Teleoperation of passivity-based model reference robust control over the internet

This dissertation offers a survey of a known theoretical approach and novel experimental results in establishing a live communication medium through the internet to host a virtual communication environment for use in Passivity-Based Model Reference Robust Control systems with delays. The controller which is used as a carrier to support a robust communication between input-to-state stability is designed as a control strategy that passively compensates for position errors that arise during contact tasks and strives to achieve delay-independent stability for controlling of aircrafts or other mobile objects. Furthermore the controller is used for nonlinear systems, coordination of multiple agents, bilateral teleoperation, and collision avoidance thus maintaining a communication link with an upper bound of constant delay is crucial for robustness and stability of the overall system. For utilizing such framework an elucidation can be formulated by preparing site survey for analyzing not only the geographical distances separating the nodes in which the teleoperation will occur but also the communication parameters that define the virtual topography that the data will travel through. This survey will first define the feasibility of the overall operation since the teleoperation will be used to sustain a delay based controller over the internet thus obtaining a hypothetical upper bound for the delay via site survey is crucial not only for the communication system but also the delay is required for the design of the passivity-based model reference robust control. Following delay calculation and measurement via site survey, bandwidth tests for unidirectional and bidirectional communication is inspected to ensure that the speed is viable to maintain a real-time connection. Furthermore from obtaining the results it becomes crucial to measure the consistency of the delay throughout a sampled period to guarantee that the upper bound is not breached at any point within the communication to jeopardize the robustness of the controller. Following delay analysis a geographical and topological overview of the communication is also briefly examined via a trace-route to understand the underlying nodes and their contribution to the delay and round-trip consistency. To accommodate the communication channel for the controller the input and output data from both nodes need to be encapsulated within a transmission control protocol via a multithreaded design of a robust program within the C language. The program will construct a multithreaded client-server relationship in which the control data is transmitted. For added stability and higher level of security the channel is then encapsulated via an internet protocol security by utilizing a protocol suite for protecting the communication by authentication and encrypting each packet of the session using negotiation of cryptographic keys during each session

Confronting Death: Co-infection with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C

This paper discusses a qualitative study completed by the researcher revealing the need for assistance for people living with a co-infection of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C. It is the role of a social worker to assist this at-risk population. Services must be made available to those co-infected, including courses on end of life coping skills, substance abuse, stigma, and depression and anxiety. Included in this article is a study that documents qualitative data from clients at a Drop-in Center in Providence, Rhode Island for people living with HIV/AIDS. The data proved inconclusive with regards to co-infection and death and dying, but demonstrates that death and dying still play a large role in persons diagnosed with HIV. Within the excerpts, the following 5 themes were identified: initial shock and references to dying, drug use as a method for coping with death, perseverance after initial diagnosis, hepatitis C adding additional worry and stress to HIV diagnosis, and the inability to cope with death and dying. Implications suggest that further data be collected on this topic and that death and dying needs to be addressed by social workers in a therapeutic setting when working with this population

Mapping the information-coping trajectory of young people coping with long term illness: An evidence based approach

Purpose - Purpose: We explore the relationship between information and coping information from the experiences of young people coping with long term illness. Design/methodology/approach - Methodology: Situational Analysis was used as a methodological approach. It has roots in the Chicago Symbolic Interactionism School. Cartographic approaches enabled the analysis, mapping the complexities emerging from the data. Findings - Findings: As the young people became more informed about their health conditions, and gained knowledge and understanding both about their illnesses, their own bodies and boundaries, their confidence and capacity to cope increased. Gaining confidence, the young people often wanted to share their knowledge becoming information providers themselves. From the data we identified five positions on an information-coping trajectory (1) Information deficiency (2) Feeling ill-informed (3) Needing an injection of information (4) Having information health and (5) Becoming an information donor. Research limitations/implications - Research limitations/implications: The research was limited to an analysis of thirty narratives. The research contributes to information theory by mapping clearly the relationship between information and coping. Originality/value - Originality/value: The information theories in this study have originality and multi-disciplinary value in the management of health and illness, and information studies

Systematic review of therapeutic leave in inpatient mental health services

AimTo identify, critically evaluate, and synthesise the empirical evidence about therapeutic leave from mental health inpatient settings.Background“Leave” occurs when a mental health inpatient exits the hospital ward with the appropriate authorisation alone, or accompanied by staff, family, or friends. Limited research has previously addressed therapeutic as opposed to unauthorised leave, and the evidence-base has not been systematically evaluated.DesignSystematic review methodology following relevant Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement guidance.Data SourcesMultiple electronic databases (CINAHL; Criminal Justice database; PsycARTICLES; Scopus; OpenGrey; Cochrane; GoogleScholar) for papers published from January 1967 to July 2017.Review MethodsInformation was extracted under the following headings: study, purpose/aims, sample, country, setting, design and data collection method(s), data collection instrument, and results. Papers were assessed, as per the hierarchy of scientific evidence, and where there was sufficient data, we calculated a range of standardised rates of leave incidence.ResultsStandardised leave rates in forensic settings reflect security level. There was little meaningful information on which to base calculation of rates for civil settings. The strongest evidence supports leave used for supervised discharge; other forms of leave lack an evidence base and decisions appear to be made on the basis of heuristic rules and unsupported assumptions. Clinical decision making about therapeutic leave cannot claim to be evidence-based.ConclusionResearch is urgently needed to provide information about how leave is managed, the best ways to support leave, and what happens on leave

How Coping, PTSD and Treatment Preferences Interact?

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder characterized by symptoms of intrusive recollection, avoidance or numbing, and hyper arousal following being exposed to a traumatic event involving threatened or actual death or serious injury (4th ed., text rev, DSM-IV-TR American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Those with PTSD, employ a variety of coping strategies to deal with the symptoms following their trauma exposure. Across studies, it has been found that coping styles which are active have a positive effect on both physical and psychological health (Gil & Caspi, 2005 Lazarus & Moskowits, 2004 Olff, Langeland, & Gersons, 2005). However, avoidance coping styles are common in those with PTSD and avoidant coping strategies positively relate to hassles, negative physical symptoms, and negative affect while negatively related to uplifts, life satisfaction, and positive affect (Amirkhan, 1990). Exposure therapy for PTSD is seen as highly effective as it addresses the avoidance symptoms of PTSD. A patient who chooses a therapy which does not involve facing the trauma memory may be doing so because of their tendency towards avoidant coping behaviors. It is the goal of the current study to 1) examine coping behaviors in a student population (sample 1) and a sample seeking treatment for PTSD (sample 2), 2) identify how these behaviors relate to treatment preference, and 3) how these behaviors relate to PTSD. The results revealed use of three styles of coping behavior: adaptive, maladaptive, and other coping. The use of coping did not significantly relate to treatment preference however it did relate to PTSD diagnosis in Sample