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Modern cervical cancer screening programs have increased the detection of precancerous pathological changes, which is the result of a trend towards a decrease in overall morbidity and mortality in the general population. However, cervical cancer is one of themost common types of malignant tumors in women. Knowledge of the pathogenesis, morphology of precancerous lesions of the cervix, and screening problems in different countries will help improve the detection of changes in the cervix at early stages, which ultimately should reduce mortality from this pathology to a minimum. The review presents a systematization of modern literature data on epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, morphological characteristics and screening methods for precancerous lesions and cervical cancer. more...

Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate the potential utility of Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling cell detection in the early diagnosis of cervical lesions. Methods Enrichment of cervical epithelial cells was carried out using a calibrated membrane with 8-μm diameter pores. RNA-in situ hybridization (RNA-ISH) was employed to detect and characterize EMT cells utilizing specific EMT markers. Results EMT cells were successfully identified in cervical samples, while none were detected in the healthy control group. Meanwhile, the number of EMT cells is not correlated with either the presence or type of HPV infection. Comparison of diagnostic tests showed the area under the curve (AUC) for HPV DNA tests, Thinprep cytologic tests (TCT), colposcopy and EMT signaling tests to be 0.758, 0.800, 0.889 and 0.992, respectively. A higher detection rate of EMT cells was observed in patients with cervical lesions aged ≥ 45 compared to those aged more...

Background: This study aimed to investigate the potential utility of Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling cell detection in the early diagnosis of cervical lesions. Methods: Enrichment of cervical epithelial cells was carried out using a calibrated membrane with 8-μm diameter pores. RNA-in situ hybridization (RNA-ISH) was employed to detect and characterize EMT cells utilizing specific EMT markers. Results: EMT cells were successfully identified in cervical samples, while none were detected in the healthy control group. Meanwhile, the number of EMT cells is not correlated with either the presence or type of HPV infection. Comparison of diagnostic tests showed the area under the curve (AUC) for HPV DNA tests, Thinprep cytologic tests (TCT), colposcopy and EMT signaling tests to be 0.758, 0.800, 0.889 and 0.992, respectively. A higher detection rate of EMT cells was observed in patients with cervical lesions aged ≥ 45 compared to those aged < 45 years (P < 0.05). In cervical cancer patients, a significantly greater number of EMT cells were found in FIGO stage II than in FIGO stage I (P < 0.05). Notably, epithelial-type EMT cells were detected at significantly higher rates in patients with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and cervical cancer compared to those with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). Conclusions: EMT markers demonstrate potential as effective tools for detecting cervical lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The safety of small CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling machines is typically ensured through organizational measures. However, when such a CNC milling machine is used in a manner that may involve contact with untrained individuals or children (e.g., for demonstration purposes), it becomes essential to ensure safety through appropriate technical measures. The required safety can be achieved by implementing safety functions to mitigate identified hazards. This paper addresses the design and application of a Safety-Related Control System (SRCS) that implements safety functions for a small CNC milling machine. A notable aspect of this implementation is that commonly available sensors (e.g., optical barriers) with a defined Safety Integrity Level (SIL) are unsuitable for small CNC milling machines in size, cost, and performance parameters. For instance, these sensors might fail to detect the entry of a child's hand. Consequently, it was necessary to design suitable custom sensors for realizing an SRCS. The paper also demonstrates the achieved SIL for the implemented safety functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Simple Summary: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, with HPV being a prevalent cause. Recent automated signal detection methods in ISH assays have shown promise for detecting HPV DNA in cervical tissue. This study compared an ISH probe (Inform HPV II and III) to PCR assays in cervical tissue samples with varying degrees of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and normal cervix tissue. Findings indicated a significant association between ISH III levels and HPV outcomes; patients with positive outcomes had lower ISH III levels (MD = −7961.82, p = 0.005). However, automatic signal detection for ISH is limited in cervical tissue, making genotyping-based HPV testing more effective, as it allows for larger sample collection. ISH results should be interpreted alongside clinical history and morphology. Background: Cervical cancer is fourth the most common cancer in women worldwide. Due to the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the population (80–90%), scientists are likely to discover even more associations of this pathogen with other diseases in the future. In recent years, In Situ Hybridization (ISH) assays that use automated signal-detecting methods in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cervical tissue, such as the enzyme-categorized signal-detecting system, have shown a higher sensitivity. Objectives and Methods: To evaluate automatic signal detection of ISH assay for detecting HPV DNA, we compared the ability of an ISH probe, Inform HPV II and III (Ventana Medical Systems, Tucson, AZ), to that of PCR assays to detect HPV DNA in cervical tissue specimens with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN; CIN 1, 28 cases; CIN 2, 22 cases; and CIN 3, 20 cases) and normal cervix (2 cases). Results: Our findings showed a significant relation was confirmed between ISH III level and HPV outcome (positive/negative). Patients with positive HPV outcomes had significantly lower ISH III levels, MD = −7961.82 CI95 [−17,230.00; −199.21], p = 0.005. Conclusions: Automatic signal detection of ISH assay is not particularly applicable to cervical tissue material. A more useful method of confirming the presence of HPV in the cervix is the HPV test with genotyping, as it allows for collecting a larger amount of material from the cervical disc and canal. The interpretation of a positive or negative ISH test must be guided in the context of clinical history and morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Objective APM (automated people mover) has very high requirements for safety, and the existing SIL (safety integrity level) allocation method cannot meet the demand of APM projects efficiently and accurately. In order to ensure the safety and reliability of APM, further in-depth research should be conducted on the allocation of SIL and the determination of the safety targets for APM. Method The existing methods for SIL allocation in APM are elaborated, and a widely recognized method MODSafe (modular urban transport safety and security analysis) is proposed and applied for SIL allocation of APM. The basic steps of the MODSafe method are introduced, and the respective SIL allocation steps are clarified under the two modes of high and low safety demands. The technical idea for conducting SIL allocation based on MODSafe method is further elaborated with the train jerk control function of APM as the example. Result & Conclusion Identifying safety functions and determining safety targets in the initial design phase is crucial for the safe delivery， operation and other aspects of APM projects. The MODSafe method can be used to quantitatively determine the THR (tolerable hazard rate) and SIL of APM safety functions. more...

