Autonomous Research Articles

Experiments Validated the Development of Zebrafish Embryos and Toxicological Mechanism of Borneols in Perinatal Period.

Studies have confirmed that high dose borneol has perinatal toxicity and has a certain effect on embryonic development. However, there is little about the effect of borneol on the development of zebrafish embryos. Therefore, we compared the effects of D-borneol, L-borneol and synthetic borneol on the growth and development of zebrafish embryos, and predicted the possible mechanism of perinatal toxicity. The embryonic mortality rate, hatching rate, and heart rate of each group were recorded at 48 hpf to compare the effects of borneols on the development of zebrafish embryos. Network pharmacology and molecular docking technology were used to predict the possible mechanism of perinatal toxicity. We found that borneols increased the mortality at 24 and 48 hpf, inhibited the autonomous movement behavior at 24 hpf, and affected the hatching rate and heart rate at 48 hpf. Network pharmacology analysis showed that borneols had the same toxic targets in the perinatal period and were involved in regulating perinatal toxicity by regulating pathways in cancer, chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation, PI3K-Akt and others. Molecular docking showed that the binding activity of the active ingredients and the core target was at a medium level, and the binding activity of the borneols active ingredients and the core target was not much different. Three kinds of borneol on the development of zebrafish embryos were different. The toxicity of L-borneol was the lowest. The mechanisms of perinatal toxicity were related to inflammation, apoptosis, cell cycle and growth, differentiation and reproduction.

CESDQL: Communicative experience-sharing deep Q-learning for scalability in multi-robot collaboration with sparse reward

Owing to the massive transformation in industrial processes and logistics, warehouses are also undergoing advanced automation. The application of Autonomous Mobile Robots (a.k.a. multi-robots) is one of the important elements of overall warehousing automation. The autonomous collaborative behaviour of the multi-robots can be considered as employment on a control task and, thus, can be optimised using multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL). Consequently, an autonomous warehouse is to be represented by an MARL environment. An MARL environment replicating an autonomous warehouse poses the challenge of exploration due to sparse reward leading to inefficient collaboration. This challenge aggravates further with an increase in the number of robots and the grid size, i.e., scalability. This research proposes Communicative Experience-Sharing Deep Q-Learning (CESDQL) based on Q-learning, a novel hybrid multi-robot communicative framework for scalability for MARL collaboration with sparse rewards, where exploration is challenging and makes collaboration difficult. CESDQL makes use of experience-sharing through collective sampling from the Experience (Replay) buffer and communication through Communicative Deep recurrent Q-network (CommDRQN), a Q-function approximator. Through empirical evaluation of CESDQL in a variety of collaborative scenarios, it is established that CESDQL outperforms the baselines in terms of convergence and stable learning. Overall, CESDQL achieves 5%, 69%, 60%, 211%, 171%, 3.8% & 10% more final accumulative training returns than the closest performing baseline by scenario, and, 27%, 10.33% & 573% more final average training returns than the closest performing baseline by the big-scale scenario.

Teachers' Attitudes Towards Learners' Autonomy

In order to be successful in higher education, a balanced cooperation between teachers and students is crucial; Involving students in evaluating and making decisions about their learning is important to foster their autonomy. The present study seeks to examine learner autonomy from teachers´ perspectives with the aim of helping the latter reflect on their practices and find out ways to help enhance students´ academic performance and accompany them on their journey towards autonomy. It builds on previous research into learner autonomy from students’ perspectives, which revealed a great awareness of the importance of learner autonomy among Moroccan university students. The article yielded evidence of very promising ground upon which can be built a culture of autonomy in Moroccan higher education. A mixed method approach was adopted to gather data. First, a questionnaire was conducted among 74 university teachers so as to discover 1) how–and if–teachers fostered autonomous learning behaviour in classes; and 2) what their attitudes toward learner autonomy were. Later, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 teachers to consider ways to give learners control over their own learning. The findings have confirmed that teachers play important roles in developing learner autonomy. They need to be facilitators of the learning process so that they can support their students emotionally and prepare them to become responsible for their own learning..Therefore, teachers have to reconsider the multiple roles they might play in order to foster their learners´autonomy.

