Control Applications Research Articles

Research Update on the Therapeutic Potential of Garden Cress (Lepidium sativum Linn.) with Threatened Status.

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) has been used in India for medicinal purposes since the Vedic era. Garden cress, a native of Egypt and southwest Asia, is a small perennial edible herb that has been used to treat many diseases for centuries. The seeds, leaves as well as roots have medicinal properties. The seeds are rich in protein, fat, calcium, and iron and have high nutritional value. They are considered to be galactagogue, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, antiasthmatic and antidiarrheal. Leaves, seeds, and aerial parts extracts are found to have alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, polypeptides, vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Lepidium sativum is known for its pungent odor due to the several volatile oils and has been used to treat various conditions, including respiratory disorders, muscle pain, inflammation, and bone fractures in the past. Lepidium sativum is a fast-growing annual herb; in India, it is commonly known as Chandrasoor. Whole fruits or seeds are used, fresh or dried, as a seasoning with a peppery flavor. Boiled seeds are consumed in drinks by Arabs, either ground in honey or as an infusion in hot milk. The seed oil can be used for illumination and soap making. Additionally, limited awareness and conservation efforts have further contributed to its threatened status. Recognizing the importance of preserving this valuable plant species is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and ensuring its availability for future generations. Furthermore, this review explores the potential benefits of Lepidium sativum in different domains. Its nutritional value and health benefits make it a promising candidate for addressing malnutrition and improving overall well-being. The presence of bioactive compounds suggests its potential use in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and natural medicines for various ailments. Moreover, Lepidium sativum exhibits antimicrobial and insecticidal properties, offering potential applications in agriculture and pest control. The current review discussed the nutritional, potential benefits and pharmacological effects of Lepidium sativum.

Application of Real-Time Control and Source Control Solutions to Reduce Combined Sewer Overflows: A Review of Approaches and Performances

Application of Real-Time Control and Source Control Solutions to Reduce Combined Sewer Overflows: A Review of Approaches and Performances

Effect of epoxidation level on rheological properties of epoxidized natural rubber-based magnetorheological elastomer

Epoxidized natural rubbers (ENR)are potential to be an alternative of natural rubber as matrix of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs). These ENR-based MREs offer various advantages such as excellent mechanical properties and damping characteristics that are well-suited for applications in vibration control and noise reduction devices. However, there is a paucity information in regard to the effect of different epoxidation levels on rheological properties of MRE. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to explore the influence of epoxidation level on rheological properties of MRE using commercialized ENR corresponding to ENR 25 and ENR 50. ENR-based MREs were created by blending with carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) and other additives, followed by curing at 150 °C for 30 min. The study involved producing ten MRE samples with various weight percentages of CIP (0,10,30,50 and 70 wt%). The storage modulus of ENR 50 exhibited a significant increment from 0.73 MPa to 1.04 MPa as compared to ENR 25 which caused the storage modulus to increase from 0.77 to 0.88 MPa. This showed that ENR 50-based MRE are stiffer in comparison to ENR 25-based MRE. Initial loss modulus value for ENR 50 (0.098 MPa) was lower than that of ENR 25 (0.112 MPa), consequently less energy is dissipated to surrounding for ENR 50-based MRE compare ENR 25-based MRE. The loss factor that represents damping properties showed that ENR 50 reached higher values (0.120 MPa) compared to ENR 25 (0.106 MPa). The increasing of CIPs content from 0 to 70 wt% contributed to increasing of magnetorheological effect for both ENR-based MRE where ENR 25 produced slightly higher with increment of 1.88 % to 22.6 % than ENR 50-based MRE with increment of 2.47 % to 18.18 % due to rise of magnetic forces generated from interaction of magnetic moments in magnetic domains of each CIPs. The results and analysis indicate that different levels of epoxidation in ENR have a marginal impact on the rheological properties of ENR-based MREs.