[Objective] APM (automated people mover) has very high requirements for safety, and the existing SIL (safety integrity level) allocation method cannot meet the demand of APM projects efficiently and accurately. In order to ensure the safety and reliability of APM, further in-depth research should be conducted on the allocation of SIL and the determination of the safety targets for APM. [Method] The existing methods for SIL allocation in APM are elaborated, and a widely recognized method MOD Safe (modular urban transport safety and security analysis) is proposed and applied for SIL allocation of APM. The basic steps of the MOD Safe method are introduced, and the respective SIL allocation steps are clarified under the two modes of high and low safety demands. The technical idea for conducting SIL allocation based on MOD Safe method is further elaborated with the train jerk control function of APM as the example. [Result & Conclusion] Identifying safety functions and determining safety targets in the initial design phase is crucial for the safe delivery, operation and other aspects of APM projects. The MOD Safe method can be used to quantitatively determine the THR (tolerable hazard rate) and SIL of APM safety functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The automotive industry, with particular reference to the off-road sector, is facing several challenges, including the integration of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADASs), the introduction of autonomous driving capabilities, and system-specific requirements that are different from the traditional car market. Current vehicular electrical–electronic (E/E) architectures are unable to support the amount of data for new vehicle functionalities, requiring the transition to zonal architectures, new communication standards, and the adoption of Drive-by-Wire technologies. In this work, we propose an automated methodology for next-generation off-road vehicle E/E architectural design. Starting from the regulatory requirements, we use a MILP-based optimizer to find candidate solutions, a discrete event simulator to validate their feasibility, and an ascent-based gradient method to reformulate the constraints for the optimizer in order to converge to the final architectural solution. We evaluate the results in terms of latency, jitter, and network load, as well as provide a Pareto analysis that includes power consumption, cost, and system weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Objective Development and application of FAO (fully automatic operation)system in urban rail transit train requires higher safety of urban rail vehicle system. Under the new operation scenario where FAO needs to be confirmed, it is necessary to sort through the safety requirements for urban rail transit train from the top level, determine the SIL (safety integrity level) of the critical system in urban rail transit vehicle. Method FTA (fault tree analysis), Risk Matrix and FMECA (failure mode, effects and criticality analysis) are all used to conduct hazard identification, risk analysis, and quantitative index allocation layer by layer from the system level of entire train line to the vehicle system level, the vehicle subsystem level. Result & Conclusion The safety requirements and the SIL of urban rail transit vehicle system are obtained through analysis. The safety functions of the traction system include emergency braking traction cut off function, direction control function, traction enable function, and braking control function, except the first one belongs to SIL3, all other three functions are SIL2. The safety functions of the braking system include emergency braking function, anti-skid control function, service braking function, and brake holding function, belonging to SIL4, SIL3, SIL2, and SIL2 respectively. The safety functions of the network system include brake holding function, driver′s cabin activation function, direction management function, traction braking command management function, and level management function, all belonging to SIL2. more...

