Persistent Monitoring by Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Using Bernstein Polynomials

Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications - A framework for monitoring a target modeled as Dubins car using multiple UAVs is proposed. The UAVs are subject to minimum and maximum speed,...     

EBSD-based continuum dislocation microscopy

Recent advances in high-resolution electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD)-based microscopy are applied to the characterization of elastic fields and incompatibility structures near the grain boundaries (GBs) in polycrystals. Two main recoveries are reported here: surface geometrically necessary dislocation (density) tensors, as described by Kröner, and the elastic fields near cracks (unconsolidated portions of interface) in loaded samples. Context for the application of these recoveries is described, using Green’s function solutions for combined heterogeneity and dislocation. Featured recoveries required the cross-correlation based determination of the elastic distortion tensor, aided by application of the simulated pattern method, and determination of the absolute pattern center utilizing the expected pattern properties in a spherical Kikuchi reference frame. High-resolution data obtained along an ultrasonically consolidated nickel boundary of varying amalgamation indicates that the imposed traction free boundary condition at free surfaces is well observed in the data structure. Further, high-resolution data acquired near a single grain boundary in well-annealed, low content steel suggests that it may be possible to measure the intrinsic elastic properties of GBs.     

Characterization of thermal diffusion in polymer solutions by thermal field-flow fractionation: Dependence on polymer and solvent parameters

The thermal diffusion coefficient D_T has been obtained for 17 polymer-solvent combinations, each of them spanning a range of polymer molecular weights, using thermal field-flow fractionation. The polymers examined include polystyrene, poly(alpha-methyl)styrene, polymethylmethacrylate, and polysioprene. The solvents include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, tetrahydrofuran, methylethylketone, ethylacetate, and cyclohexane. Although D_T was confirmed as essentially independent of polymer molecular weight, it was found to vary substantially with the chemical composition of polymer and solvent. The results were used to evaluate several thermal diffusion theories; the agreement with theory was generally found to be unsatisfactory. Attempts were then made to correlate the measured thermal diffusion coefficients with various physicochemical parameters of the polymers and solvent. A good correlation was found in which D_T increases with the thermal conductivity difference of the polymer and solvent and varies inversely with the activation energy of viscous flow of the solvent.     

Application of classical versus bayesian statistical control charts to on-line radiological monitoring

False positive and false negative incidence rates of radiological monitoring data from classical and Bayesian statistical process control chart techniques are compared. The on-line monitoring for illicit radioactive material with no false positives or false negatives is the goal of homeland security monitoring, but is unrealistic. However, statistical fluctuations in the detector signal, short detection times, large source to detector distances, and shielding effects make distinguishing between a radiation source and natural background particularly difficult. Experimental time series data were collected using a 1″ × 1″ LaCl₃(Ce) based scintillation detector (Scionix, Orlando, FL) under various simulated conditions. Experimental parameters include radionuclide (gamma-ray) energy, activity, density thickness (source to detector distance and shielding), time, and temperature. All statistical algorithms were developed using MATLAB™. The Shewhart (3-σ) control chart and the cumulative sum (CUSUM) control chart are the classical procedures adopted, while the Bayesian technique is the Shiryayev–Roberts (S–R) control chart. The Shiryayev–Roberts method was the best method for controlling the number of false positive detects, followed by the CUSUM method. However, The Shiryayev–Roberts method, used without modification, resulted in one of the highest false negative incidence rates independent of the signal strength. Modification of The Shiryayev–Roberts statistical analysis method reduced the number of false negatives, but resulted in an increase in the false positive incidence rate.     

Molecular Simulation of HER2/neu Degradation by Inhibiting HSP90

Several flavonoids were investigated for the degradation of the HER2/neu (ErbB‐2), while the mechanism is still unknown. A hypothesis was generated here that the inhibition of HER2/neu expression was blocked by heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α) through 1‐benzyl‐3‐(5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furyl)indazole (YC‐1) derivatives and flavonoids. In order to ensure the accuracy of the simulated protein structure, the RMSD value between the ligand in crystal structure from PDB and the ligand docking into HSP90α was 1.13 Å. By molecular simulation, the flavonoids and YC‐1 derivatives were employed to dock into HSP90α. The results showed a good correlation between the evaluation scores of the flavonoids/HSP90α complexes and the IC₅₀ of flavonoids‐induced degradation of HER2/neu. The YC‐1 derivatives showed higher score values and lower interaction energies on average. Especially, the CLC107 got the highest rank in Potential of Mean Force (PMF) and Dock Score. Luteolin showed the highest dock score and quercetin had the lowest interaction energy of all flavonoid derivatives. This study investigated that the YC‐1 derivatives and the flavonoids may be potent inhibitors for HSP90α in antitumor strategies.