Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. / Different sensors exploit different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum; therefore, a multi-sensor image fusion system can take full advantage of the complementary capabilities of individual sensors in the suit; to produce information that cannot be obtained by viewing the images separately. In this thesis, a framework for the multiresolution fusion of the night vision devices and thermal infrared imagery is presented. It encompasses a wavelet-based approach that supports both pixel-level and region-based fusion, and aims to maximize scene content by incorporating spectral information from both the source images. In pixel-level fusion, source images are decomposed into different scales, and salient directional features are extracted and selectively fused together by comparing the corresponding wavelet coefficients. To increase the degree of subject relevance in the fusion process, a region-based approach which uses a multiresolution segmentation algorithm to partition the image domain at different scales is proposed. The region's characteristics are then determined and used to guide the fusion process. The experimental results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of the approach. Potential applications of this development include improvements in night piloting (navigation and target discrimination), law enforcement etc. / Civilian, Republic of Singapore

MSc Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2009 / The cervical spine is subjected to wear and tear as well as trauma. This increases the occurrence of degeneration of intervertebral discs and facet joints. Degeneration will result in loss of disc height and the formation of osteophytes on adjacent vertebrae. Nerve roots can be irritated or compressed by this pathology and patients can possibly develop neurological signs and symptoms as well as pain. An anterior neck fusion is a surgical procedure that is frequently used to manage cervical pathologies such as degeneration, spinal stenosis, disc herniation, or trauma. Cervical pathologies can become severe and neural compression may develop. Compression of neural components can present with symptoms such as muscle weakness, numbness, tingling or radicular pain. The main aim of the surgery is to decompress the neural structures, permanently stabilize the vertebrae, to maintain a cervical lordosis and to hold an anatomical disc space. Chronic spinal disorders, including cervical and lumbar conditions, are considered the most expensive benign condition to manage. Previous research demonstrated poor functional outcomes especially in the lumbar area. Little evidence is available regarding the functional outcomes of patients after anterior neck fusion surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of pain and the quality of life experienced by patients who had an anterior neck fusion one year ago. Methods A cross – sectional survey was conducted. Neurosurgeons in the Johannesburg region were contacted telephonically to establish whether they performed anterior neck fusion surgery. Potential subjects were then identified and contacted to establish whether they suited the inclusion criteria for the study. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale. The Neck Disability Index, Fear Avoidance Beliefs and Short Form-36 questionnaires were completed to determine the levels of dysfunction, anxiety and depression as well as health related quality of life in subjects who had an anterior neck fusion one year ago. The quality of life of these subjects was then compared to that of a healthy baseline group. Results and Discussion Forty-two (n = 42) subjects were telephonically identified from the neurosurgeons’ records. Thirty-five (n = 35) subjects met the inclusion criteria and participated in the study. Twenty-six subjects were female (n = 26) with an average age of 54 years and nine (n = 9) were male with an average age of 53 years. The demographic questionnaire demonstrated a high prevalence v for the use of pain- and anti-inflammatory medication (81.3%). According to the demographic questionnaire, the subjects received on average six physiotherapy treatments postoperatively. Most of the subjects (n = 22) demonstrated pain over the upper shoulder area as well as posterior regions of the neck on the body chart. At the time of assessment, the subjects indicated their level of pain using a VAS scale and had an average score of 35.48mm (SD ± 24.11) which indicated a low level of pain. Results obtained from the NDI questionnaire indicated that the subjects had moderate disability one year postoperatively. The mean score on the NDI for subjects was 31.10 (SD ± 11.96). Subjects did not demonstrate high scores on the FABQ and had a mean score of 54.09 (SD ± 0.99). There were no significant differences between the male and female groups for the FABQ. On the SF-36, the subjects had a moderate reduction in mental health components of QoL [MCS = 42.19 (SD ± 13.31)] as well as the physical health components of QoL [PCS = 46.78 (9.44)]. QoL of these subjects was compared to a baseline group. Results showed a statistically significant difference between the groups for all eight domains (p- values ranged between 0.0001 and 0.012). The mental health component score (MCS) was not significantly different between the groups but subjects with anterior neck fusion had a significantly lower score on the physical health component (PCS) than the baseline group (p = 0.001). Conclusion This paper concluded that subjects who had an anterior neck fusion 12 months ago still suffered from low levels of pain and moderate dysfunction. They reported low levels of QoL related to physical health one year postoperatively.