[Objective］ Development and application of FAO (fully automatic operation) system in urban rail transit train requires higher safety of urban rail vehicle system. Under the new operation scenario where FAO needs to be confirmed, it is necessary to sort through the safety requirements for urban rail transit train from the top level, determine the SIL (safety integrity level) of the critical system in urban rail transit vehicle. ［Method］ FTA (fault tree analysis), Risk Matrix and FMECA (failure mode, effects and criticality analysis) are all used to conduct hazard identification, risk analysis, and quantitative index allocation layer by layer from the system level of entire train line to the vehicle system level, the vehicle subsystem level. ［Result & Conclusion］ The safety requirements and the SIL of urban rail transit vehicle system are obtained through analysis. The safety functions of the traction system include emergency braking traction cut off function, direction control function, traction enable function, and braking control function, except the first one belongs to SIL3, all other three functions are SIL2. The safety functions of the braking system include emergency braking function, anti-skid control function, service braking function, and brake holding function, belonging to SIL4, SIL3, SIL2, and SIL2 respectively. The safety functions of the network system include brake holding function, driver′s cabin activation function, direction management function, traction braking command management function, and level management function, all belonging to SIL2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most widespread virus with oncogenic potential that infects humans and there is a need to look for the most effective screening method among the population. Understanding the role of HPV in cervical dysplasia and viruses typing increased the usage of HPV-based cervical cancer screening tests using genotyping. Material and methods: We aim to assess the usefulness the Onclarity Test with extended genotyping and phenotyping of HPV in detecting cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions in 695 subjects who registered for regular cervical screening or due to abnormal LBC result or positive HPV results. Results: Incidence of positive HPV depended significantly on biopsy outcome (p < 0.001). It was the highest for patients with HSIL (92.5%), lower for patients with LSIL (57.9%) and with HPV outcome of biopsy (50.0%). The sensitivity of positive HPV for detecting HSIL was equal to 92.50% (95% CI: 79.61%-98.43%), and specificity equalled 55.26% (95% CI: 43.41-66.69%). Sensitivity of HPV positive for any of 16, 18, 31, 45, 51 or 52 genotypes but not belonging to the P1, P2 or P3 group for detecting HSIL equalled 62.50% (95% CI: 45.80-77.27%), specificity equalled 72.37% (95% CI: 60.91-82.01%). Conclusions: The Onclarity test is characterised by high sensitivity and specificity in detecting CIN2+ lesions. Extended genotyping enables the identification of the most common oncogenic HPV types in the population. It can be used as a basic tool for secondary prevention or together with LBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Modern aviation technology development heavily relies on computer simulations. SIL (Software-In-The-Loop) simulations are essential for evaluating autopilots and control algorithms for multi-rotors, including drones and other UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). In such simulations, it is possible to compare the flight parameters achieved by flying platforms using various commercial autopilots widely used in the UAV sector. This research aims to provide objective and comprehensive insights into the effectiveness of different autopilot systems This article examines the simulated flight test results of a drone performing the same mission using different autopilot systems. The X-Plane software was used as an environment to simulate the dynamics of the drone and its surroundings. Matlab/Simulink r2023a provided the interface between autopilot software and X-Plane models. Those methods allowed us to obtain an appropriate comparison of the autopilot systems and indicate the main differences between them. This research focused on analyzing UAV flight characteristics such as stability, trajectory tracking, response time to control changes, and the overall effectiveness of autopilots. Various flight scenarios including take-off, landing, flight at a constant altitude, dynamic manoeuvrers and, flight along a planned trajectory were also examined. In order to obtain the most accurate and realistic results, the tests were carried out in various weather conditions. The aim of this research is to provide objective data and analysis to compare the performance of commercial autopilots. This method offers several advantages, including cost-effective testing, the ability to test in diverse environmental conditions, and the evaluation of autopilot algorithms without the need for real hardware. The findings of this study may have a considerable impact on how autopilot designers and developers choose the best platforms and technologies for their projects. Future research on this topic will compare the obtained data with flight test data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Copyright of Electric Drive for Locomotives is the property of Electric Drive for Locomotives Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) more...