Decoding the Influence of eHealth on Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness in Older Adults: Qualitative Analysis of Self-Determination Through the Motivational Technology Model.

Older adults adopt and use eHealth systems to build autonomy, competence, and relatedness and engage in healthy behaviors. The motivational technology model posits that technology features, such as those on websites, smart displays, and mobile phones, must allow for navigability, interactivity, and customizability, which spur feelings of self-determination and intrinsic motivation. We studied ElderTree, an online system for older adults that provides on-demand videos of healthy living content, self-monitoring, and weekly researcher-hosted video meetings. We aimed to understand the theoretical crossover between the motivational technology model and self-determination theory using features of ElderTree to understand the usability of the technology and how it may support older adults' autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Drawing participants from a randomized controlled trial of a mobile health app for older adults with multiple chronic conditions, we conducted qualitative interviews with 22 older adults about their use of the app; the interviews were coded using qualitative thematic analysis. Older adults did find that features within ElderTree such as content available on demand, good navigation, and weekly researcher-led video calls supported feelings of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, respectively. Individual differences such as a background using computers also influenced participants' experiences with the smart displays. Participants confirmed the features that increased internal motivation, such as interactivity correlating with feelings of relatedness, but they also found other ways to support autonomous health behavior change beyond narrow views of navigability, interactivity, and customization.

Simulating autonomous drone behaviors in an anti-access area denial (A2AD) environment

Army senior military leaders are invested in acquiring modernized aerial platforms and equipment to augment the US Army’s ability to overcome Anti-Access Area Denial (A2AD) threats imposed by modern Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS). A prominent element of this modernization effort is the employment of autonomous drones to defeat IADS threats while minimizing risk to Army Soldiers. This research utilizes a framework for classifying the levels of autonomous capability along three dimensions: the ability to act alone, the ability to cooperate, and the ability to adapt. A virtual combat model, created using the Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration, and Modeling (AFSIM), simulates the engagement between an enemy IADS and a friendly formation comprised of autonomous drones, attack helicopters, and a Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF) capability. A designed experiment evaluates drone performance with varying levels of autonomy. The experimental results reveal that low levels of autonomy yield a 20.74% increase in survivability and a 5.52% increase in lethality.

Emergent behaviors of buckling-driven elasto-active structures

Active systems of self-propelled agents, e.g., birds, fish, and bacteria, can organize their collective motion into myriad autonomous behaviors. Ubiquitous in nature and across length scales, such phenomena are also amenable to artificial settings, e.g., where brainless self-propelled robots orchestrate their movements into spatial-temporal patterns via the application of external cues or when confined within flexible boundaries. Like their natural counterparts, these approaches typically require many units to initiate collective motion, so controlling the ensuing dynamics is challenging. Here, we demonstrate a simple mechanism that leverages nonlinear elasticity to tame near-diffusive motile particles in forming structures capable of directed motion and other emergent behaviors. Our elasto-active system comprises two centimeter-sized self-propelled microbots connected with elastic beams. These microbots exert forces that suffice to buckle the beam and set the structure in motion. We first rationalize the physics of the interaction between the beam and the microbots. Then we use reduced-order models to predict the interactions of our elasto-active structures with boundaries, e.g., walls and constrictions, and demonstrate how they can exhibit remarkable emergent behaviors such as maze navigation. These findings demonstrate that allowing and understanding changes in body morphology can enhance the capabilities of active matter systems and enable the design of robotic materials capable of space exploration, adaptation, and complex interactions with their surrounding environment.

Autonomous Motion of Hydrogels Driven by Semi-Interpenetrating Chemical Processing Systems.

