Project description:The benefits for the advancement and enhancement of assistive technology are manifold. However, improving accessibility for persons with disabilities (PWD) to ensure their social and economic inclusion makes up one of the major ones in recent times. This paper presents a set of new nonlinear time-invariant stabilizing controllers for safe navigation of an autonomous nonholonomic rear-wheel drive wheelchair. Autonomous wheelchairs belong to the category of assistive technology, which is most sought in current times due to its usefulness, especially to the less abled (physically and/or cognitively), hence helping create an inclusive society. The wheelchair navigates in an obstacle-ridden environment from its start to final configuration, maintaining a robust obstacle avoidance scheme and observing system restrictions and dynamics. The velocity-based controllers are extracted from a Lyapunov function, the total potentials designed using the Lyapunov based Control Scheme (LbCS) falling under the classical approach of the artificial potential field method. The interplay of the three central pillars of LbCS, which are safety, shortness, and smoothest course for motion planning, results in cost and time effectiveness and the velocity controllers' efficiency. Using the Direct Method of Lyapunov, the stability of the wheelchair system has been proved. Finally, computer simulations illustrate the effectiveness of the set of new controllers.
Project description:Designer nucleases are versatile tools for genome modification and therapy development and have gained widespread accessibility with the advent of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) technology. Prokaryotic RNA-guided nucleases of CRISPR/Cas type, since first being adopted as editing tools in eukaryotic cells, have experienced rapid uptake and development. Diverse modes of delivery by viral and non-viral vectors and ongoing discovery and engineering of new CRISPR/Cas-type tools with alternative target site requirements, cleavage patterns and DNA- or RNA-specific action continue to expand the versatility of this family of nucleases. CRISPR/Cas-based molecules may also act without double-strand breaks as DNA base editors or even without single-stranded cleavage, be it as epigenetic regulators, transcription factors or RNA base editors, with further scope for discovery and development. For many potential therapeutic applications of CRISPR/Cas-type molecules and their derivatives, efficiencies still need to be improved and safety issues addressed, including those of preexisting immunity against Cas molecules, off-target activity and recombination and sequence alterations relating to double-strand-break events. This review gives a concise overview of current CRISPR/Cas tools, applications, concerns and trends.
Project description:Study objectivesBlue-depleted lighting reduces the disruptive effects of evening artificial light on the circadian system in laboratory experiments, but this has not yet been shown in naturalistic settings. The aim of the current study was to test the effects of residing in an evening blue-depleted light environment on melatonin levels, sleep, neurocognitive arousal, sleepiness, and potential side effects.MethodsThe study was undertaken in a new psychiatric hospital unit where dynamic light sources were installed. All light sources in all rooms were blue-depleted in one half of the unit between 06:30 pm and 07:00 am (melanopic lux range: 7-21, melanopic equivalent daylight illuminance [M-EDI] range: 6-19, photopic lux range: 55-124), whereas the other had standard lighting (melanopic lux range: 30-70, M-EDI range: 27-63, photopic lux range: 64-136), but was otherwise identical. A total of 12 healthy adults resided for 5 days in each light environment (LE) in a randomized cross-over trial.ResultsMelatonin levels were less suppressed in the blue-depleted LE (15%) compared with the normal LE (45%; p = 0.011). Dim light melatonin onset was phase-advanced more (1:20 h) after residing in the blue-depleted LE than after the normal LE (0:46 h; p = 0.008). Total sleep time was 8.1 min longer (p = 0.032), rapid eye movement sleep 13.9 min longer (p < 0.001), and neurocognitive arousal was lower (p = 0.042) in the blue-depleted LE. There were no significant differences in subjective sleepiness (p = 0.16) or side effects (p = 0.09).ConclusionsIt is possible to create an evening LE that has an impact on the circadian system and sleep without serious side effects. This demonstrates the feasibility and potential benefits of designing buildings or hospital units according to chronobiological principles and provide a basis for studies in both nonclinical and clinical populations.
Project description:During pacemaker generator replacement, difficulties may arise with the set screw not being properly engaged, a situation referred as a "frozen lead". We reported a case of an 88-year-old woman with a 15-year-old generator and increasing impedance of the right atrial lead. The disruption of the silicone plug and removal of the hidden metal ring facilitated successful disconnection of the generator without damaging the lead. Postoperative assessments demonstrated normalized right atrial lead impedance and stable parameters at follow-up. This case highlights the effectiveness of a minimally invasive approach to managing frozen leads, providing valuable insights in similar clinical scenarios.
Project description:Noxious plants pose a significant threat to human and livestock health, as well as to the safety of agricultural and forestry ecosystems. Accurate and rapid identification of these plants is crucial for risk prevention. This paper explores for the first time the development and application of a rapid detection technology for noxious plants based on a novel isothermal amplification technique. We targeted the seeds, leaves, and grain impurities of four major noxious weeds: Amaranthus palmeri, the A.tuberculatus complex, Rhaponticum repens, and Euphrosyne xanthiifolia, we designed and screened primers and probes suitable for this isothermal amplification method, determined their limit of detection, optimized the genomic DNA extraction methods, and verified the method. We developed genomic DNA extraction methods for single tissue components of plant seeds and leaves, as well as for mixed tissue components. Ultimately, we established standardized detection protocols for different tissue forms of each species, significantly enhancing detection efficiency. This study enables the detection positive samples in seeds or leaves within 10 to 15 minutes and positive samples from mixtures within 12 to 18 minutes. The entire process, from sample collection, genomic DNA preparation to reaction completion, takes approximately 35 minutes. This detection technology, which marks the first development of an isothermal amplification-based method for noxious plants, meets the needs for on-site rapid testing, aiding in the timely identification of risks and the implementation of corresponding prevention and control measures.
