A Disposable DNA Analysis Chip with a Powerless Actuator

A non-instrumented, single-use, affordable, and fully- yet safely-disposable DNA analysis system for Point Of Care (POC) diagnostic process has been proposed by integrating (1) a hydration-reactive mixture for a portable heating element as a powerless actuator, (2) commercially available optical adhesive films as valves, and (3) an exothermic reaction-based recombinant polymerase amplification (RPA) process for non-instrumented DNA amplification. The operational error tolerance of the adhesive valves was evaluated by gas production and long-lasting ability, and the amplification performance of the RPA device was validated by gel electrophoresis. Finally, a DNA analysis device was fabricated and tested based on a hydration reaction with a DNA extraction microfluidic channel and an exothermic reaction-based RPA device. In the DNA extraction process, dimethyl adipimidate (DMA) solution was used to eliminate some required injection steps from the extraction process. The integrated system's functionality was successfully demonstrated, and the suggested system could become a foundation for the ultimate total solution for POC DNA analysis.

Physiological Characteristics and Operational Performance of Pilots in the High Temperature and Humidity Fighter Cockpit Environments

During military operations in high-temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions, the physiological state and combat capability of pilots are affected severely. In a fighter cockpit, experiments were conducted on thirteen voluntary subjects wearing pilot suits at 21 °C/30%, 30 °C/45%, and 38 °C/60% RH, respectively, in order to examine the physiological changes of pilots in combat thoroughly. The target strike performance, core and skin temperatures, pulse rate, and other parameters were measured and investigated. Significant inter-condition differences were noted in the pulse rate, core temperature, mean skin temperatures, and sweat amount, which increased markedly with elevating temperature and RH. Contrastively, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) dropped with such elevations. Concerning the skin temperature, the chest and back skin temperatures remained stable, while the temperatures at the hands, feet, and lower arms underwent larger changes with the increasing temperature and humidity. At 38 °C/60% RH, the sweat amount was 3.7 times that at 21 °C/30% RH. The subjects’ operational error rates increased as the core temperatures rose, showing high correlations (r2 = 0.81). The results could serve as a theoretical basis for the design of pilot protective equipment and the control of aircraft cockpit temperature.

Qualimetric assessment of metrological characteristics of household gas meters during periodic verification

Informative parameters for statistical estimation of operational error of SAMGAS, METRIX, PREMAGAS household gas meters (HGM) are formulated. These are the values of the measured volume during the verification period of operation and the experimentally determined error of the meter during operation at three normalized flow rates: minimum, maximum and 20% of the maximum. Six ranges of variation of the HGM error at the minimum flow rate were selected to form statistical samples of meters. According to the proposed algorithm, the change in the weighted average HGM error for three normalized flow rates from the measured volume is quantified, taking into account the number of HGMs and their error ranges. It is proposed to apply the concept of generalized weighted average error of HGM, which reflects the operational error of HGMs during their operation in the entire range of consumption when measuring gas volumes up to 60 thousand cubic meters.

A ‘certain hand’ and its margin of error

Suppose we consider an independent artist tolerance allows for a ‘margin of error’ as an aesthetic measure, it follows that its innate implication must impact on any, and all artworks, its intervention and the effects of its making. Seeing this independent tolerance, strangely, intersecting with a certain drawing and its erring in doing, this writing considers the link between error and an enduring measure of the artist’s hand and reconsiders its indexical relation to the artist. The inquiry begins with a reflection on Katharina Hinsberg’s (1999) Nulla dies sine linea ('No Day without a Line'), where error and a detached automated approach to drawing is emphasized. Going on, brings into the discussion Warhol’s ‘blotted line’, which prefigures a notion of a ‘failure of reproduction’ and the production of its effects. Elaborating, on Hinsberg’s subjective resistance and Warhol’s failure of reproduction, the discussion brings on board Christopher Wool’s, and Wade Guyton’s technical execution and erring. Marked by craft, tools and by decisions about tools, Wool’s and Guyton’s work resolutely embraces the hand encumbering the reasoning of the mind’s judgements and the use and fidelity of machined methods of reproduction. Wool’s roller, stamp, stencil, and Guyton’s skewed digital technologies, their operational error and technical failure take the mind and the hand back together, and demonstrate that perhaps the trace of the artist’s hand, no matter how dispassionate, ironic or vacuous of meaning stubbornly remains a drawing’s most compelling message.