Understanding population dynamics and management strategies for a newly emerging pest Carea sp. in Eucalyptus plantations in Indonesia through a mathematical model

In this current study, we investigate the population dynamics of Carea sp. (Lepidoptera: Nolidae), a newly emerging pest in Indonesian Eucalyptus plantations, utilizing the MELP-SI-B mathematical model based on the first reported outbreak in 2022. The larval infestation of Carea sp. has been observed to stunt plant growth and can even lead to plant mortality. The proposed model incorporates pest management interventions, including chemical control with pesticides and biological control through the introduction of natural predators. Analysis of the deterministic compartment model revealed four locally asymptotically stable equilibrium points, validated using eigenvalue approach and application of the center manifold theorem. Bifurcation diagrams are presented to elucidate the relationships between all equilibrium points. An optimal control problem is explored within this model, considering three scenarios: chemical control without predators, simultaneous chemical control with predators, and chemical control followed by predator management. The results of the optimal control strategy analysis highlight the critical importance of timing the initial chemical control application for effective pest management. Notably, this study reveals that a combined approach involving chemical control (without predators) followed by predator management during the post-chemical control period yields the most favorable outcomes among the examined strategies.

The Combination of Cyber Security, Excessive Programming, and Available Technology to Create an Effective Weapon

This research presents a model for designing a military terrestrial drone from available technology by using Raspberry Pi, the proposed model should fulfill the general requirements by providing a secure remote connection, a camera control application with a reliable targeting system, and motion control. We suggested SSH connection with cyber-attack simulation by Ettercap and sslstrip tool to test its reliability, and mark vulnerabilities if exist, as for the camera application and targeting system, python was our main language to write it and we used the SSD object detection method of machine learning for the camera to be able to identify and track objects it sees, python libraries like Tkinter along with PIL library was used to create the application GUI interface and its functions along with OpenCV to provide algorithms for video stream processing and displaying, we used OpenCV also for object detection algorithms writing, and socket was used to create a client-server connection on raspberry pi and windows controlling machine to transfer the targeting control signal, as for the controlling of motion functions its done through SSH PutTTY app and the python curses library. The research’s goal is to prove a theory regarding the military technology in the Middle East of mostly using available and civilian-accessed technology provided in stores to manufacture weapons that could show great performance on the battlefield, we improvised this principle in drone manufacture due to its significant role in modern days war.

Optimization of PID Control of a Snake Robot’s Winding Crawling Motion

This paper explores the application of PID control to the winding crawling motion of a snack robot. Snack robots, mimicking the movement of real life limbless reptile, are designed with ultiple connected segments equipped with actuators and sensors, enabling them to navigate complex environments. The study aims to optimize the ground crawling behavior and obstacle avoidance f the snake-like robot using MATLAB simulation software. Initially, the robot’s joints were modeled in SolidWorks, and their degrees of freedom were programmed in MATLAB’s Simulink to enable controlled rotation. The PID control system was added to manage the robot’s motion, ensuring smooth and accurate crawling.

Determination and description of a vehicle's maximum jerk capacity

Both Transient Optimal and Quasi-Steady-State vehicle modelling are frequently used for minimum time manoeuvre and minimum lap-time simulations for motorsport/vehicle development purposes. Quasi-Steady-State methods have been shown to perform such tasks with low computational cost but produce results with measurable deviation from equivalent Transient Optimal studies. It is hypothesised that bounding point-mass models with jerk limits will improve alignment with Transient Optimal simulations through the consideration of transient behaviours such as control application rates and inertia. This work presents a new method for the determination of a vehicle's maximum jerk capacity from a seven degree-of-freedom vehicle model. A range of results from this proposed technique are presented and show the sensitivity of jerk capacity to changes in control application rate limits and yaw inertia, as well as current vehicle velocity, acceleration, and jerk. It is proposed that further exploration of the validity of the jerk limit calculation method take place through characterisation of said limits and application to a point-mass model, after which comparison to Transient Optimal and Quasi-Steady-State equivalents can occur.

The V410L kdr allele in the VGSC confers higher levels of field resistance to permethrin in urban mosquito populations of Aedes aegypti (L.).

Females of Aedes aegypti transmit emerging arboviruses including Zika, dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya. Control of these adult mosquitoes heavily relies on synthetic insecticides, including pyrethroids. However, insecticide resistance development in populations poses a significant challenge to vector control, particularly from knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC), the target of pyrethroids. This study investigated the field efficacy of Permanone, a pyrethroid-based insecticide, against Ae. aegypti by assessing the impact of three common kdr mutations (V410L, V1016I, F1534C) on mosquito survival under a real operational mosquito control scenario, by quantifying the pesticide delivered in the field. Field cage tests (FCTs) were conducted while conducting a realistic mosquito control application. Female mosquitoes from six operational areas from Harris County, TX, USA were exposed to Permanone delivered with a handheld sprayer. Permanone deposited near the cages was estimated from aluminum boats placed in the field during FCTs using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Mortality rates were recorded, and individual mosquitoes were genotyped for kdr mutations. A probit regression model was used to analyze the factors influencing mosquito survivorship. As the distance from the application source route increased, the amount of Permanone deposited decreased, resulting in higher survivorship frequency of Ae. aegypti females with the triple-resistant kdr genotype (LL/II/CC). The L allele at the 410-site significantly contributed to an increased resistance level when co-occurring with other kdr mutations. This study linked the survival probabilities of mosquitoes with different kdr genotypes, and the amount of pesticide they received in the field. Pesticide quantification, control efficacy results and genotyping allowed us to empirically determine the impact of genotypic resistance on vector control in the field. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Transcriptomic analysis of the gonads of Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera: Acrididae) following infection with Paranosema locustae.

Paranosema locustae is an environmentally friendly parasitic predator with promising applications in locust control. In this study, transcriptome sequencing was conducted on gonadal tissues of Locusta migratoria males and females infected and uninfected with P. locustae at different developmental stages. A total of 18,635 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in female ovary tissue transcriptomes, with the highest number of DEGs observed at 1 day post-eclosion (7141). In male testis tissue transcriptomes, a total of 32,954 DEGs were identified, with the highest number observed at 9 days post-eclosion (11,245). Venn analysis revealed 25 common DEGs among female groups and 205 common DEGs among male groups. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genome analyses indicated that DEGs were mainly enriched in basic metabolism such as amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, and immune response processes. Protein-protein interaction analysis results indicated that L. migratoria regulates the expression of immune- and reproductive-related genes to meet the body's demands in different developmental stages after P. locustae infection. Immune- and reproductive-related genes in L. migratoria gonadal tissue were screened based on database annotation information and relevant literature. Genes such as Tsf, Hex1, Apolp-III, Serpin, Defense, Hsp70, Hsp90, JHBP, JHE, JHEH1, JHAMT, and VgR play important roles in the balance between immune response and reproduction in gonadal tissues. For transcriptome validation, Tsf, Hex1, and ApoLp-III were selected and verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Correlation analysis revealed that the qRT-PCR expression patterns were consistent with the RNA-Seq results. These findings contribute to further understanding the interaction mechanisms between locusts and P. locustae.

Multimodal human-computer interaction in interventional radiology and surgery: a systematic literature review.

As technology advances, more research dedicated to medical interactive systems emphasizes the integration of touchless and multimodal interaction (MMI). Particularly in surgical and interventional settings, this approach is advantageous because it maintains sterility and promotes a natural interaction. Past reviews have focused on investigating MMI in terms of technology and interaction with robots. However, none has put particular emphasis on analyzing these kind of interactions for surgical and interventional scenarios. Two databases were included in the query to search for relevant publications within the past 10 years. After identification, two screening steps followed which included eligibility criteria. A forward/backward search was added to identify more relevant publications. The analysis incorporated the clustering of references in terms of addressed medical field, input and output modalities, and challenges regarding the development and evaluation. A sample of 31 references was obtained (16 journal articles, 15 conference papers). MMI was predominantly developed for laparoscopy and radiology and interaction with image viewers. The majority implemented two input modalities, with voice-hand interaction being the most common combination-voice for discrete and hand for continuous navigation tasks. The application of gaze, body, and facial control is minimal, primarily because of ergonomic concerns. Feedback was included in 81% publications, of which visual cues were most often applied. This work systematically reviews MMI for surgical and interventional scenarios over the past decade. In future research endeavors, we propose an enhanced focus on conducting in-depth analyses of the considered use cases and the application of standardized evaluation methods. Moreover, insights from various sectors, including but not limited to the gaming sector, should be exploited.

