A unified multimedia database system to support telemedicine

A unified approach to managing multimedia medical databases in a telemedicine system is proposed. In order to manage, search, and display patient information more efficiently, we define a patient information package (PIP) as a concise data set of a patient's medical information from each visit. By means of PIPs, both patient-oriented and problem-oriented query strategies, which are most frequently used in daily clinical practice and medical education, can be accommodated. We also provide a unified methodology for accessing various types of patient medical records as well as design two types of user interfaces, high-quality data display and web-based interface, for different medical service purposes. The PIP-based management of databases has been successfully implemented between the National Taiwan University (NTUH), Taipei, and the Chinshan health care center, Chinshan, Taiwan, for teleconsultation, telediagnosis, and tele-education     

Performance evaluation of a satellite-switched variable-frame TDMA system

In satellite-switched time-division multiple access (SS/TDMA) systems, the demand assignment control is a suitable scheme for the bursty packets to enhance the capacity efficiency. In the system, by applying the demand assignment scheme, the minimum transmission time could be achieved by the efficient time slot assignment algorithm. According to a given traffic matrix, the minimum transmission time cannot exceed the fixed TDMA frame duration. The spare time may be left at the end of the TDMA frame as the growth space for the future needs. To increase the system efficiency, the spare time could be reduced. In this paper, a demand assignment protocol with a variable frame is proposed for the system. The Markov chain model is applied to analyze the system performance on throughput, balking probability and packet delay. Performance comparison with the previous presented protocol, the proposed protocol could show a simple control technique and the efficient performance results in the system. It is a suitable candidate to be employed in the satellite networks to provide communication between the satellite and earth stations.     

Greedy Algorithm Applied to Relay Selection for Cooperative Communication Systems in Amplify-and-Forward Mode

Using a relaying system to provide spatial diversity and improve the system performance is a tendency in the wireless cooperative communications. Amplify-and-forward (AF) mode with a low complexity is easy to be implemented. Under the consideration of cooperative communication systems, the scenario includes one information source, M relay stations and N destinations. This work proposes a relay selection algorithm in the Raleigh fading channel. Based on the exhaustive search method, easily to realize, the optimal selection scheme can be found with a highly complicated calculation. In order to reduce the computational complexity, an approximate optimal solution with a greedy algorithm applied for the relay station selection is proposed. With different situations of the communication systems, the performance evaluation obtained by both the proposed algorithm and the exhaustive search algorithm are given for comparison. It shows the proposed algorithm could provide a solution approach to the optimal one.     

A mechatronic positioning system actuated using a micro DC-motor-driven propeller–thruster

One of the greatest challenges facing designers in the mechatronics field is the development of autonomous systems capable of guiding an airborne object along a given trajectory or maintaining its position in a specified location. Nonetheless, developing such ability is essential to support emerging UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) requirements in the civil and military domains. Accordingly, this study commences by constructing a mechatronic system featuring a manipulator arm actuated by a DC-motor-driven constant-pitch propeller and then develops suitable control schemes to regulate the power supplied to the DC motor such that the manipulator arm is driven through a specified rotational displacement. Three different control schemes are implemented to regulate the displacement of the manipulator arm, namely a fixed gain PID controller, a function-based variable gain PID controller and a fuzzy gain-mixing PID controller. The feasibility of the three control systems is evaluated both numerically and experimentally. It is shown that the fixed gain PID controller results in a significant overshoot of the manipulator arm and leads to a loss of control. However, the function-based variable gain PID controller and the fuzzy gain-mixing PID controller both ensure an accurate tracking performance, even when the manipulator arm is manually perturbed during rotation.     