Simulation of Runway Operations with Application of Dynamic Wake Separations to Study Runway Limitations

This paper presents an evaluation of runway operations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport to estimate the impact of proposed wake vortex separation including Recategorization Phase II and III dynamic separations. The evaluation uses a Monte Carlo simulation model that considers arrival and departure operations. The simulation accounts for static and dynamic wake vortex separations, aircraft fleet mix, runway occupancy times, aircraft approach speeds, aircraft wake circulation capacity, environmental conditions, and operational error buffers. Airport data considered for this analysis are based on Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model X records from Chicago O’Hare International Airport from January to November 2016. Dynamic wake separations are tailored to each unique set of conditions by using environmental and aircraft performance parameters as input and allowing aircraft to be exposed to the same wake vortex strength as in Recategorization Phase II (RECAT II). The analysis shows that further reductions beyond RECAT II for aircraft pairs separated by 2 nautical miles or less is not operationally feasible. These wake separations already result in little to no wake dependency. When this is the case, the challenges in wake separation are to meet runway occupancy times and to make sure aircraft separations allow for human operational variations without resulting in aircraft turnarounds or double-aircraft-occupancy runway violations.

Material Selection for Subsea Pipeline Construction under Uncertainties for Niger Delta Region

This research work on material selection for subsea pipeline construction was carried out to analyze and recommend suitable material option that satisfies DNV-OS-F101 standard for subsea pipeline constructions which will not succumb to extreme conditions and performs well in unpredictable conditions in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. Crude oil is mainly transported through pipelines, structural failure of the pipelines will severely affect oil production processes and will cause huge economic loss. Data on oil pipeline failures in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria were gathered and the major causes were; corrosion, operational error, third party activities and mechanical failures which were associated with the construction materials and structures of the pipelines. Hence, material selection for subsea pipelines is of vital importance. This paper makes use of Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) Theory to make fuzzy evaluation of different material options for pipeline construction. Statistical data and experts’ knowledge were integrated in addressing data limitation. This paper utilizes related weights and normalized scores based on experts’ judgements and with the aid of value engineering (VE) method, material criteria based on DNV-OS-F101 standard and TOPSIS Theory to achieve the best material option. The analysis has demonstrated that the estimation of TOPSIS is reliable. The outcome obtained can be used to assist the decision maker in the selection of the best material option suitable for the construction of subsea pipeline in Niger Delta region.

THE EXTENDED KALMAN FILTER AUGMENTED BY AN ADAPTIVE DIGITAL FILTER FOR DATA FUSION OF A MOBILE ROBOT CONTROL SYSTEM

The paper proposes the combination of the extended Kalman filter and an adaptive digital filter to compensate an operational error of the extended Kalman filter during data fusion of a mobile robot control system. The paper describes the structure and operation of such combination, shows the buffer memory configuration of an adaptive digital filter.

TRANSLATING A SCIENTIFIC TEXT INTO ENGLISH: COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE

Within the framework of Cognitive Translation Theory, the paper aims to explore how students of science who do not specialize in English use and acquire various kinds of knowledge in the process of translating a scientific text from Russian into English, focusing on the problems they encounter and the strategies they use in order to solve these problems. The study is based on the assumption that with the numerous sources of information available today many of the knowledge gaps both linguistic and non-linguistic can be filled provided the translator uses the right sources at the right moment. The paper uses data obtained from an experimental study carried out using the think-aloud protocols technique. The translation process is described in terms of the cognitive-heuristic approach to translation, using such terms as the cognitive context, cognitive search, and auto-correction. The paper uses the term ‘operational error’ to denote the wrong strategy employed by the translator, which leads to a breakdown in the process of translation and eventually to an unsuccessful translation variant. Various kinds of operational errors specific to students of science are discussed using examples from the protocols. Special attention is paid to the importance of translation on the conceptual level and the use of auto-correction to ensure the naturalness of the target text. The experimental data obtained also allow identifying the areas of English grammar that cause the most problems for students of science.

Positioning, Navigation, and Book Accessing/Returning in an Autonomous Library Robot using Integrated Binocular Vision and QR Code Identification Systems

With rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and mobile robots, some of the tedious yet simple jobs in modern libraries, like book accessing and returning (BAR) operations that had been fulfilled manually before, could be undertaken by robots. Due to the limited accuracies of the existing positioning and navigation (P&N) technologies and the operational errors accumulated within the robot P&N process, however, most of the current robots are not able to fulfill such high-precision operations. To address these practical issues, we propose, for the first time (to the best of our knowledge), to combine the binocular vision and Quick Response (QR) code identification techniques together to improve the robot P&N accuracies, and then construct an autonomous library robot for high-precision BAR operations. Specifically, the binocular vision system is used for dynamic digital map construction and autonomous P&N, as well as obstacle identification and avoiding functions, while the QR code identification technique is responsible for both robot operational error elimination and robotic arm BAR operation determination. Both simulations and experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed technique combination, as well as the constructed robot. Results show that such a technique combination is effective and robust, and could help to significantly improve the P&N and BAR operation accuracies, while reducing the BAR operation time. The implemented autonomous robot is fully-autonomous and cost-effective, and may find applications far beyond libraries with only sophisticated technologies employed.