Retraction Note: A defensive design for control application based on networked systems

Retraction Note: A defensive design for control application based on networked systems

Effectiveness of Local Glucocorticoid Infiltration Versus Traditional Gauze Bandaging for the Treatment of Onychocryptosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background/objectives: Local intralesional corticosteroid injections into the periungual fold are used to treat patients with onychocryptosis, but their short- or medium-term effects are unknown. The goal was to compare the efficacy of this treatment in stages IIa, IIb, and III of the condition with a common conservative method such as gauze bandaging. Methods: A two-arm randomized trial with 40 patients with stage IIa, IIb, and III onychocryptosis equally assigned into two treatment groups—control (spiculotomy and application of gauze bandaging) and experimental group (spiculotomy and infiltration of corticosteroid)—was performed. Anthropometric data, initial clinical status, pain, and inflammatory measures were collected before and at least one month after the intervention. Results: Pain reduction was higher in the experimental group (5.5 vs. 4.8 points) but with no significant differences (p = 0.306).Corticosteroids significantly reduced inflammation over gauze bandaging (1.9 vs. 1) with significant differences between them (p = 0.029). Conclusions: Corticosteroid infiltration was more effective than gauze bandaging application in reducing inflammation in patients with onychocryptosis, with similar effects on pain. These findings support the clinical importance of corticosteroid treatment for this condition, although a single infiltration may not be sufficient to prevent relapses.

Isolation and characterization of a resistance Bacillus subtilis for soil stabilization and dust alleviation purposes

Dust poses environmental, geological, health, and economic concerns, and microorganisms can help mitigate these adverse consequences by improving soil properties. Microbial calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been found to be an efficient strategy for increasing soil strength, reducing soil porosity, and preventing erosion; however, severe environmental conditions such as pH and high temperatures may impede this process. To identify the best strain for MICP, 60 bacteria strains were obtained from arid soils using the enrichment culture technique. They were tested for the capacity of calcium carbonate deposition and biocement synthesis in stress environments. Phenotypic characterization indicated that the majority of the bacterial isolates were gram-positive and rod-shaped, with strong catalase and oxidase enzyme activity. Furthermore, MALDI-TOF MS identification revealed that the isolates were from the Bacillus and Pseudomonas genera. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze the microstructures and composition of bacterial cement. The results represented that B. subtilis isolate S56 has a higher production yield and forms distinctive calcite crystals as a result of fast urease synthesis. B. subtilis isolate S56 can be applied in situ to reduce soil erosion and dust pollution. This study reveals the potential of the B. subtilis S56 strain for soil consolidation and dust prevention in harsh environments and has the prospect of promoting its application in desertification control and ecological restoration.

Hyper CLS-Data-Based Robotic Interface and Its Application to Intelligent Peg-in-Hole Task Robot Incorporating a CNN Model for Defect Detection

Various types of numerical control (NC) machine tools can be standardly operated and controlled based on NC data that can be easily generated using widespread CAD/CAM systems. On the other hand, the operation environments of industrial robots still depend on conventional teaching and playback systems provided by the makers, so it seems that they have not been standardized and unified like NC machine tools yet. Additionally, robotic functional extensions, e.g., the easy implementation of a machine learning model, such as a convolutional neural network (CNN), a visual feedback controller, cooperative control for multiple robots, and so on, has not been sufficiently realized yet. In this paper, a hyper cutter location source (HCLS)-data-based robotic interface is proposed to cope with the issues. Due to the HCLS-data-based robot interface, the robotic control sequence can be visually and unifiedly described as NC codes. In addition, a VGG19-based CNN model for defect detection, whose classification accuracy is over 99% and average time for forward calculation is 70 ms, can be systematically incorporated into a robotic control application that handles multiple robots. The effectiveness and validity of the proposed system are demonstrated through a cooperative pick and place task using three small-sized industrial robot MG400s and a peg-in-hole task while checking undesirable defects in workpieces with a CNN model without using any programmable logic controller (PLC). The specifications of the PC used for the experiments are CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-10850K CPU 3.60 GHz, GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, Main memory: 64 GB.