Project description:Early onset disruptive behavior disorders are overrepresented in low-income families; yet these families are less likely to engage in behavioral parent training (BPT) than other groups. This project aimed to develop and pilot test a technology-enhanced version of one evidence-based BPT program, Helping the Noncompliant Child (HNC). The aim was to increase engagement of low-income families and, in turn, child behavior outcomes, with potential cost-savings associated with greater treatment efficiency. Low-income families of 3- to 8-year-old children with clinically significant disruptive behaviors were randomized to and completed standard HNC (n = 8) or Technology-Enhanced HNC (TE-HNC; n = 7). On average, caregivers were 37 years old; 87% were female, and 80% worked at least part-time. More than half (53%) of the youth were boys; the average age of the sample was 5.67 years. All families received the standard HNC program; however, TE-HNC also included the following smartphone enhancements: (a) skills video series, (b) brief daily surveys, (c) text message reminders, (d) video recording home practice, and (e) midweek video calls. TE-HNC yielded larger effect sizes than HNC for all engagement outcomes. Both groups yielded clinically significant improvements in disruptive behavior; however, findings suggest that the greater program engagement associated with TE-HNC boosted child treatment outcome. Further evidence for the boost afforded by the technology is revealed in family responses to postassessment interviews. Finally, cost analysis suggests that TE-HNC families also required fewer sessions than HNC families to complete the program, an efficiency that did not compromise family satisfaction. TE-HNC shows promise as an innovative approach to engaging low-income families in BPT with potential cost-savings and, therefore, merits further investigation on a larger scale.
Project description:Many animals use concealing markings to reduce the risk of predation. These include background pattern matching (crypsis), where the coloration matches a random sample of the background and disruptive patterns, whose effectiveness has been hypothesized to lie in breaking up the body into a series of apparently unrelated objects. We have previously established the effectiveness of disruptive coloration against avian predators, using artificial moth-like stimuli with colours designed to match natural backgrounds as perceived by birds. Here, we investigate the mechanism by which disruptive patterns reduce detectability, using a computational vision model of edge detection applied to photographs of our experimental stimuli, calibrated for bird colour vision. We show that, disruptive coloration is effective by exploiting edge detection algorithms that we use to model early visual processing. Thus, 'false' edges are detected within the body rather than at its periphery, so inhibiting successful detection of the animal's body outline.
Project description:Background and purposeSleep disturbances in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are common and may impair daytime functioning as well as add to parental burden. In this well characterized sample of young children with ASD and disruptive behaviors, we examine the association of age and IQ in sleep disturbances using the Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire modified for ASD (CSHQ-ASD). We also test whether children with poor sleep have greater daytime behavioral problems than those with better sleep. Finally, we examine whether parental stress is higher in children with greater disruptive behaviors and sleep disturbances.Participants and methodsOne hundred and seventy-seven children with complete data out of 180 (mean age 4.7) with ASD participated in a randomized clinical trial. Parents completed the CSHQ-ASD and several other measures at study enrollment. The sample was divided into "poor sleepers" (upper quartile on the total score of the CSHQ-ASD) and "good sleepers" (lower quartile) for comparisons. Analyses were conducted to evaluate group differences on age, IQ, daytime disruptive behavior, social disability and parental stress.ResultsThe two groups of young children with ASD, good sleepers versus poor sleepers, were not different on age or cognitive level. Children in the poor sleeping group had significantly higher daytime behavioral problems including irritability, hyperactivity, social withdrawal and stereotypical behaviors. Parents in this group reported significantly higher levels of stress.ConclusionsThe finding of no age difference between good and poor sleepers in young children with ASD and disruptive behaviors suggests that sleep problems are unlikely to resolve as might be expected in typically developing children. Likewise, the good and poor sleepers did not significantly differ in IQ. These findings add strong support for the need to screen for sleep disturbances in all children with ASD, regardless of age and cognitive level. Poor sleepers exhibited significantly greater daytime behavioral problems and parents of children in this group reported significantly higher levels of stress. Above and beyond the co-occurring disruptive behavior, poor sleep quality appears to pose substantial additive burden on child and parents.
Project description:In this study, we address generalized autonomous mobile robot exploration of unknown environments where a robotic agent learns a traversability model and builds a spatial model of the environment. The agent can benefit from the model learned online in distinguishing what terrains are easy to traverse and which should be avoided. The proposed solution enables the learning of multiple traversability models, each associated with a particular locomotion gait, a walking pattern of a multi-legged walking robot. We propose to address the simultaneous learning of the environment and traversability models by a decoupled approach. Thus, navigation waypoints are generated using the current spatial and traversability models to gain the information necessary to improve the particular model during the robot’s motion in the environment. From the set of possible waypoints, the decision on where to navigate next is made based on the solution of the generalized traveling salesman problem that allows taking into account a planning horizon longer than a single myopic decision. The proposed approach has been verified in simulated scenarios and experimental deployments with a real hexapod walking robot with two locomotion gaits, suitable for different terrains. Based on the achieved results, the proposed method exploits the online learned traversability models and further supports the selection of the most appropriate locomotion gait for the particular terrain types.