable wireless endoscope to aid visualisation during rigid endoscopy and minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The initial prototype aimed to replicate a 4-mm lens used in rigid cystoscopy. Methods Focus was placed on using open-source resources to develop the wireless endoscope to significantly lower the cost and make the device accessible for resource-constrained settings. An off the shelf miniature single-board computer module was used because of its low cost (US$10) and its ability to handle high-definition (720p) video. Open-source Linux software made monitor mode (“hotspot”) wireless video transmission possible. A 1280 × 720 pixel high-definition tube camera was used to generate the video signal. Video is transmitted to a standard laptop computer for display. Bench testing included latency of wireless digital video transmission. Comparison to industry standard wired cameras was made including weight and cost. The battery life was also assessed. Results In comparison with industry standard cystoscope lens, wired camera, video processing unit and light source, the prototype costs substantially less. (US$ 230 vs 28 000). The prototype is light weight (184 g), has no cables tethering and has acceptable battery life (of over 2 h, using a 1200 mAh battery). The camera transmits video wirelessly in near real time with only imperceptible latency of < 200 ms. Image quality is high definition at 30 frames per second. Colour rendering is good, and white balancing is possible. Limitations include the lack of a zoom. Conclusion The novel wireless endoscope camera described here offers equivalent high-definition video at a markedly reduced cost to contemporary industry wired units and could contribute to making minimally invasive surgery possible in resource-constrained environments.

scholarly journals High spatial resolution photo mosaicking for the monitoring of coralligenous reefs

Coral Reefs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Casoli ◽  
D. Ventura ◽  
G. Mancini ◽  
D. S. Pace ◽  
A. Belluscio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
High Spatial Resolution ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Pixel Resolution ◽  
Recording Apparatus ◽  
Assemblage Composition ◽  
Very High Spatial Resolution ◽  
Vertical Walls ◽  
Non Destructive ◽  
Very High

AbstractCoralligenous reefs are characterized by large bathymetric and spatial distribution, as well as heterogeneity; in shallow environments, they develop mainly on vertical and sub-vertical rocky walls. Mainly diver-based techniques are carried out to gain detailed information on such habitats. Here, we propose a non-destructive and multi-purpose photo mosaicking method to study and monitor coralligenous reefs developing on vertical walls. High-pixel resolution images using three different commercial cameras were acquired on a 10 m2 reef, to compare the effectiveness of photomosaic method to the traditional photoquadrats technique in quantifying the coralligenous assemblage. Results showed very high spatial resolution and accuracy among the photomosaic acquired with different cameras and no significant differences with photoquadrats in assessing the assemblage composition. Despite the large difference in costs of each recording apparatus, little differences emerged from the assemblage characterization: through the analysis of the three photomosaics twelve taxa/morphological categories covered 97–99% of the sampled surface. Photo mosaicking represents a low-cost method that minimizes the time spent underwater by divers and capable of providing new opportunities for further studies on shallow coralligenous reefs.

Beyond Smart Grid: Alternatives for Transmission and Low-Cost Firming Storage of Stranded Renewables as Hydrogen and Ammonia Fuels via Underground Pipelines

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
William C. Leighty ◽  
John H. Holbrook
Keyword(s):  
Smart Grid ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Large Solution ◽  
Electricity Grid ◽  
Underground Pipelines ◽  
The World ◽  
Integration Problem ◽  
Salt Caverns ◽  
Annual Scale ◽  
Very High

We must soon “run the world on renewables” but cannot, and should not try to, accomplish this entirely with electricity transmission. We need to supply all energy, not just electricity, from diverse renewable energy (RE) resources, both distributed and centralized, where the world’s richest RE resources — of large geographic extent and high intensity — are stranded: far from end-users with inadequate or nonexistent gathering and transmission systems to deliver the energy. Electricity energy storage cannot affordably firm large, intermittent renewables at annual scale, while carbon-free gaseous hydrogen (GH2) and liquid anhydrous ammonia (NH3) fuels can: GH2 in large solution-mined salt caverns, NH3 in surface tanks, both pressurized and refrigerated. “Smart Grid” is emerging as primarily a DSM (demand side management) strategy to encourage energy conservation. Making the electricity grid “smarter” does not: 1. Increase physical transmission capacity; 2. Provide affordable annual-scale firming storage for RE; 3. Solve grid integration problem for large, time-varying RE; 4. Alleviate NIMBY objections to new transmission siting; 5. Reduce the high O&M costs of overhead electric lines. The “smarter” grid may be more vulnerable to cyberattack. Adding storage, control, and quality adjunct devices to the electricity grid, to accommodate very high renewables content, may be technically and economically inferior to GH2 and NH3 RE systems. Thus, we need to look beyond “smart grid”, expanding our concept of “transmission”, to synergistically and simultaneously solve the transmission, firming storage, and RE integration “balancing” problems now severely constraining our progress toward “running the world on renewables”.