Enveloped viruses, such as influenza, infect cells by fusing their viral envelope with the cell membrane. The fusion pore is a macromolecular structure that links two membranes that are fusing. This paper will focus on the fusion pore initiated by the hemagglutinin (HA) protein of influenza virus upon infection of a host cell. Mutations in the HA protein can alter the time-course and structure of the developing fusion pore. While there is a clear relationship between HA's structure and the dynamic opening of the pore, the initial 3D structure of the fusion pore as it first begins to form remains unknown. We have attempted to address this unanswered question by measuring fusion pore conductance - a one dimensional electrophysiological measurement - at millisecond time resolution for both wild type and mutant HA proteins, using an automated patch clamp apparatus. Correlating the entire life history of the fusion pore with the snapshots we get from 3D imaging (cryo-electron tomography) would allow us to capture the initial pore opening, as well as better understand the effect that mutating the structure of HA has on influenza viral infection. At this time, we have not yet been able to observe the fusion event; however, we do believe that future experimentation using fusion pore conductance to investigate the effects of HA's structure on influenza viral infection are both promising and necessary.

Les cellules souches embryonnaires humaines (hESC) représentent un nouvel outilbiologique au potentiel prometteur pour l’amélioration de la compréhension des mécanismes moléculaires et cellulaires impliqués dans le développement de maladies monogéniques. Cette application est dans un premier temps devenue possible grâce à l’utilisation de lignées de cellules souches embryonnaires humaines porteuses de mutation causale de pathologie, obtenues au cours d’un diagnostique pré-implantatoire. Mon travail de thèse s’est inscrit dans la validation de ce nouveau concept en utilisant des lignées de cellules souches embryonnaires humaines porteuses de la mutation causale de la Dystrophie Myotonique de type 1 (DM1). Ces cellules, ainsi que leurs progenies neurales et mésenchymateuses représentent un modèle pertinent pour l’étude des conséquences physiopathologiques de la mutation DM1 dans la mesure où elles reproduisent certaines caractéristiques moléculaires connues de la pathologie. Mon projet a eu pour objectif de caractériser d’un point de vue moléculaire et physiopathologique deux nouvelles altérations géniques identifiées par transcriptome différentiel entre les cellules contrôles et DM1. Ainsi, ce travail nous a permis d’identifier un nouveau marqueur, le facteur de transcription ZNF37A, dont l’expression est diminuée en association avec la mutation DM1 et qui serait impliqué dans les défauts myogéniques caractérisant cette pathologie. Parallèlement nous avons identifié un nouveau défaut d’épissage alternatif d’un gène impliqué dans la guidance axonale, l’EphA5 qui pourrait être impliqué dans les défauts cognitifs des patients DM1. / Abstract not available

重離子核聚變是一種能源技術，它有可能為人類未來提供無限的潔淨能源。通過高能粒子撞擊含高濃度氘和氚的目標，從而產生強大的壓縮衝擊波，最終引發氘和氚核子聚變並釋放出巨大核能。在過去的幾十年裡，從離子注入到核反應控制技術，以至於整個重離子核聚變的基本概念都得到迅速的發展。其中一個重要的核聚變條件就是要求非常低的離子束的縱向發射度。 / 在論文的第一部分，我們研發了一種TSC 技術，它可以減少因粒子加速器的電壓變化而引起的縱向發射度增長。通過數值模擬，結果表明離子束的縱向發射度得到了約89% 的降低。如果把TSC 技術應用於重離子核聚變，離子束的縱向發射度就可以有效地被降低，從而促進更高效的核聚變反應。在論文的第二部分，我們以離子束的電流信號分析為基礎，研發了一種非干擾性的離子束能量測量方法。對於傳統干擾性的離子束能量測量，這種強調非干擾性的測量方法對未來重離子核聚變實驗以及高能粒子加速器研發都有實質的應用價值。在論文的第三部分，我們從NDCX 實驗數據分析中，證實離子束的電流信號能夠有效地揭示離子束微弱的能量變化。這個實驗結果相應肯定了論文第二部分的電流信號分析處理方法。在論文的第四部分，我們模擬在真實的NDCX 環境下測試TSC 技術。模擬結果表明TSC 技術可有效地把離子束的縱向發射度減少近89% ，從而證明了TSC 技術在實際應用中的能力。在論文的最後部分，我們在強電流離子束的一維波動行為中引入橫縱向稱合分析，解釋了一維波動行為與數值模擬結果之間的細小偏差。 / Heavy Ion Fusion (HIF) is a technology that has the potential to provide an unlimited source of clean energy for human future. HIF works by shooting at a capsule containing Deuterium and Tritium with energetic heavy ion beams such that the huge amount of kinetic energy carried by the ions is converted into strong compression shock waves. DT fuel is then compressed to form a high temperature and high density hotspot at the center of the capsule, thus igniting nuclear fusion between Deuterium and Tritium. Over the past few decades, the fundamental concepts of HIF had been tested in scaled ex¬periments from the source injection to the reaction chamber. To achieve the highest performance of ignition, ion beams with low longitudinal emittance is demanded. / In the first part of the thesis, we developed a novel Two-Step Correction (TSC) technique to reduce the growth of longitudinal emittance in an induc¬tion linac driver caused by variations in acceleration gap voltages. Through numerical studies, we achieved a reduction of longitudinal emittance by about 89% for high perveance ion beams. As a spinoff from the formalism developed in this study, we developed in the second part of the thesis a new non-invasive approach for the measurement of ion beam energy. The proposed diagnostics may have practical utility for future HIF experiments, particularly as higher energy accelerators are developed. It works by a generalized time-of-flight method, using two adjacent beam current signals to reconstruct the beam velocity profile. In the third part of the thesis, we verified that beam current signals are capable to reveal small beam energy variations by an NDCX-I experiment performed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The result of this experiment confirms the formalism of the new non-invasive approach for the ion beam energy determination based on beam current signal analysis. In order to verify the effectiveness of TSC in real drivers, we proposed a new NDCX-I experiment in the fourth part of the thesis to test the limitations and performance of the correction technique in real environment. Through simulations with real driver features considered, a reduction of 89% of longitudinal emittance was observed, which confirms the ability of TSC in real applications. In the last part of the thesis, we revealed the limitation of the 1-D cold fluid model deployed in our analysis of space-charge waves for high perveance ion beams. We showed that inaccuracies are caused by transverse-longitudinal coupling which could be included in the wave equation for space-charge dominated beams. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Woo, Ka Ming = 抑制由粒子加速器的電壓變化所引起的縱向發射度 / 胡家明. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-156). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Woo, Ka Ming = Yi zhi you li zi jia su qi de dian ya bian hua suo yin qi de zong xiang fa she du / Hu Jiaming. / Abstract --- p.ii / 概論 --- p.iv / Acknowledgement --- p.v / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Background --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1 --- Highlight --- p.4 / Chapter 2.2 --- Introduction to fusion energy --- p.4 / Chapter 2.3 --- Fusion technology --- p.5 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Magnetic confinement fusions --- p.5 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Inertial confinement fusions --- p.7 / Chapter 2.4 --- Inertia confinement fusion --- p.9 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Principle of ICF --- p.9 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Implosion dynamics --- p.11 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Rayleigh-Taylor instability --- p.13 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Fast ignition --- p.14 / Chapter 2.5 --- Heavy Ion Fusion --- p.16 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Comparison between laser and heavy ion driven fusions --- p.16 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Linear Induction Accelerator --- p.18 / Chapter 2.6 --- Operation of a HIF driver --- p.20 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Source injection --- p.20 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Transport of ion beams --- p.21 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- Acceleration of ion beams --- p.22 / Chapter 2.6.4 --- Neutralized drift longitudinal compression --- p.24 / Chapter 2.6.5 --- Target chamber --- p.25 / Chapter 2.7 --- Transverse beam dynamics --- p.26 / Chapter 2.7.1 --- Beam envelope equation --- p.26 / Chapter 2.7.2 --- Matched beams solutions --- p.29 / Chapter 2.8 --- Longitudinal beam dynamics --- p.30 / Chapter 2.8.1 --- Cold plasma model --- p.30 / Chapter 2.8.2 --- Self longitudinal electric field --- p.32 / Chapter 2.8.3 --- Longitudinal