Developing artificial autonomous materials is crucial for a deeper understanding of the emergence of life-like behavior. In nature, cells achieve autonomy through chemical processing systems incorporated into soft material-based frameworks. Inspired by natural cells, we herein describe a straightforward methodology for constructing artificial autonomous materials consisting of a polymer-based chemical processing system and a hydrogel-based soft framework. Using a material comprising a hydrogel framework devoid of active components in combination with semi-interpenetrating self-oscillating linear polymers, we discovered that semi-interpenetrating polymer-based chemical processing systems drive the autonomous motion of the hydrogel framework. The material exhibited autonomous volumetric oscillation powered by the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction. Furthermore, the autonomous behavior is controllable by changing the content of the chemical processing system incorporated into the hydrogel framework. Our findings shed light on a class of autonomous materials based on polymer-based chemical processing systems with soft frameworks.

Rethinking Mahjar Literature and the Arab Nahḍah: Jubrān’s Critical Intervention

Abstract This paper foregrounds the ways in which Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān represents and addresses the project and concept of the Nahḍah. It demonstrates how the Arab renaissance is represented and engaged in Jubrān’s work as a polyvocal and contested space in which the particular and the universal dialectically and creatively intersect. Equally, it argues that a constant emphasis on individual and collective moral autonomy (al-istiqlāl al-maʿnawī) undergirds Jubrān’s Nahḍawī vision. Serving as the premise of creative aesthetic production, moral autonomy transforms the role of the poet from a crafter (ṣāniʿ) into a creator of a new mode of thinking/being in the world. It also functions as the sine qua non of original national and civilizational awakening, which is conceived of beyond traditionalism and westernization. This Nahḍawī engagement at once underlies and straddles poetics and politics, forcing us to re-evaluate Jubran’s role as a renaissance intellectual within and beyond the frameworks of literary Romanticism and postcolonialism.

8751 Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation in 32 Patients with Toxic Adenomas with Resolution of Hyperthyroidism in All Cases

Abstract Disclosure: L.G. Amato: None. E.M. Volpi: None. L.D. Volpi: None. P.M. Carani: None. A. Rahal: None. Introduction: In the general population, thyroid nodules are found in 3-7% of individuals on physical examination and in 20-76% on ultrasound. Around 8-10% of benign nodules may present autonomous behavior, being called hot nodules, causing symptoms of hyperthyroidism and being called toxic adenomas (TA). In TAs, autonomous hormone production can be caused by somatic activating mutations of genes regulating thyroid growth and hormone synthesis caused by somatic activating mutations of genes regulating thyroid growth and hormone synthesis. Classically, the proposed treatment for autonomous nodules was surgical resection or radioiodine ablation (RAI). In this context, the prevalence of hypothyroidism after the procedure varies from 2% to 3% following lobectomy, and lower after isthmusectomy in the unique circumstance in which the TA is confined to the thyroid isthmus. A study following 684 patients with TA treated with RAI reported a progressive increase in overt and sub-clinical hypothyroidism. Potential complications following near-total/total thyroidectomy include the risk of permanent hypoparathyroidism (< 2.0%) or recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (RLN) (< 2.0%). A small risk of permanent RLN injury exists with surgery for TA. Following RAI therapy, there have been reports of new-onset Graves Disease (up to 4% prevalence) as well as concern for thyroid malignancy and a very minimal increase in late non thyroid malignancy. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been a precise and effective alternative for the treatment of many benign thyroid nodules over the past ten years, including hot nodules. RFA could preserves normal thyroid function compared to surgery or RAI. Clinical case: We evaluated the effectiveness of a single session of RFA in 32 patients with TA, through hormonal status, achieving normalization of thyroid and volumetric reduction of the nodule. Among the 32 patients included in this study, aged between 25 and 88 years, of these, 31 were women and 1 was a man, all of whom underwent a single RFA procedure (“moving shot” technique associated with hydrodissection). We had a single case of a reversible complication: a patient who had transient vocal cord paralysis, with total reversal. There was a reduction in the volume of all nodules as well as all patients progressed to a state of euthyroidism within 60 days of follow-up. Conclusion: A single session of RFA was effective in treating autonomous nodules, restoring euthyroidism in all patients. Presentation: 6/3/2024

Resource budget model with Duffing oscillator for dynamics of synchronized biennial-bearing olives in the Levant