The article addresses the key issues related to the application of computer (machine) vision as part of an advanced train control system. The authors describe the architecture of a multi-layered train control system that uses computer vision as a key element of autonomy and automatic detection of obstacles on track ahead the train. The article provides some overview of computer vision sensors, key stages of dataset preparation for onboard perception, and some issues related to sensor calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The safety practice of depressurization of pipelines by flare system in the hydrocarbon industry is not sufficient for pipelines in the subsea production process. There are many challenges in the subsea production process due to multiphase fluid flow. Failure of a process to arrive at its safe state could result in fatality, significant property damage, and can lead to a disastrous environment. The safe state of a process is identified through the consequence of hazard and risk assessments at critical modes of operations. A well‐designed safety instrumented function (SIF) can prevent escalation of minor malfunction into an accident. The prime objective of this work is to obtain the required safety integrity level (SIL) for subsea High Integrity Pressure Protection System (HIPPS). Based on hazard assessment (HAZOP) and risk assessment (LOPA), SIL for SIF is recommended, and finally through reliability calculations, the SIL for subsea HIPPS is determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

A safety instrumented system (SIS) is an important independent protection layer (IPL) to mitigate risk. Many IPLs, such as a basic process control system (BPCS), can provide only one order of magnitude risk reduction (RRF 10). A SIS however, is capable of providing one, two, or three orders of magnitude risk reduction (RRF 10, 100, or 1000). Correct specification, design, and maintenance of a SIS is critical to ensure that the SIS delivers the assigned risk reduction. Issues with SIS lifecycle management can lead to systematic errors such as underestimating the safety integrity level (SIL) target, overestimating the risk reduction provided by design, and inadequate maintenance, testing, or replacement. This paper discusses a few of these systematic errors and provide guidelines to avoid them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Согласно современным данным, рак шейки матки (РШМ) занимает одно из ведущих мест в структуре злокачественных новообразований у женщин Республики Беларусь и Российской Федерации, а также является четвертым по распространенности видом рака среди женщин во всем мире и седьмым в общей статистике встречаемости злокачественных опухолей человека. В настоящее время отмечается тенденция к повышению частоты РШМ среди женщин молодого возраста, в связи с чем проблема диагностики и оценки прогноза данной опухолевой патологии все более актуальна. Процесс канцерогенеза в шейке матки имеет сложную мультифакториальную природу и включает множество биохимических механизмов. Для их оценки используются разные иммуногистохимические маркеры. С целью определения биологического потенциала плоскоклеточного рака шейки матки исследователями оценивалась роль экспрессии белков p53, Ki67, циклина D1 и CD45, предполагалось также применение этих маркеров в качестве инструмента ранней диагностики рака. Однако данных о роли местного иммунитета в оценке инвазивного и метастатического потенциала злокачественного новообразования все еще крайне мало. В статье приведены современные литературные данные о прогностической роли экспрессии иммуногистохимических маркеров при РШМ и особенностях местного иммунитета при цервикальных неоплазиях. more...

The influence of the dangerous undetected failure rate, ƛdu, on safety instrumented system (SIS) design has evolved over last 30 years. Now, ƛdu has a significant impact on the SIS design. Using unrealistically low ƛdu can lead to an unsafe SIS design and thus compromise the plant safety. This paper explains some of the reasons why some published ƛdu could be unrealistically low. To address this challenge, ISA TR84 committee Working Group 02 has undertaken an effort to develop a failure rate credibility assessment tool. In this tool, the user will answer a series of questions, and the weighted score of answers will provide a credibility rank for the published device failure rate. This paper will explain the approach of this tool, its target users, and its benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) principles are essential for effective cervical cancer prevention. Being a crucial diagnostic step, colposcopy's sensitivity and specificity improvements are strongly advocated worldwide since inter- and intra-observer differences are the main limiting factors. The objective of the present study was the evaluation of colposcopy accuracy through the results of a QC/QA assessment from a survey in Italian tertiary-level academic and teaching hospitals. A web-based, user-friendly platform based on 100 colposcopic digital images was forwarded to colposcopists with different levels of experience. Seventy-three participants were asked to identify colposcopic patterns, provide personal impressions, and indicate the correct clinical practice. The data were correlated with a panel of experts' evaluation and with the clinical/pathological data of the cases. Overall sensitivity and specificity with the threshold of CIN2+ accounted for 73.7% and 87.7%, respectively, with minor differences between senior and junior candidates. Identification and interpretation of colposcopic patterns showed full agreement with the experts' panel, ranging from 50% to 82%, in some instances with better results from junior colposcopists. Colposcopic impressions correlated with a 20% underestimation of CIN2+ lesions, with no differences linked to level of experience. Our results demonstrate the good diagnostic performance of colposcopy and the need for improving accuracy through QC assessments and adhesion to standard requirements and recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Copyright of Journal of Petrochemical Universities / Shiyou Huagong Gaodeng Xuexiao Xuebao is the property of Journal Editorial Department Of Liaoning Shihua University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) more...