emittance --- p.34 / Chapter 2.9 --- Intense ion beam simulation --- p.35 / Chapter 2.9.1 --- Particle-In-Cell method --- p.35 / Chapter 2.9.2 --- WARP code --- p.36 / Chapter 2.10 --- Conclusion --- p.37 / Chapter 3 --- Techniques for correcting velocity and density fluctuations of ion beams --- p.39 / Chapter 3.1 --- Highlight --- p.39 / Chapter 3.2 --- The quest for short-pulse length ion beams --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Applications of short-pulse ion beams --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Consequence of the growth of longitudinal emittance --- p.41 / Chapter 3.3 --- Effect of gap voltage variation on εzn --- p.42 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Description of simulation scenario --- p.42 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- The coasting of an unperturbed ion beam and a velocitytilt beam --- p.43 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Effect of many constant voltage gaps --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Effect of non-uniform voltage gap --- p.46 / Chapter 3.4 --- One-step correction --- p.48 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Criteria for the one-step correction --- p.52 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Space-charge dominated beams --- p.55 / Chapter 3.5 --- Two-step correction --- p.56 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Principle of two-step correction --- p.56 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Result of two-step correction --- p.59 / Chapter 3.6 --- Conclusion --- p.62 / Chapter 4 --- A new non-invasive approach for the measurement of ion beam energy --- p.63 / Chapter 4.1 --- Highlight --- p.63 / Chapter 4.2 --- Introduction --- p.64 / Chapter 4.3 --- Derivation of the ion beam energy based on two current signals --- p.65 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Obtaining the time evolution of the beam current --- p.65 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Deriving the beam energy profile --- p.67 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Obtaining the average velocity --- p.70 / Chapter 4.4 --- Checking the beam energy profile with 3-D PIC simulations --- p.72 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Determination of the average velocity --- p.73 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Computation of the beam energy profile --- p.74 / Chapter 4.5 --- Signal magnification --- p.74 / Chapter 4.6 --- Error propagations --- p.77 / Chapter 4.7 --- Conclusion --- p.81 / Chapter 5 --- Experimental verification of the beam current signal amplification --- p.83 / Chapter 5.1 --- Highlight --- p.83 / Chapter 5.2 --- Introduction to NDCX-I --- p.84 / Chapter 5.3 --- Design of the NDCX-I experiment --- p.88 / Chapter 5.4 --- Voltage profiles applied at the source plate --- p.90 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Marx voltage profile --- p.90 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Voltage modulation --- p.91 / Chapter 5.5 --- Signal amplification of beam currents measured at the Faraday cup --- p.92 / Chapter 5.6 --- Modeling of the space-charge wave propagation --- p.94 / Chapter 5.6.1 --- Solving for the line-charge density profile at the source plate --- p.94 / Chapter 5.6.2 --- Procedure of space-charge wave modeling --- p.99 / Chapter 5.7 --- Conclusion --- p.101 / Chapter 6 --- Implementation of Two-Step Correction in NDCX-I --- p.103 / Chapter 6.1 --- Highlight --- p.103 / Chapter 6.2 --- Application of the current signal analysis to the Two-Step Correction --- p.104 / Chapter 6.3 --- Proposal of the new NDCX-I experiment --- p.107 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Design of the beamline --- p.107 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Description of the simulation scenario --- p.110 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- Result of the Two-Step Correction simulation --- p.114 / Chapter 6.4 --- Conclusion --- p.126 / Chapter 7 --- Transverse-Longitudinal coupling in the wave equation --- p.128 / Chapter 7.1 --- Highlight --- p.128 / Chapter 7.2 --- Phenomenological study of residue --- p.129 / Chapter 7.2.1 --- Description of the simulation scenario --- p.129 / Chapter 7.2.2 --- Modeling of the velocity wave --- p.131 / Chapter 7.2.3 --- Phenomenon of residue --- p.133 / Chapter 7.3 --- Review of the space-charge wave equation --- p.141 / Chapter 7.3.1 --- Fluid description of ion beams --- p.141 / Chapter 7.3.2 --- Beam envelope perturbation --- p.145 / Chapter 7.4 --- Conclusion --- p.149 / Chapter 8 --- Conclusion --- p.150 / Bibliography --- p.153

