A document by Syed Haider . Click on the document to view its contents.

This paper mainly solves the problem of synchronous control of the master-slave manipulator in an underwater teleoperation system with hardware performance limitations, model uncertainties, and unknown external disturbances. Firstly, in order to meet the limitations of hardware conditions such as the motor speed in the hardware platform, and a prescribed performance function(PPF) is proposed to constrain the speed error, effectively improving the transient performance of the system. Secondly, a prescribed-performance-based adaptive nonsingular integral sliding mode controller(ANISMC) is proposed. Compared with the existing integral sliding mode controllers, the controller in this paper has a faster convergence speed. Then, the Lyapunov method is used to prove that the transformation error and the sliding surface can converge to zero within a fixed time, solving the problem that the integral sign is difficult to cancel when the integral sliding mode controller is used to prove fixed-time stability with the Lyapunov method, and there is no need to know the upper limit of uncertainties and disturbances in advance. Finally, the simulation comparison experiment shows the superiority of the proposed PPF-based ANISMC

：To achieve a stable addition of foaming agent under high flow rates, an independently designed Venturi structure with self-suction of liquid and foaming agent was numerically simulated. We simulated the effects of different suction structure diameters, contraction angles, throat length and position on the suction ratio, compared and analyzed the data, and determined the optimal suction structure parameters. The suction ratio stabilizes and then decreases as the outlet pressure increases. At an outlet pressure of 0.48 MPa, the suction ratio remains stable at 1.14%. However, as the outlet pressure increases, the ability of the Venturi structure to add foaming agent to the self-suction liquid decreases under high flow rates, causing the suction ratio to rapidly decrease to a minimum value of 0.55 MPa. The suction ratio shows a tendency to first stabilize and then decrease as the outlet pressure increases. When the outlet pressure reaches 0.48 MPa, the suction ratio can remain stable at 1.14%; as the outlet pressure increases, the addition ability of the Venturi structure with foaming agent added to the self-suction liquid under high flow rate decreases, and the suction ratio rapidly decreases to a minimum value of 0.55 MPa. We have conducted a detailed analysis of the process and flow field of liquid suction. As the pressure ratio increases, the high-speed area of the throat gradually shrinks, and the flow field in the diffusion section fluctuates. When the outlet pressure is 0.6 MPa and the velocity field shifts towards the upper part of the diffusion section, the cavitation area will gradually disappear and lose its liquid suction ability.

One of the types of external human parasites is a follicular scab called Demodex. Demodicosis is a skin disease in human and canine. Demodex mites feed on the epithelial cells of the hair follicle or sebaceous gland which found on and around the face. The host body immune system is responsible for controlling the population of parasites and Disruption of the cutaneous barrier causes stimulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) Consequently, Demodex chitin detect by keratinocyte TLRs. According to the results, association between Demodicosis and the HLA gene showed that individuals with the gene HLACW2 are five times more likely to develop Demodicosis than others because Nk2 and T1 cells of the adaptive immune response are reduced. In human Demodicosis, factors such as carbohydrate-like Tn antigen (expressed by Demodex) and secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators may play a role in the innate immune response. Additionally, the expression level of TLR2 was increased and TLR4, TLR6 expression was decreased. Flow cytometry analysis of blood samples collected from individuals with human Demodicosis and healthy individuals showed that in the patient group, there were more T9 and T reg cells in the blood samples and in skin homing T cell populations compared to the control group. Studies of canine Demodicosis have reported that lymphocyte populations are composed mostly of CD3+ and CD8+ T cells. The importance of the humoral immune response during primary Demodicosis has not yet been determined because no significant differences in circulatory immune were seen. It seems that the host immune system appears to recognize and tolerate the presence of these mites, although the physiological role of human Demodex mites in healthy skin remains unclear, especially the way in which they escape the innate immune system is very important.

This study aims to investigate the low cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior and fatigue life prediction method of an advanced solid solution strengthened nickel-based superalloy at various temperatures and stress concentrations. Cylindrical specimens as well as plates with three types of holes (including straight holes and inclined holes with different orientations) were designed and machined for fatigue tests. The test results revealed fatigue life decreases with the temperature increasing. Meanwhile, the fatigue lives of the plate specimens have decreased differently and are strongly dependent on the geometry and orientation of the holes. The key damage parameter related to the fatigue life was found on the strain gradient path. A criterion based on strain gradient is defined as the boundary of the damage process zone. The results show that the prediction was in good agreement with the experimental data, for the majority of the data is within a scatter band of ±2.

Organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of contracting severe Covid due to their chronic immunosuppression, having both a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. Attempts to mitigate the contraction of COVID-19, the expeditious role out of the vaccines was first offered to those in this vulnerable subclass. Quickly established was the need for further booster doses to promote the immunological response in the immunosuppressed. This paper is a uni-centred study, exploring the anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) and anti-Spike immunoglobulin levels in a small subset of liver transplant recipients in Adelaide, South Australia, pre- and post 3rd administration of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Peripheral bloods samples taken were compared to a group of health controls. The data showed that a minimum of three doses of the vaccine were required in the liver transplant patients, in order to express both anti-RBD and anti-Spike IgG to levels that were statistically comparable to that of healthy individuals.

Understanding the intricate dynamics of biodiversity within and across riverine ecosystems, influenced by geological history and environmental factors, is crucial for effective conservation and management strategies. Italy, particularly the Ligurian region, harbors diverse freshwater fish communities and populations shaped by unique geological and hydrological conditions. Here, we investigated the suitability of eDNA-metabarcoding to identify inter- and intraspecific diversity patterns of riverine fish populations along the main drainage divide (MDD) between the Adriatic and Ligurian basins in Northern Italy. We collected 96 aquatic eDNA samples across 48 riverine sites, amplified them using a cytb primer pair and denoised the sequences to retrieve amplicon sequence variants (ASV). We calculated communities’ phylogenetic distance with betaMPD based on genetic distances derived from the ASVs, combined them with conductance-based landscape metrics and applied generalized dissimilarity models (GDM) to assess spatial genetic structure. Our results reveal genetic differentiation among populations of several fish species, with some displaying clustering patterns across the drainage divide and isolation by distance patterns. Overall, taxon richness was significantly higher in the Ligurian sites (25) than in the Adriatic side of the MDD (22), as was ASV richness (205 vs. 196). Our findings highlight the effectiveness of eDNA-metabarcoding in uncovering various facets of diversity, shedding light on hidden genetic diversity within ASVs, and revealing significant spatial genetic structuring in freshwater fish populations across multiple species.

In recent years, the number of patients with implanted leadless pacemaker has increased significantly. Due to the small size of the device, low risk of infection, indications for removal are rare. The dwell time is correlated with extraction difficulty. Although the MICRA TPS contains retrieval feature at the proximal part of the device, the manufacturer (Medtronic) does not offer tools dedicated to this procedure. Complete encapsulation of the device may also make removal difficult or even impossible. We present the case of a patient in whom MICRA TPS was successfully removed 70 months after implantation with non-dedicated commercially available tools.

Achalasia Cardia: A Case Report in Young Female

The increasing use of mobile robots in everyday life has ne- cessitated the development of efficient path planning algo- rithms to enable safe and reliable navigation in both known and unknown environments. Path planning is the process of discovering an optimal and safe path for a robot to navigate from its starting point to its destination. Finding the ideal collision-free path is one of the most challenging aspects of mobile robot navigation. There are various path-planning techniques to obtain an optimal path in the presence of ob- stacles; an optimal path planning technique of mobile robot saves time and reduces capital investment. These techniques can be divided into two categories viz clas- sical and heuristic. This paper provides a comprehensive re- view of path planning techniques for mobile robot naviga- tion in known and unknown environments. Path planning becomes more challenging in unknown environments, where a robot does not have prior knowledge about the surround- ings. In contrast, path planning in known environments can utilize prior knowledge about the environment to find an op- timal path. When comparing classical and heuristic approaches, it has been found that heuristic approaches are more resilient and perform well in all environments because they can deal with uncertainties. Heuristic approaches are also employed as hybrid algorithms to increase the performance of the clas- sical approaches. Heuristic techniques are well-known and frequently used for mobile robot path planning. Key opti- mization criteria, including path length, smoothness and safety degree, are also critically assessed. The paper also tabulates the advantages, disadvantages, and comparison of classical and heuristic path-planning techniques. The paper finally concludes by discussing potential future research directions to provide a roadmap for future advancements in mobile robot path planning techniques

A document by Kimia Jazi. Click on the document to view its contents.