Modern aviation technology development heavily relies on computer simulations. SIL (Software-In-The-Loop) simulations are essential for evaluating autopilots and control algorithms for multi-rotors, including drones and other UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). In such simulations, it is possible to compare the flight parameters achieved by flying platforms using various commercial autopilots widely used in the UAV sector. This research aims to provide objective and comprehensive insights into the effectiveness of different autopilot systems This article examines the simulated flight test results of a drone performing the same mission using different autopilot systems. The X-Plane software was used as an environment to simulate the dynamics of the drone and its surroundings. Matlab/Simulink r2023a provided the interface between autopilot software and X-Plane models. Those methods allowed us to obtain an appropriate comparison of the autopilot systems and indicate the main differences between them. This research focused on analyzing UAV flight characteristics such as stability, trajectory tracking, response time to control changes, and the overall effectiveness of autopilots. Various flight scenarios including take-off, landing, flight at a constant altitude, dynamic manoeuvrers and, flight along a planned trajectory were also examined. In order to obtain the most accurate and realistic results, the tests were carried out in various weather conditions. The aim of this research is to provide objective data and analysis to compare the performance of commercial autopilots. This method offers several advantages, including cost-effective testing, the ability to test in diverse environmental conditions, and the evaluation of autopilot algorithms without the need for real hardware. The findings of this study may have a considerable impact on how autopilot designers and developers choose the best platforms and technologies for their projects. Future research on this topic will compare the obtained data with flight test data. more...

In this paper, the HAZOP‐LOPA‐SIL method is implemented on a safety assessment for an O‐benzenedicarboxylic acid diallyl ester (DPA) demulsifier production process. The risk matrix and tolerable risk criterion are determined with hazard and operability (HAZOP) analysis, and the whole processing technique is divided into nine nodes and seven safety instrumented functions (SIFS). By using guide words and subsequence parameters, the deviation of each node is analyzed, and recommendations are then proposed. After determining the safety integrity level (SIL) of each SIF according to the layer of protection analysis (LOPA) method, the result shows that the SIL of the whole system is SIL1. Considering the influence of mechanical element degradation (valves) on SIL determination, gamma distribution has been adopted to analyze the gradation process. In the serviceable cycle, the minimum PFD average is larger than 0.21 in order to exceed the range of SIL 1. This means that the SIL of the SIF can effectively prevent the failure caused by valve degradation. According to software analysis, the SIL validation result of the whole safety instrument system(SIS) is SIL1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Copyright of Journal of Polytechnic is the property of Journal of Polytechnic and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) more...

Extrusion is a common manufacturing process for semi-finished polymer products in various biomedical applications. Extrusion enables processing of a wide range of biomaterials, as well as different cross-sectional geometries. Furthermore, feasibility of drug elution, as it is used for a variety of medical devices, for example microstents for minimally invasive glaucoma therapy, was assessed. The current study deals with manufacturing of polymeric microtubes by extrusion processing. Semi-finished products were made of biodegradable poly-L-lactide (PLLA) and a non-biodegradable polycarbonate-based silicone elastomer (SIL) and covered with a polymer/drug combination, with resveratrol as active ingredient. Three different concentrations of polymer/resveratrol were applied by means of spray-coating. The release behavior of active ingredient was analyzed in vitro at 37°C and showed a correlation between the amount of drug and release time. With higher drug content, a faster release was observed. In addition, the release from SIL was faster compared with PLLA. more...

Quantitative and analytical safety assessment methods of E/E/PE safety-related software systems based on the SIL defined by IEC 61508 have been proposed. IEC 61508 does not provide us with quantitative and analytical methods for safety assessment of the software. Our methods give us quantitative information on safety measures for deciding the safety integrity level and testing time duration for achieving certain safety integrity level of E/E/PE software, respectively. Our stochastic modeling approaches are based on software reliability modeling and software reliability assessment techniques. Numerical examples for our methods have been shown for explaining how to use our software safety assessment approaches conforming IEC 61508. more...

Schwann cells (SCs) migrate along peripheral axons and divide intensively to generate the right number of cells prior to axonal ensheathment; however, little is known regarding the temporal and molecular control of their division and its impact on myelination. We report that Sil, a spindle pole protein associated with autosomal recessive primary microcephaly, is required for temporal mitotic exit of SCs. In sil-deficient Cassiopeia (csp-1-) mutants, SCs fail to radially sort and myelinate peripheral axons. Elevation of cAMP, but not Rac1 activity, in csp-1- restores myelin ensheathment. Most importantly, we show a significant decrease in laminin expression within csp-1- posterior lateral line nerve and that forcing Laminin 2 expression in csp-1- fully restores the ability of SCs to myelinate. Thus, we demonstrate an essential role for timely SC division in mediating laminin expression to orchestrate radial sorting and peripheral myelination in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Flight testing in a realistic three-dimensional virtual environment is increasingly being considered a safe and cost-effective way of evaluating aircraft models and their control systems. The paper starts by reviewing and comparing the most popular personal computer-based flight simulators that have been successfully interfaced to date with the MathWorks software. This co-simulation approach allows combining the strengths of Matlab toolboxes for functions including navigation, control, and sensor modeling with the advanced simulation and scene rendering capabilities of dedicated flight simulation software. This approach can then be used to validate aircraft models, control algorithms, flight handling chatacteristics, or perform model identification from flight data. There is, however, a lack of sufficiently detailed step-by-step flight co-simulation tutorials, and there have also been few attempts to evaluate more than one flight co-simulation approach at a time. We, therefore, demonstrate our own step-by-step co-simulation implementations using Simulink with three different flight simulators: Xplane, FlightGear, and Alphalink's virtual flight test environment (VFTE). All three co-simulations employ a real-time user datagram protocol (UDP) for data communication, and each approach has advantages depending on the aircraft type. In the case of a Cessna-172 general aviation aircraft, a Simulink co-simulation with Xplane demonstrates successful virtual flight tests with accurate simultaneous tracking of altitude and speed reference changes while maintaining roll stability under arbitrary wind conditions that present challenges in the single propeller Cessna. For a medium endurance Rascal-110 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Simulink is interfaced with FlightGear and with QGroundControl using the MAVlink protocol, which allows to accurately follow the lateral UAV path on a map, and this setup is used to evaluate the validity of Matlab-based six degrees of freedom UAV models. For a smaller ZOHD Nano Talon miniature aerial vehicle (MAV), Simulink is interfaced with the VFTE, which was specifically designed for this MAV, and with QGroundControl for the testing of advanced H-infinity observer-based autopilots using a software-in-the-loop (SIL) simulation to achieve robust low altitude flight under windy conditions. This is then finally extended to hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) implementation on the Nano Talon MAV using a controller area network (CAN) databus and a Pixhawk-4 mini autopilot with simulated sensor models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Abstract Electrical/electronic/programmable electronic (E/E/PE) safety-related systems are widely applied in several industrial fields due to noticeable technical growth of information processing technologies. In the design and development for the E/E/PE safety-related software, safety assessment is required by following IEC 61508, which is the international basic standard for the E/E/PE safety-related systems. And, quantitative safety assessment technologies is useful for enhancing and validating their safety for the hardware as well as for the software of the E/E/PE safety-related systems. Especially for the E/E/PE safety-related software, the manager pays a lot of attention for quantitative software safety assessment technologies, which have not provided by IEC 61508, and for realizing economic software development with their safety objective. This article discusses mathematical approaches for conducting quantitative safety assessment for the E/E/PE safety-related software and mathematical software release problem for supporting decision making on when to release the E/E/PE safety-related software economically with assuring a certain safety objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In oil & gas industrial plants, High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems (HIPPS) are widely used as barrier between high pressure and low pressure sections. Hence, it is necessary to optimize its reliability, availability and, maintainability to help in the implementation of HIPPS maintenance planning from a quantitative point of view. The objective of our work is included in this concept. Where a comparative study on HIPPS dependability with and without considering common cause failures (CCFs) is realized, through the quantification of CCFs effects on overall performances by considering HIPPS reliability reduction, HIPPS Safety Integrity Level degradation, and the decrease of HIPPS Mean Down Time, and production capacity. Beta factor is used to model the CCFs on HIPPS and, the reliability block diagram RBD is used for functional aspects and fault tree analysis FTA technique is used for dysfunctional aspects. The obtained simulation results show the effectiveness of the HIPPS, in keeping its safety and reliability characteristics in presence of the CCFs, the robustness, accuracy, and the suitability of the used methodology in CCFs assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Abstract Background To improve the efficiency of early diagnosis systems for cervical cancer, the use of cellular and viral markers for identifying precancerous lesions with a greater probability to progress to cancer has been proposed. Several cellular proteins and markers of oxidative DNA damage have been suggested as possible biomarkers of cervical carcinogenesis; however, they have not been evaluated together. In this study, we analyzed the expression of the cellular markers p16INK4a, Ki-67, CyclinE1, TOP2A/MCM2, and telomerase, as well as the DNA oxidative damage markers ROS and 8-OHdG. The analyses were performed in liquid-based cervical cytology samples or biopsies with premalignant lesions or cervical cancer diagnosis, with the purpose of selecting a panel of biomarkers that allow the identification of precursor lesions with greater risk of progression to cervical cancer. Methods We analyzed 1485 liquid-based cytology samples, including 239 non-squamous intraepithelial lesions (NSIL), 901 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), 54 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), and 291 cervical cancers (CC). The biomarkers were analyzed by immunocytochemistry and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) genotyping with the INNO-LiPA genotyping Extra kit. Results We found that all tested cellular biomarkers were overexpressed in samples with high risk-HPV infection, and the expression levels increased with the severity of the lesion. TOP2A/MCM2 was the best biomarker for discriminating between LSIL and HSIL, followed by p16INK4a and cyclinE1. Statistical analysis showed that TOP2A/MCM2 provided the largest explanation of HSIL and CC cases (93.8%), followed by p16INK4a (91%), cyclin E1 (91%), Ki-67 (89.3%), and telomerase (88.9%). Conclusions We propose that the detection of TOP2A/MCM2, p16INK4a and cyclin E1 expression levels is useful as a panel of biomarkers that allow identification of cervical lesions with a higher risk for progression to CC with high sensitivity and precision; this can be done inexpensively, in a single and non-invasive liquid-based cytology sample. more...