We develop and analyze a temporally continuous spatially lumped resource budget model to explain the dynamics of synchronized biennial-bearing olives in the Levant, specifically focusing on Syria, the region’s foremost olive-producing country. The model is a time-continuous counterpart of the celebrated resource budget model. It consists of a Duffing oscillator coupled with a dynamical model of pollination with an external force propelling olive growth by photosynthesis. The reference data are obtained from statistical databases of international organizations and our own observation systems in Jordan, a country neighboring Syria, providing a wealth of information to refine the model structure. An intensive review of Syria’s modern history involving significant shifts in agricultural policy and social stability leads to a conclusion that the model should comprehend the anomaly of olive yield interacting with socio-political factors as an autonomous behavior. The conventional mathematical methodology analyzes the model’s characteristics, such as solutions’ non-negativity, boundedness, and stability. The system is stable during pollination off-season but may become unstable and unbounded during pollination on-season, which is a property that the time-discrete resource budget model cannot reproduce. A significant finding is that coupling individual fruit trees by anemophily is not essential in synchronization, overturning earlier studies in the literature. The values of model parameters that best fit the historical data of olive yield in Syria result in bounded chaos. With alternative parameter values, the model could exhibit periodic oscillation, instability, or blowing up, as clearly shown in bifurcation diagrams.

Integrating Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) into Urban Traffic: Simulating Driving and Signal Control

The integration of autonomous vehicles into urban traffic systems offers a significant opportunity to improve traffic efficiency and safety at signalized intersections. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of how different autonomous vehicle driving behaviors—cautious, normal, aggressive, and platooning—affect key traffic metrics, including queue lengths, travel times, vehicle delays, emissions, and fuel consumption. A four-leg signalized intersection in Balgat, Ankara, was modeled and validated using field data, with twenty-one scenarios simulated to assess the effects of various autonomous vehicle behaviors at penetration rates from 25% to 100%, alongside human-driven vehicles. The results show that while cautious autonomous vehicles promote smoother traffic flow, they also result in longer delays and higher emissions due to conservative driving patterns, especially at higher penetration levels. In contrast, aggressive and platooning autonomous vehicles significantly improve traffic flow and reduce delays and emissions. Mixed-behavior scenarios reveal that different driving styles can coexist effectively, balancing safety and efficiency. These findings emphasize the need for optimized autonomous vehicle algorithms and signal control strategies to harness the potential benefits of autonomous vehicle integration in urban traffic systems fully, particularly in terms of improving traffic performance and sustainability.

Examining the Influence of Autonomous Vehicle Behaviors on Travel Times and Vehicle Arrivals: A Comparative Study Across Different Simulation Durations on the Kirkuk-Sulaymaniyah Highway

This study delves into the effects of autonomous vehicle behaviors on travel times and vehicle arrivals along the Kirkuk-Sulaymaniyah Highway, employing simulations spanning 3600, 5400, and 7200 seconds. Across varied traffic volumes ranging from 350 to 950 vehicles and autonomous vehicle behaviors categorized as cautious, normal, aggressive, aggressive platoons, and a mix alongside human-driven vehicles, the research unveils significant findings. Results highlight substantial reductions in average travel times and heightened vehicle arrivals among autonomous vehicles, particularly those exhibiting aggressive behaviors, compared to their human-driven counterparts. Across all simulation scenarios, aggressive autonomous vehicles consistently demonstrate superior performance, showcasing potential efficiency gains through aggressive driving algorithms. Furthermore, with increasing traffic volume, the advantages of aggressive autonomous behaviors become more pronounced, suggesting their adaptability to congested conditions. However, safety implications and traffic flow dynamics warrant caution, especially in scenarios with high volumes and aggressive behaviors. These insights underscore the importance of further research and policy considerations to leverage the full potential of autonomous vehicles while ensuring safety and efficiency on highways.