Parameter identification of chaotic systems using improved differential evolution algorithm

In this paper, an improved differential evolution algorithm, named the Taguchi-sliding-based differential evolution algorithm (TSBDEA), is proposed to solve the problem of parameter identification for Chen, Lü and Rossler chaotic systems. The TSBDEA, a powerful global numerical optimization method, combines the differential evolution algorithm (DEA) with the Taguchi-sliding-level method (TSLM). The TSLM is used as the crossover operation of the DEA. Then, the systematic reasoning ability of the TSLM is provided to select the better offspring to achieve the crossover, and consequently enhance the DEA. Therefore, the TSBDEA can be more robust, statistically sound, and quickly convergent. Three illustrative examples of parameter identification for Chen, Lü and Rossler chaotic systems are given to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed TSBDEA, and the computational experimental results show that the proposed TSBDEA not only can find optimal or close-to-optimal solutions but also can obtain both better and more robust results than the DEA.     

Briaexcavatins A and B, novel briaranes from the octocoral Briareum excavatum

Two novel briaranoidal derivatives, designated as briaexcavatins A (1) and B (2), along with two known metabolites, excavatolides B and C (3 and 4), were isolated from the octocoral Briareum excavatum. Both compounds 1 and 2 possess unprecedented 5,6-epoxy moiety in the 10-membered ring. Diterpenoid 1 possesses a novel pentacyclic skeleton with a ε-lactone. The structures of diterpenoids 1 and 2 were elucidated by interpretation of spectral data and the absolute stereochemistry was established by application of modified Mosher’s method on 3.     

Cladieunicellins A-E, new eunicellins from an Indonesian soft coral Cladiella sp

Five new eunicellin-type diterpenoids, cladieunicellins A-E (1-5), were isolated from an Indonesian soft coral identified as Cladiella sp. The structures of diterpenoids 1-5 were established using spectroscopic methods. Eunicellins 2 and 5 were found to be cytotoxic against DLD-1 and HL-60 tumor cells, respectively, and 3 displayed inhibitory effects against superoxide anion generation by human neutrophils.     

(-)-Hydroxylindestrenolide, a new sesquiterpenoid from a gorgonian coral Menella sp. (Plexauridae)

(-)-Hydroxylindestrenolide (1), an enantiomer of the known sesquiterpenoid, (+)-hydroxylindestrenolide (2), was isolated from a gorgonian coral identified as Menella sp. The structure, including the relative stereochemistry of 1 was established by spectroscopic methods and by comparison the spectral and physical data with those of 2. Sesquiterpenoid 1 exhibited marginal cytotoxicity toward HL-60 and K562 leukemia tumor cells, and displayed a weak inhibitory effect on superoxide anion generation at a concentration of 10 μg/ml by human neutrophils.     

Five novel norcembranoids from Sinularia leptoclados and S. parva

Three new norcembrane-based diterpenoids, leptocladolides A (1), B (4) and C (5), along with five known metabolites 6-10, have been isolated from the dichloromethane extract of a Taiwanese soft coral Sinularia leptoclados. Furthermore, a chemical investigation on the dichloromethane extract of S. parva has resulted in the isolation of two new related isomers, 1-epi-leptocladolide A (2) and 7E-leptocladolide A (3), in addition to 1 and 7. The structures of new metabolites 1-5 were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses and their relative stereochemistries were determined by NOESY experiments. The new metabolites 1 and 3 have been shown to exhibit significant cytotoxic activity against KB and Hepa59T/VGH cancer cell lines.     

Comparison of Antioxidant and Anticancer Properties of Soft Coral-Derived Sinularin and Dihydrosinularin

Marine natural products are abundant resources for antioxidants, but the antioxidant property of the soft corals-derived sinularin and dihydrosinularin were unknown. This study aimed to assess antioxidant potential and antiproliferation effects of above compounds on cancer cells, and to investigate the possible relationships between them. Results show that sinularin and dihydrosinularin promptly reacted with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and hydroxyl (^•OH), demonstrating a general radical scavenger activity. Sinularin and dihydrosinularin also show an induction for Fe⁺³-reduction and Fe⁺²-chelating capacity which both strengthen their antioxidant activities. Importantly, sinularin shows higher antioxidant properties than dihydrosinularin. Moreover, 24 h ATP assays show that sinularin leads to higher antiproliferation of breast, lung, and liver cancer cells than dihydrosinularin. Therefore, the differential antioxidant properties of sinularin and dihydrosinularin may contribute to their differential anti-proliferation of different cancer cells.