Breeding for improved blanchability in peanut: phenotyping, genotype × environment interaction and selection

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 1237 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. C. Wright ◽  
M. G. Borgognone ◽  
D. J. O Connor ◽  
R. C. N. Rachaputi ◽  
R. J. Henry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Peanut Butter ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Breeding Lines ◽  
Seed Supply ◽  
Genotype Environment Interaction ◽  
Effective Selection ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Very High

Breeding for improved blanchability—the propensity of the testa (skin) to be removed from the kernel following rapid heat treatment—is a priority for improvement in the Australian Peanut Breeding Program (APBP). Easy removal of the testa by blanching is required for processing of peanuts into peanut butter and various other confectionary products. Thus, blanchability is an economically important trait in any newly released cultivar in Australia. A better understanding of the range of genetic variation, nature of inheritance and genotype×environment (G×E) interactions, and the development of a low-cost method to phenotype in early generations, could speed up breeding for this trait. Studies were conducted to develop a low-cost, rapid method utilising minimal amounts of seed to phenotype in early generations, along with an assessment of G×E interactions over a range of years and environments to derive optimal selection protocols. Use of a smaller kernel sample size than standard (50 vs 200g) was effective for accurately assessing blanchability in breeding lines and could allow selection in early generations (e.g. in seed produced from a single F2 plant where seed supply is adequate). G×E interaction for blanchability was shown to be very low. Genotypic variance explained 62–100% of the total variance for blanchability, assessed in two diverse germplasm pools including 107 accessions in the USA mini-core over three environments and multiple APBP breeding lines grown over nine different years–environments. Genotypic correlations between all environments were very high (~0.60–0.96), with heritability for the blanchability trait estimated to be very high (0.74–0.97) across the 13 trials. The results clearly demonstrate that effective selection for improved blanchability can be conducted in early generations and in a limited number of contrasting environments to ensure consistency of results.

scholarly journals Analysis of Drying of Brewers’ Spent Grain

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (23) ◽  
pp. 1467 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Ignacio Arranz ◽  
María Teresa Miranda ◽  
Francisco José Sepúlveda ◽  
Irene Montero ◽  
Carmen Victoria Rojas
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Brewing Industry ◽  
Livestock Feed ◽  
Spent Grain ◽  
Very High ◽  
Animal Consumption

Brewing industry generates a main residue, brewers’ spent grain (BSG), which has good properties both for use in animal consumption and for thermal use, but contains a very high content of moisture (20–25% dry matter content), so that its elimination or treatment should be immediate, since it can cause degeneration problems of the product. Currently, brewers often supply this material at low cost for use as livestock feed. This solution is not efficiently carried out without reporting too much benefit to the brewers more than to eliminate waste from their facilities. However, BSG is a raw material of interest for application in different areas due to its low price, availability throughout the year and a valuable chemical composition, so it seems necessary to look for an alternative use to give value to these characteristics. In this paper a drying study is carried out in order to establish the foundations for its energy use by thermal of BSG. BSG has been used from a craft brewery located at Badajoz, Spain. Drying analysis was carried out for various temperatures and inlet air flow by means a convective dryer. The properties studied show that BSG can be used for thermal utilization in large installations, being necessary heat drying processes as a pretreatment in order to obtain a biofuel with acceptable efficiency.

Squamous cell carcinoma DNA detection using ultrabright SERS nanorattles and magnetic beads for head and neck cancer molecular diagnostics

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (37) ◽  
pp. 5550-5556 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Vohra ◽  
H. T. Ngo ◽  
W. T. Lee ◽  
T. Vo-Dinh
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Head And Neck Cancer ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Molecular Diagnostics ◽  
Neck Cancer ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Magnetic Beads ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Diagnostic Technologies

A rise in head and neck cancers in low and middle countries over recent years has prompted the need for low-cost, resource-efficient diagnostic technologies.

scholarly journals Detection & Classification of Cardiac Arrhythmia

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 31
Author(s):  
Chetan M. Jadhav ◽  
V. K. Bairagi
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrhythmia ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Arrhythmia Detection ◽  
Ecg Signals ◽  
Electrocardiogram Signals ◽  
Electrical Impulses ◽  
Very High

<p>The term Arrhythmia refers to any change from the normal sequence in the electrical impulses. It is also treated as abnormal heart rhythms or irregular heartbeats. The rate of growth of Cardiac Arrhythmia disease is very high &amp; its effects can be observed in any age group in society. Arrhythmia detection can be done in many ways but effective &amp; simple method for detection &amp; diagnosis of  Cardiac Arrhythmia is by doing analysis of Electrocardiogram signals from ECG sensors. ECG signal can give us the detail information of heart activities, so we can use ECG signals to detect the rhythm &amp; behaviour of heart beats resulting into detection &amp; diagnosis of Cardiac Arrhythmia. In this paper new &amp; improved methodology for early Detection &amp; Classification of Cardiac Arrhythmia has been proposed. In this paper ECG signals are captured using ECG sensors &amp; this ECG signals are used &amp; processed to get the required data regarding heart beats of the human being &amp; then proposed methodology applies for Detection &amp; Classification of Cardiac Arrhythmia. Detection of Cardiac Arrhythmia using ECG signals allows us for easy &amp; reliable way with low cost solution to diagnose Arrhythmia in its prior early stage.</p>

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