Развитие административно-территориального устройства Кабардино-Балкарии в 1920-е го-ды: проблемы, задачи, тенденции

The article studies the problems of internal administrative and territorial reorganization of the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Oblast (Region) in the 1920s. During this period, there was an active process of searching for effective forms of power organization, the formation of a system of Soviet autonomies and the establishment of a new Russian state in the region. In such circum-stances, the Soviet government identified one of the fundamental factors of state national policy as taking into account the interests of non-titular peoples living closely in national autonomies – national minorities. In Kabardino-Balkaria, those minorities included Cossacks, mountain Jews, Germans, Kumyks, etc. The governance of the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Oblast (Region) has actively joined in solving the issues of their self-determination. At the same time, certain forms of self-determination of national minorities provided for direct subordination to regional authorities. The administrative and territorial transformations carried out in the 1920s affected the foundations of the national autonomy of the Kabardian and Balkarian peoples, which was reflected in the institutional transformation and involvement in its structure of the majority of peoples liv-ing on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria. The issues of self-determination of national minorities were considered in July 1925 at the plenum of the Central Executive Committee of the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Oblast (Re-gion), the transcript and protocol of the decision of which are published as an appendix to this ar-ticle. They are of great scientific importance for understanding the main problems, tasks and trends in the development of the administrative and territorial development of Kabardino-Balkaria in the reviewed period.

Terrorism in Pakistan Impact on National Security

Terrorism presents a substantial obstacle in the current global political landscape, leading to changes in approaches to national security. The 9/11 attacks had a significant and far-reaching effect, on South Asia, notably in Pakistan, prompting leaders such as President George W. Bush to intensify worldwide counter-terrorism efforts. This research examines the relationship between terrorism and national security, focusing on Pakistan's experience with cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan, particularly in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The study argues that terrorism surpasses conventional conflict standards and poses existential risks to national security. The study also highlights the impact of terrorist spillover from Afghanistan on Pakistan's territorial integrity, political sovereignty, and core institutions. The study also highlights the degradation of civil freedoms, economic pressures, and social divides due to terrorism. The research advocates for strong counter-terrorism strategies and global collaboration to strengthen national security and maintain global peace. The research advocates for a comprehensive strategy to address terrorism, emphasizing self-sufficiency and global cooperation, aiming to successfully battle terrorism while preserving national autonomy and democratic government in international affairs.

Expressing miR-282 mitigates Aβ42-induced neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's model in Drosophila

Alzheimer's disease is a complex neurodegenerative condition characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta plaques, leading to memory loss, cognitive decline, and impaired autonomous behavior. Despite extensive research, an effective treatment remains elusive. The buildup of amyloid beta plaques (Aβ42) in the brain causes oxidative stress and disrupts normal molecular signaling, adversely affecting neuron function. Previous research has identified factors that can either exacerbate or mitigate neurodegenerative diseases. Our study aimed to uncover new factors involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Using Drosophila as a model organism, we employed the Gal4/UAS system to express human Aβ42 in the flies' retinal neurons which led to neurodegenerative changes in their compound eyes. To identify genetic modifiers, we conducted a screen by co-expressing microRNAs and found that miR-282 acts as a suppressor. Overexpressing miR-282 in the GMR > Aβ42 background reduced Aβ42-induced neurodegeneration. Further analysis using prediction tools and RNA interference experiments identified three potential downstream targets of miR-282: calpain-B, knot, and scabrous. Downregulating these genes via RNA interference in the GMR > Aβ42 background mitigated neurodegeneration. Our research highlights miR-282 as a novel molecule that may influence the progression of Alzheimer's disease, offering potential avenues for future therapeutic or diagnostic developments.