Higher levels of autonomous driving are bringing sophisticated requirements and unpredicted challenges. In order to solve these problems, the set of functionalities in modern vehicles is growing in terms of algorithmic complexity and required hardware. The risk of testing implemented solutions in real world is high, expensive and time consuming. This is the reason for virtual automotive simulation tools for testing are heavily acclaimed. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) use these tools to create closed sense, compute, act loop to have realistic testing scenarios. Production software is tested against simulated sensing data. Based on these inputs a set of actions is produced and simulated which generates consequences that are evaluated. This creates a possibility for OEMs to minimize design errors and optimize costs of the vehicle production before any physical prototypes are produced. This paper presents the development of simple C++/Python perception applications that can be used in driver assistance functionalities. Using ROS as a prototyping platform these applications are validated and tested with “Software-In-the-Loop” (SIL) method. CARLA simulator is used as a generator for input data and output commands of the autonomous platform are executed as simulated actions within simulator. Validation is done by connecting Autoware autonomous platform with CARLA simulator in order to test against various scenes in which applications are applicable. Vision based lane detection, which is one of the prototypes, is also tested in a real world scenario to demonstrate the applicability of algorithms developed with simulators to real-time processing. more...

The current study aimed to reduce the toxic effect of different mycotoxins and enhance the immunity against ND virus in broiler chickens by using lymphokines from hyperimmunized birds with Salmonella typhymurium. The study included three stages, the first stage included isolating Salmonella typhymurium. The second stage was immunized chicks with Salmonella typhymurium. The final stage of the study was accomplished by treating 250 broiler chicks (divided into 5 groups, 50 chicks /each) with the following treatments; G1: 0.5 ml lymphokines was injected I/P at day one old with live ND vaccine (la Sota strain) after 30 minutes in drinking water, the process repeated after 10 days; G2: the same as in G1 but inactivated killed vaccine was used s/c,no repetition was carried out at 10 days ; G3: a combination of G1 and G2 with revaccination of live La Sota vaccines only at 10 days; G4 : only vaccinated with live La Sota vaccine repeated at 10 days; G5: no treatments (negative control). All groups were challenge with local isolate of NDV (100ELD50 105) at 25 days, all groups except the fifth group were fed on contaminated diet withmycotoxin. The results of the present study showed a significant increase (P 0.05) in the oxidation status (H2O2, MDA and LPO) and significant increase in the antioxidant defense (GSH-PX) in the liver and spleen samples. We conclude from the current study that the Salmonella immune lymphokines (SIL) helps in enhancement the level of immunity against Newcastle disease and n reduction the side effects of which mycotoxin. more...

The purpose of safety analysis is to ensure that hazards and risks that could be a possible source of harm and damage are reduced well enough by dealing with all phases of the safety lifecycle and design of suitable safety barriers. It is known that any error or failure to perform the function of each proposed safety barrier can cause extreme damage to the environment, facilities and humans, and even loss of life. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the study or analysis. However, even with the major development in control system fields the problems of uncertainties, classification and optimization are still considered unsolved issues. In recent years several tools are developed based on artificial intelligence to deal with such difficulties. In this work, an approach based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) is developed to schedule the SIL values of the safety integrity functions (SIF) of an industrial-fired heater. The SIFs are first deduced from HAZOP study for the fired heater. The SIL risk of the consequences related to personnel health and safety, the economic SIL and environment SIL are considered as inputs of the multilayer network with a predefined hard limit activation function. more...

System safety is a discipline of applying engineering and management principles, criteria, and techniques to achieve acceptable or tolerable risk within the constraints of operational effectiveness, suitability, time, and cost throughout all phases of the system life. System safety engineering is the program to identify hazards, and to eliminate hazards or reduce the associated risks when the hazards cannot be eliminated. System safety management involves plans and activities taken to identify hazards; assess and mitigate associated risks; track, control, close, and document risks encountered in the design, development, test, manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance, and the disposal of systems, subsystems, and equipment. In this paper, the concept and principle of system safety in the transit system is discussed. The paper also introduces the safety standards, safety life-cycle, Safety Integrity Levels (SILs), safety analysis techniques and safety cases etc. more...

Background: To improve the efficiency of early diagnosis systems for cervical cancer, the use of cellular and viral markers for identifying precancerous lesions with a greater probability to progress to cancer has been proposed. Several cellular proteins and markers of oxidative DNA damage have been suggested as possible biomarkers of cervical carcinogenesis; however, they have not been evaluated together. In this study, we analyzed the expression of the cellular markers p16INK4a, Ki-67, CyclinE1, TOP2A/MCM2, and telomerase, as well as the DNA oxidative damage markers ROS and 8-OHdG. The analyses were performed in liquid-based cervical cytology samples or biopsies with premalignant lesions or cervical cancer diagnosis, with the purpose of selecting a panel of biomarkers that allow the identification of precursor lesions with greater risk of progression to cervical cancer.Methods: We analyzed 1485 liquid-based cytology samples, including 239 non-squamous intraepithelial lesions (NSIL), 901 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), 54 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), and 291 cervical cancers (CC). The biomarkers were analyzed by immunocytochemistry and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) genotyping with the INNO-LiPA genotyping Extra kit.Results: We found that all tested cellular biomarkers were overexpressed in samples with high risk-HPV infection, and the expression levels increased with the severity of the lesion. TOP2A/MCM2 was the best biomarker for discriminating between LSIL and HSIL, followed by p16INK4a and cyclinE1. Statistical analysis showed that TOP2A/MCM2 provided the largest explanation of HSIL and CC cases (93.8%), followed by p16INK4a (91%), cyclin E1 (91%), Ki-67 (89.3%), and telomerase (88.9%).Conclusions: We propose that the detection of TOP2A/MCM2, p16INK4a and cyclin E1 expression levels is useful as a panel of biomarkers that allow identification of cervical lesions with a higher risk for progression to CC with high sensitivity and precision; this can be done inexpensively, in a single and non-invasive liquid-based cytology sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The hazard and operability analysis (HAZOP) method is introduced. In order to further improve the accident prevention ability of HAZOP and enrich the analysis results of HAZOP, a semi-quantitative protective layer analysis (LOPA) method is used to carry out the safety integrity level (SIL) grading work, and the combined analysis of HAZOP and LOPA is used to further evaluate the effectiveness of the protective layer, quantify the frequency and meet the risk control standards. A sulfur recovery unit is analyzed. On the one hand, the HAZOP method is used to find out the deviations in the process design and operating procedures, identify the hazard factors of the unit which are unacceptable, and propose corresponding suggestions and measures. On the other hand, the LOPA method is used for SIL grading work to set reasonable and effective safety instrumentation system, reduce redundant design, and improve the safety and economy of the unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Efficient phase to intensity conversion is key in Sagnac-loop based opto-electronic oscillators (OEO). This paper features analytical modeling of phase to intensity conversion in practical Sagnac-loop interferometers, with practical coupling imbalance in 3-dB optical coupler, polarization imbalance of the non-reciprocal optical phase shifter (NRPS), and cross-talk ratio in polarization maintaining fiber (PMF). Single-sideband (SSB) phase noise of self-forced frequency stabilization technique of this OEO is also modelled using self-injection locked (SIL) and dual self-phase locked loop (DSPLL); the free-running and forced modeling results of Sagnac-loop based OEO matches with experimentally measured phase noise results. The measured phase noise of the SILDPLL based OEO at 10 GHz is −131 dBc/Hz at offset frequency of 10 kHz with approximately 11 dB phase noise reduction compared to the results of free-running OEO. Self-forced stabilization of OEO results in timing jitter of 19.5 fs, a factor of 6 times reduction in the free-running performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...