An experimental study was conducted to investigate how the arrangement of conical fins enhances the performance of a heat sink under forced convection conditions. Two types of heat sinks were manufactured: a staggered heat sink and an inline heat sink. The heat sink was manufactured from AL383 alloy, and the dimensions of the fins are 50 mm in height, 12 mm in diameter, with a distance of 30 mm between them. The heat sink is positioned within a horizontal channel. Five different speeds, ranging from 1.5 to 4 m/s, were utilized with a constant heat source. A variety of variables were examined, including heat dissipation, heat transfer coefficient, temperature distribution along the fin, Reynolds number (Re), Nusselt number (Nu), and heat sink efficiency. It’s evident from the results that the staggered heat sinks disperse heat more effectively than the inline heat sink, exhibiting an 8.78% increase in heat dissipation at Re 15000. Furthermore, the staggered heat sink demonstrates a significant improvement in the heat transfer coefficient (h), with a 35% enhancement at Re 15000 compared to the inline heat sink. The Nusselt number of staggered heat sinks increases with an increase in Reynolds number. The ANSYS program was utilized to determine the optimal height-to-diameter (B/d) ratio for the conical fin. While the diameter could vary from 8 mm to 16 mm, the height remained constant at 50 mm. Consequently, the ratio was tested at (6.2, 5, 4, 3.5, 3.1). The staggered heat sink dissipated 8.78% more heat than the linear heat sink at Re 15000. The heat transfer coefficient (h) value increases by 35% at Re 15000 for the staggered heat sink compared with the linear heat sink. Additionally, the Nusselt number increases with the rise in the Reynolds number (Re) and is higher for the staggered then the inline heat sink by 45% at Re 15000. Also, the results clearly convey the finding that the efficiency at Re 15000, the staggered heat sink outperforms the inline heat sink by 7.24%. Additionally, the optimal ratio for dispersing heats throughout the fin’s length was (B/d=4).

The formation of mixed-species groups (MSGs) (also called heterospecific or polyspecific groups) is often considered an anti-predator strategy used in response to an increased predation risk. Recent studies performed in savanna ecosystems in Africa have demonstrated an increased formation of ungulate MSGs in higher predation risk areas. Nevertheless, these studies only considered one predator species (the lion Panthera leo) in evaluating the response to predation risk. Yet, species evolve in multi-predator systems that require prey to respond to multiple sources of risks. Although the importance of incorporating these multiple predators in studies is recognized, there is still little information on the behavioral strategies, including MSG formation, that prey can use to minimize predation risk from multiple predators. In the present study, we analyzed a large dataset of camera trap data (more than 160,000 observations) from five sites located in savanna biome in South Africa. We studied the likelihood of MSGs formation in response to the presence of different predators (lion, leopard (Panthera pardus), spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), and wild dog (Lycaon pictus)). We demonstrated that the probability of forming MSGs increased when (i) the photographic rate of the interacting species increased and (ii) the photographic rate of predators increased. Our results showed that lion and spotted hyena are the predator species most likely to trigger the formation of MSGs for different prey species. These results suggest a “hierarchy of fear” among predators in which both species are the most feared, even for prey species that either predator does not preferentially select. A large number of MSGs formed in the presence of these two predator species included Burchell’s zebras (Equus quagga burchellii), in association with species that have complementary modes of predator detection (e.g. wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis). Our study highlights the importance of incorporating multiple predators into MSG analyses to better understand ecosystem functioning and, community formation.

In this work, we introduce a new form of the quaternionic fractional uncertainty relation within the framework of quaternionic quantum mechanics. This is closely associated with the Li-Ostoja-Starzewski fractional gradient operator, characterized by an order range of 0 ≤1. We explore a novel Quaternionic Schrödinger equation and its specific implications, particularly addressing solutions that lead to the emergence of position-dependent mass. Additionally, we validate the theory by comparing it against the observed maximum wavelengths in the 1,3,5-hexatriene molecule.

Background and purpose: Toll like receptors (TLR) 4 and 7/8 play an important role in mediating the inflammatory effects of bacterial and viral pathogens. IRAK4 is an important regulator of TLR signalling, and hence is a potential therapeutic target in diseases characterised by increased lung inflammatory signalling. Experimental approach: We used an established murine model of acute lung inflammation, and studied human lung tissue ex vivo to investigate the effects of inhibiting IRAK4 on lung inflammatory pathways. Key results: We show that TLR4 stimulation produces an inflammatory response characterised by neutrophil influx and TNFα production in murine lungs, and that these responses are markedly reduced in IRAK4 kinase-dead mice. In addition, we characterise a novel selective IRAK4 inhibitor, BI1543673 and show that this compound is able to reduce LPS induced airway inflammation in wild type mice. BI1543673 also reduced inflammatory responses to both TLR4 and TLR 7/8 stimulation in human lung tissue studied ex vivo. Conclusions and implications: These data show demonstrate a key role for IRAK4 signalling in lung inflammation, and suggest that IRAK4 inhibition has potential utility for treating lung diseases characterised by inflammatory responses driven through TLR4 and TLR 7/8.