Neste trabalho são apresentadas medidas das secções de choque de fusão nuclear para o sistema ANTPOT 27 Al + ANTPOT. 16 0,nas energias de bombardeio do feixe de ANTPOT 16 O de 45.6 MeV e 49 MeV. Também foram calculadas através do estudo do espalhamento elástico de ANTPOT 16 O por ANTPOT. 27 Al (modelo Óptico), as secções de choque de reação na faixa de energia de bombardeio de 30 MeV a 45.6 MeV. Na energia de bombardeio de 45.6 MeV, foi feito um estudo da contribuição de outros tipos de reações para a secção de choque total de reação. Neste esquema foi detetada experimentalmente a reação ANTPOT. 27 Al (ANTPOT. 16 O, C). Os dados da secção de choque de fusão nuclear foram comparados com o modelo de Glas e Mosel e foram obtidos valores do momento angular critico (l IND. Cr ). Contribuições de processos como emissão de pré-equilíbrio e fissão nuclear foram calculadas com o uso do código de evaporação Alice. / In this work we present cross-section measurements for nuclear fusion in the 27 Al + 16 O system, at 16 O bombarding energies of 45.6 MeV and 49 MeV. With the aid of the optical model the elastic scattering of 16 O by 27 Al was used to calculate reaction cross-section from 30 MeV to 45.6 MeV. At 45.6 MeV contributions by reaction mechanisms other than fusion were studied. The nuclear fusion cross-sections were compared with the model of Glas and Mosel and values of the critical angular momentum (l cr ) extracted at the above cited energies. Contributions by fusion and pre-equilibrium emission were calculated with the code \"Alice\".

För mig har intresset för tidsgeografi vuxit eftersom komplexiteten i ämnet är stort, men även att tidsgeografi är något varje individ upplever i sin vardag. Varje individ kommer antagligen att ställa sig inför valet att arbetspendla någon gång i livet. Syftet med undersökning är att få fördjupad kunskap om människans val att arbetspendla, med inriktning mot hur bildandet av Linnéuniversitetet har påverkat arbetspendlingen mellan Växjö och Kalmar. Undersökningens syftar också till att få en fördjupad kunskap om hur sammanslagningen har påverkat Växjös region. För att besvara frågeställningarna användes intervjuer där fyra av Linnéuniversitetets personal blev intervjuade om deras upplevelse av hur sammanslagningen har påverkat deras arbetspendling och vilka restriktioner som de upplevt under resans tid. Den första januari 2010 blev startskottet för Kalmar högskola och Växjö universitet att bli Linnéuniversitetet. Detta öppnade upp för flera institutioner att samarbeta med varandra, för att en högre kunskapsnivå skulle uppnås. Det gav även fler möjligheter till att konkurrera med andra universitet. I och med denna sammanslagning blir Linnéuniversitet Sveriges nyaste universitet. Regionförstoring sker vid en sammanslagning av universitet, där en ökning av humankapital förekommer i regionen. Växande kompetens kan öka regionens tillväxt och etablering av infrastruktur har effekten blivit att pendlingen har ökat och lett till att rörelseströmmen både har ökat och förflyttats. Det finns tre olika restriktioner som styr människans möjlighet att förflytta sig i tid och rum. För det första har individen biologiska restriktioner som påverkar dess prestationsförmåga att nå sin destination vilket heter kapacitetsrestriktion. Den andra kallas kopplingsrestriktion och innebär att individen blir beroende av att befinna sig på en plats vid en viss tid genom ett beroende av andra individer. Den tredje restriktionen innefattar den tidsgeografiska aspekten på maktutövning. Detta innebär att en individ kan stöta på enheter som begränsar deras tid. Resultatet visar att respondenterna har påverkats av sammanslagningen mellan Kalmar högskola och Växjö universitet. De behöver förflytta sig mer mellan de två olika lärosätena. Genom sammanslagningen har deras arbetstjänster utökat och gjort att deras ansvarsområde utökats.

Dagens företag befinner sig i komplexa nätverk av interagerande företag, då de tillsammans kan nå ett högre värde. Varje interaktion innebär att företagen delger information, detta kan ske elektroniskt via Electronic Data Interchange, EDI, (Johansson, 1994). Sättet att styra och leda EDI har blivit en nyckelfaktor hos de flesta IS (Informations System) chefer. EDI-prestationer skiljer sig ofta företag emellan och därför är det viktigt att förstå vilka faktorer som påverkar EDI-utförandet (Lee & Lim, 2003).   Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva hur EDI-prestation påverkas vid en fusion av två företag och hur företag kan arbeta proaktivt för att EDI-prestationen skall utvecklas. Studien är en kvalitativ fallstudie, på företaget X som befinner sig i stundande fusionsarbete, en deduktiv ansats har tillämpats. För att besvara studiens frågeställning och syfte har i huvudsak primärdata insamlats i form av intervjuer och observationer hos företag X.   I affärsrelationer är det medarbetarna som representerar företaget och dess värderingar. Därför är det viktigt att beakta hur dessa interaktioner sker mellan företagens medarbetare samt om personerna har tillräcklig kompetens (Ertzgaard, 2004). Lee och Lim (2003) skriver att EDI-prestation kan mätas utifrån tre egenskaper i affärsrelationer; förtroende, självständighet och engagemang samt ur tre EDI-dimensioner; Integration, användning och mångfald och att egenskaperna i relationerna påverkar EDI-prestationen.   Fallföretagets nya utseende innebär en större tillgång på resurser och fusionen gör det möjligt att öka integrationen och användningen av EDI genom att minska mångfalden. Det är därför viktigt att en vision och mål sätts för hur företaget X skall arbeta med sin EDI samt att medarbetarnas värde för affärsrelationerna beaktas. Slutsatsen blir att en fusion tycks kunna påverka EDI-prestationen utifrån förtroendeaspekten, mångfaldsaspekten och självständighetaspekten. Även arbetssätt för EDI-projekt i företaget ändras i och med att ett nytt företag sätter nya visioner och värderingar som även EDI-arbetet bör efterleva.

Membranes provide a barrier to cells and organelles, and allow the selective transport of molecules between compartments. Membrane fusion is essential for organelle biogenesis as well as trafficking of molecules between cellular compartments. Membrane fusion is also required for the formation of the branched network of tubules that make up the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER). One protein implicated in ER fusion is Atlastin, a dynamin like GTPase. Mutations in Atlastin-1, among others, cause Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias (HSP), a group of neurological disorders that cause progressive weakness of lower extremities. We have shown that the C-terminal tail of atlastin is necessary for membrane fusion. The requirement of the C-terminal tail can be partially abrogated in an unstable lipid environment. This implies that the C-terminal tail of Atlastin plays a role in perturbing the lipid bilayer to allow membrane fusion. Understanding the molecular details of how Atlastin drives membrane fusion may help elucidate the pathogenesis of HSP. Intracellular fusion at the plasma membrane is SNARE mediated and regulated by Sec1p/Munc18 (SM) proteins. Increased rate of glucose transport into fat and muscles cells by translocation of glucose transporter GLUT4 in response to insulin is a SNARE regulated fusion process. Recent reports have linked Munc18c and Syntaxin4 with obesity and Type 2 diabetes. We characterized the function of Munc18c, an SM protein, in regulating GLUT-4 containing vesicle fusion with the plasma membrane. We have shown that Munc18c directly inhibits membrane fusion by interacting with its cognate SNARE complexes. Characterization of membrane fusion in a minimal system as the in vitro liposome fusion assay offers a powerful tool with which to finely dissect the mechanistic basis of SM protein function.

In this study, an efficient new hybrid approach for multiple sensors data fusion and fault detection is presented, addressing the problem with possible multiple faults, which is based on conventional fuzzy soft clustering and artificial immune system (AIS). The proposed hybrid system approach consists of three main phases. In the first phase signal separation is performed using the Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) algorithm. Subsequently a single (fused) signal based on the information provided from the sensor signals is generated by the fusion engine. The information provided from the previous two phases is used for fault detection in the third phase based on the Artificial Immune System (AIS) negative selection mechanism. The simulations and experiments for multiple sensor systems have confirmed the strength of the new approach for online fusing and fault detection. The hybrid system gives a fault tolerance by handling different problems such as noisy sensor signals and multiple faulty sensors. This makes the new hybrid approach attractive for solving such fusion problems and fault detection during real time operations. This hybrid system is extended for early fault detection in complex mechanical systems based on a set of extracted features; these features characterize the collected sensors data. The hybrid system is able to detect the onset of fault conditions which can lead to critical damage or failure. This early detection of failure signs can provide more effective information for any maintenance actions or corrective procedure decisions.