Short-term effects of co-applied biochar and paper mill biosolids on soil microbial communities under field conditions

Biochar and paper mill biosolids (PB) are reported to improve soil fertility, crop growth and indirectly conditions for soil microbial communities. However, it is unclear how the co-application of these materials impacts soil microbial communities under field conditions. A study was initiated in 2018 in Québec, QC, Canada and fine roots and rhizosphere soil were sampled to determine the effects of co-application of wood biochar (0, 10, and 20 Mg dry wt. ha−1) and PB (0 and 30 Mg wet wt. ha−1) on the percentage of corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), soil microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) and microbial (Bacteria, Fungi and AMF) diversity and community structure in a temperate loamy soil. Co-applying PB and biochar increased soil MBP compared with the control and biochar-only application. Applying PB alone or with biochar increased the level of root colonization by AMF compared with the control and biochar-only application in soybean but not in corn. Overall, biochar and PB application had no significant effect on bacterial and AMF diversity and community structure compared with the control. However, applying PB alone or with biochar decreased the fungal alpha diversity (Shannon and Simpson indices), affected several fungal taxa abundances and shifted the fungal community structure as indicated by the principal coordination analysis (PCoA). Our results provided an understanding on the short-term effects of co-applied wood biochar and PB on microbial communities of a temperate loamy soil under field conditions, as well as scientific bases for further investigation.

Wind Farm Power Maximisation via Wake Steering: A Gaussian Process‐Based Yaw‐Dependent Parameter Tuning Approach

ABSTRACTMaximising the power production of wind farms is vital to meet the growing demand for wind energy and reduce its cost. Wake effects, resulting from the aerodynamic interactions between turbines in a wind farm, significantly impact farm efficiency, leading to substantial annual power losses. Wake steering, an influential control strategy, involves mitigating wake effects by strategically yaw misaligning upstream turbines to deflect their wakes. Conventional wake steering approaches typically rely on physics‐based analytical wake models with their parameters often calibrated using higher fidelity data. However, these approaches determine a fixed set of parameters prior to conducting wake steering, neglecting each parameter's dependency on yaw misalignment (i.e. the optimisation variables) exhibited throughout the optimisation process, potentially affecting its accuracy. To address this limitation, this paper introduces a novel data‐driven parameter tuning approach that integrates higher fidelity power measurements using Gaussian processes to continuously adapt parameters in lower fidelity wake models based on the current farm's yaw configuration. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated on a wind farm and a layout corresponding to the Horns Rev wind farm, where various wind directions are investigated. The results reveal that the approach can enable a lower fidelity model to capture more complex physics, thereby improving its accuracy in wake steering optimisation, while maintaining robustness and computational efficiency. This method holds promise for real‐time control applications and can be extended to other control strategies and closed‐loop frameworks.

A novel dynamic tracking method for coded targets with complex background noise

To address the issues of low tracking efficiency and poor localization accuracy of artificial coded targets under complex background interference conditions, a new method for dynamic tracking of coded targets is proposed. This method includes a lightweight feature tracker (CBAM-Slim-Net) for adaptive localization of coded circles and a large-capacity coded target solver (CSN-BSSCT). The CBAM-Slim-Net feature tracker achieves a detection accuracy of 0.987 with only 6.030 M parameters. In actual measurement environments with complex background interference, CSN-BSSCT can decode quickly and accurately, with a mean error of 0.036 mm in the three-dimensional Euclidean distance between coded circles in static measurement scenarios. Additionally, this method can analyze the motion trajectory of the target and perform dynamic stitching for 3D measurement from multiple perspectives, making it highly significant for applications in robot motion control and large-field-of-view 3D measurement.

Hydroponic Lettuce Cultivation with Organic Liquid Fertilizer: Examining Bacterial Inhibition and Phosphate Solubilization

This study explores organic hydroponic cultivation as a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers amid global supply challenges. With rising costs and the depletion of conventional nitrogen sources, organic liquid fertilizers are gaining attention for their microbial enrichment processes (MEP) that convert organic matter into plant-accessible nutrients. This experiment focuses on lettuce cultivation using two organic liquid fertilizers, Power Fish and POF vol. 2, in controlled environments. The results show that there are significant differences in plant growth parameters such as leaf number, fresh weight, chlorophyll content, and root length across different fertilizer treatments. Key findings include that effective management practices, including pH control and regular nutrient application, are crucial for maintaining microbial activity and optimizing nutrient uptake efficiency. Additionally, Bacillus sp. and Xanthomonas sp. were isolated from these fertilizers and dual-cultured with rot fungi, Pythium sp. and Fusarium sp. This dual cultivation demonstrated inhibitory activity against these pathogens, showcasing the potential of these microorganisms in promoting biofilm-mediated disease resistance in organic hydroponic systems. The study also emphasizes the phosphate solubilization capabilities of isolated bacteria, essential for sustainable nutrient cycling. Overall, organic hydroponic systems present a promising strategy for sustainable agriculture, reducing dependency on chemical inputs while enhancing crop productivity and resilience to environmental stressors.

Ultrasound Neuromodulation for Sleep and Neurological Disorder Therapy: A Path to Clinical Translation.

Ultrasound neuromodulation is a promising noninvasive technique capable of penetrating the skull and precisely targeting deep brain regions with millimeter accuracy. Recent studies have demonstrated that transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) of sleep-related brain areas can induce sleep in mice and even trigger a reversible, hibernation-like state without causing damage. Beyond its utility in preclinical models of central nervous system diseases, such as epilepsy, tremors, Alzheimer's disease, and depression, TUS holds significant potential for clinical translation. Given that many neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, are associated with sleep abnormalities, leveraging clinical TUS applications for these diseases also creates a pathway for translating this technology to sleep modulation in human use. These findings highlight the potential for ultrasound neuromodulation to advance neuroscience research and clinical applications in sleep control.

RADIOGRAPHY CLINICAL EDUCATION AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: PERSPECTIVE OF RADIOGRAPHY STUDENTS INTERNATIONALLY

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has signifi cantly impacted clinical practice. This study explored the impact of the pandemic on diagnostic radiography clinical education from the perspective of radiography students internationally. Materials and methods: A qualitative approach was used to gain insight into students' experience of clinical placement during the pandemic. A total of sixteen radiography students from six countries were recruited from an international Radiography summer research school. Qualitative data was gathered via three semi-structured focus groups (5-6 students per focus group). Data was analysed using Braun and Clark’s phases of thematic analysis. Results: Five key themes emerged in relation to clinical education during the COVID-19 pandemic, (i) unequal student access to personal protective equipment (PPE) (ii) challenges in achieving clinical learning outcomes (iii) impact of online education on clinical readiness (iv) emotional impact, and (v) coping strategies. Students indicated that they were particularly afraid of transmitting COVID-19 to their family and friends. Some students reported that they felt under pressure to receive COVID-19 vaccinations prior to clinical practice. Others reported confusion with respect to infection control guidelines and application of PPE. Conclusion: Student radiographers identifi ed key challenges which require consideration by educators to ensure students are appropriately prepared for and supported on clinical placement during a pandemic. Implications for practice: • The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted clinical education internationally and this study identifi es the implications for radiography students in terms of clinical readiness and their clinical placement experience. • Simulation-based in-person learning in the X-ray lab and PPE training were perceived by students to be important factors impacting clinical readiness.