Florida, U.S.A. is a hotspot of biological invasions with over 500 non-native species reported. Reptiles encompass the majority of non-native wildlife with over 50 species established, many of which are sympatric and are identified as invasive due to their impacts to the environment, economy, and human health and safety. Reports of new non-native reptiles occur and many established non-native reptiles continue to expand their ranges in Florida, increasing the need for multi-taxa detection and monitoring capabilities. Invasive constrictor snakes are a primary focus of management efforts due to life history traits that favor successful establishment and dispersal in Florida as well as their impacts to native wildlife and Everglades restoration efforts. While traditional survey methods that rely on visual detections fail to reliably detect invasive constrictors, environmental DNA (eDNA) has proven to be a promising method for detection of cryptic and rare species across the landscape. To address emerging needs for multi-species detection and monitoring in Florida we developed the first tetraplex dPCR assay designed for detection of four species of invasive constrictor snakes, including Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus), northern African pythons (P. sebae), boa constrictors (Boa constrictor), and rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria). In this tetraplex assay, no cross-amplification across species was documented. This assay serves as a valuable tool for faster and more accurate monitoring efforts of these invasive species in south Florida.

In the realm of traditional representation learning for Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks, the prevalent approach involves leveraging large language models like BERT, GPT-2, XLNet, and others, which demonstrate their prowess when trained on extensive datasets. However, the quest for effective representation learning becomes a formidable challenge when data is scarce or costly to acquire, such as in specialised domains and low-resource languages. This challenge stems from the scarcity of suitable algorithms and the inherent difficulties in learning representations from limited data. In this study, we introduce a novel and groundbreaking technique, the Attention-sequence Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (ABiLSTM), to tackle this challenge head-on. This method amalgamates the strengths of attention mechanisms and bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, bolstering the model’s ability to capture intricate patterns and dependencies within sequential data, particularly in scenarios involving small or constrained datasets. Through empirical analysis, we delve into the intricate dynamics of neural network architectures, specifically examining the impact of varying numbers of hidden layers and the occurrence of training errors. These aspects are scrutinised in the context of unsupervised pretraining methods, with a focus on their effectiveness in generating robust and informative representations for open relation extraction tasks. Furthermore, we propose the use of knowledge graph techniques to tackle the challenge of imbalanced data during information extraction processes. Our study demonstrates that the use of ABiLSTM yields superior results in open relation extraction tasks, even when dealing with small or limited datasets. This advancement represents a significant contribution to the fields of natural language understanding and information extraction.

The palm family is a major source of invasive woody plants because of their long history of introductions outside their native range in tropical and subtropical regions for their use as food and ornamentals. Areca triandra Roxb. Ex Buch-Ham, was introduced to Sri Lanka in 1867 through the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya has been grown as an ornamental for over a century. This study shows its naturalization in the southwest humid lowlands and is invasive. Population and reproductive characteristics were studied in Meethirigala and Yagirala Forest Reserves. In each location, stems > 1m height and crown cover were sampled in three plots of 400 m2 (20 m × 20 m) and the ground layer < 1 m height sampled through four 1 m x 1 m plots within each 400 m2 (total of 24 plots). A. triandra accounted for 56% - 66% of stems > 1 m height, 52% - 76% crown cover, and 64% - 77% of stems and seedlings in the ground layer < 1 m height. Clump formation was high with 30% - 51% having 2 - 7 stems, compared to single stems of 12% - 26%. Fruit production was prolific, each infructescence yielding 140 - 250 fruits and each clump of multiple stems producing 1 - 3 infructescence. This resulted in a total of 250 - 440 fruits per clump, translating up to 8000 fruits per 20 m × 20 m plot; bright red, fleshy fruits attracted avian and mammalian frugivores aiding seed dispersal. The palm favored disturbed forest edges, and shady understory habitats displacing native understory, suppressing native canopy regeneration. The Invasiveness Assessment Protocol indicated moderate risk from A. triandra in the wet zone, exposing vulnerability of Sri Lanka’s highly fragmented biodiverse rain forests. This emphasizes the need for urgent action of this species.