Ethical Considerations for Autonomous Vehicle Behavior: Approach and Framework

Ethical Considerations for Autonomous Vehicle Behavior: Approach and Framework

Ethical leaders’ search for meaning: Ancient Confucian wisdom in Modern East Asia

In secular Western societies, individuals often embark on an autonomous quest for meaning in life, which, however, can lead to frustration. In contrast, many East Asian ethical leaders draw on age-old teachings to find fulfillment—an underexplored topic that merits further investigation. By analyzing ancient Confucian tenets and the discourses of modern Confucian leaders, this paper unveils three key aspects of the Confucian meaning of life: The Heavenly Way (the comprehension that good begets good), the Heavenly Mandate (the purpose of doing good), and the Heavenly Nature (the significance of one’s inherent goodness). From a psychological perspective, this “Confucian meaning framework” has persisted for millennia because its elements not only exhibit internal consistency and structural robustness but also fulfill humanity’s psychological needs for meaningfulness, transcendence, justice, self-improvement, competence, altruism, relatedness, morality, moral autonomy, and self-esteem. Therefore, ancient Confucian wisdom effectively counters the contemporary existential vacuum in modern East Asia. This paper highlights the crucial role of cultural heritage in our existential quests, opening new avenues for blending philosophical insights with psychological research. It also illustrates the power of psychological theories to explain the lasting influence of certain ancient cultures on modern life, demonstrating the intriguing interplay between culture and psychology.

Теоретики русского народничества о проблеме нравственной автономии личности

Introduction. The article analyzes the works of Russian populists, which contain a socio-philosophical solution to the problem of moral autonomy of the individual. Theoretical analysis. The socio-philosophical ideal of populist thought was closely connected with the theory of organizing a fair society based on the pattern of social solidarity, which implies socially responsible behavior of citizens who respect other people’s rights and act in the interests of human liberation. Individual autonomy can be achieved through various methods of liberation: through labor activity and the practice of cooperation, socio-political activity in the direction of realizing the social ideal of conscious solidarity. The moral autonomy of the individual, therefore, does not imply moral nihilism, but, on the contrary, is aimed at finding a compromise between private and public interests. Theorists of populism develop the thesis of N. G. Chernyshevsky’s «reasonable egoism», according to which intellectually and morally meaningful individualistic (autonomous) behavior can correspond to collective interests. The moral autonomy of the individual, according to most populists, does not deny the possibility of socially responsible behavior. Conclusion. Populist thought becomes a kind of counterpoint to the development of liberating social thought in Russia, transforming the ideal type of carrier of liberating ideas: a morally autonomous nihilist turns into a socially responsible populist.

Autonomous hunter-gatherer children in hierarchical schools: a review of the literature from the global South

We recently conducted a review of the literature regarding hunter-gatherer children’s schooling experiences in the global South (Ninkova et al 2024). In this research note, we highlight one central finding of our review: that the autonomy granted to hunter-gatherer children determines their participation in school. Children decide for themselves whether they will attend. Children also decide for themselves whether they will pursue alternative endeavours such as subsistence activities or play. When children do attend school, autonomous behaviour is generally not tolerated within the hierarchical classroom structure. Hunter-gatherer children are often reprimanded or punished when they fail to observe hierarchical rules, leading them to drop out. An important conclusion of our review is that if the global development priority of universal education is to be realised, the focus must be on local needs rather than broad global solutions. For hunter-gatherer children, local needs involve designing schools which reflect and respect hunter-gatherer autonomy.

Expanding Ground Vehicle Autonomy into Unstructured, Off-Road Environments: Dataset Challenges

As with the broad field of deep learning, autonomy is a research topic that has experienced a heavy explosion in attention from both the scientific and commercial industries due to its potential for the advancement of humanity in many cross-cutting disciplines. Recent advancements in computer vision-based autonomy has highlighted the potential for the realization of increasingly sophisticated autonomous ground vehicles for both commercial and non-traditional applications, such as grocery delivery. Part of the success of these technologies has been a boon in the abundance of training data that is available for training the autonomous behaviors associated with their autonomy software. These data abundance advantage is quickly diminished when an application moves from structured environments, i.e., well-defined city road networks, highways, street signage, etc., into unstructured environments, i.e., cross-country, off-road, non-traditional terrains. Herein, we aim to present insights, from a dataset perspective, into how the scientific community can begin to expand autonomy into unstructured environments, while highlighting some of the key challenges that are presented with such a dynamic and ever-changing environment. Finally, a foundation is laid for the creation of a robust off-road dataset being developed by the Engineer Research and Development Center and Mississippi State University’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems.