Simulated lumped-parameter system reduced-order adaptive control studies

Two methods of interpreting the misbehavior of reduced order adaptive controllers are discussed. The first method is based on system input-output description and the second is based on state variable description. The implementation of the single input, single output, autoregressive, moving average system is considered

Reemergence of epidemic malaria in the highlands of western Kenya.

Hospital records (1990-1997) of a tea company in the Kericho district, western Kenya, showed malaria epidemics almost annually from May to July, with an annual attack rate of 50%, 857 hospitalizations per 100,000 per year, and 42 deaths per 100,000 per year; 32% of deaths in hospitalized patients were caused by malaria. A questionnaire survey (June 1997) of 244 patients hospitalized for malaria showed that only 8% had traveled to an area with known malaria transmission 30 days before diagnosis. The increasing malaria incidence may be due to drug resistance

Energy-efficient scheduling for a flexible flow shop using an improved genetic-simulated annealing algorithm

This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, [Volume 29, Issue 5, October 2013, Pages 418–429] DOI10.1016/j.rcim.2013.04.001[EN] The traditional production scheduling problem considers performance indicators such as processing time, cost and quality as optimization objectives in manufacturing systems; however, it does not take energy consumption and environmental impacts into account completely. Therefore, this paper proposes an energy-efficient model for flexible flow-shop scheduling (FFS). First, a mathematical model for a FFS problem, which is based on an energy-efficient mechanism, is described to solve multi-objective optimization. Since FFS is well known as the NPhard problem, an improved genetic-simulated annealing algorithm is adopted to make a significant trade-off between the makespan and the total energy consumption for implementing a feasible scheduling. Finally, a case study of production scheduling problem for metalworking workshop in a plant is simulated. The experimental results show the relationship between the makespan and the energy consumption is conflicting apparently. Moreover, an energy saving decision is performed in a feasible scheduling. Using the decision method, there can be a significant potential to minimize energy consumption while complying with the conflicting relationshipThis research was carried out as a part of the CASES project which is supported by a Marie Curie International Research Staff Exchange Scheme Fellowship within the 7th European Community Framework Program under the Grant agreement no 294931. This research was also supported by National Science Foundation of China (No. 51175262), Jiangsu Province Science Foundation for Excellent Youths (No. BK201210111), Jiangsu Province Industry-Academy-Research Grant (No. BY201220116), the NUAA Fundamental Research Fund (No. NS2013053), the Project Funded by Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD), and the research project TIN2010-20976-C02-01 (Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain).Dai, M.; Tang, D.; Giret Boggino, AS.; Salido Gregorio, MA.; Li, W. (2013). Energy-efficient scheduling for a flexible flow shop using an improved genetic-simulated annealing algorithm. Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing. 29(5):418-429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcim.2013.04.001S41842929

Community-acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among Military Recruits

We report an outbreak of 235 community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections among military recruits. In this unique environment, the close contact between recruits and the physical demands of training may have contributed to the spread of MRSA. Control measures included improved hygiene and aggressive clinical treatment

An affordable, quality-assured community-based system for high-resolution entomological surveillance of vector mosquitoes that reflects human malaria infection risk patterns.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: More sensitive and scalable entomological surveillance tools are required to monitor low levels of transmission that are increasingly common across the tropics, particularly where vector control has been successful. A large-scale larviciding programme in urban Dar es Salaam, Tanzania is supported by a community-based (CB) system for trapping adult mosquito densities to monitor programme performance. Methodology An intensive and extensive CB system for routine, longitudinal, programmatic surveillance of malaria vectors and other mosquitoes using the Ifakara Tent Trap (ITT-C) was developed in Urban Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and validated by comparison with quality assurance (QA) surveys using either ITT-C or human landing catches (HLC), as well as a cross-sectional survey of malaria parasite prevalence in the same housing compounds. RESULTS: Community-based ITT-C had much lower sensitivity per person-night of sampling than HLC (Relative Rate (RR) [95% Confidence Interval (CI)] = 0.079 [0.051, 0.121], P < 0.001 for Anopheles gambiae s.l. and 0.153 [0.137, 0.171], P < 0.001 for Culicines) but only moderately differed from QA surveys with the same trap (0.536 [0.406,0.617], P = 0.001 and 0.747 [0.677,0.824], P < 0.001, for An. gambiae or Culex respectively). Despite the poor sensitivity of the ITT per night of sampling, when CB-ITT was compared with QA-HLC, it proved at least comparably sensitive in absolute terms (171 versus 169 primary vectors caught) and cost-effective (153US$versus 187US$ per An. gambiae caught) because it allowed more spatially extensive and temporally intensive sampling (4284 versus 335 trap nights distributed over 615 versus 240 locations with a mean number of samples per year of 143 versus 141). Despite the very low vectors densities (Annual estimate of about 170 An gambiae s.l bites per person per year), CB-ITT was the only entomological predictor of parasite infection risk (Odds Ratio [95% CI] = 4.43[3.027,7. 454] per An. gambiae or Anopheles funestus caught per night, P =0.0373). Discussion and conclusion CB trapping approaches could be improved with more sensitive traps, but already offer a practical, safe and affordable system for routine programmatic mosquito surveillance and clusters could be distributed across entire countries by adapting the sample submission and quality assurance procedures accordingly

Clinical Epidemiology of Malaria in the Highlands of Western Kenya

Malaria in the highlands of Kenya is traditionally regarded as unstable and limited by low temperature. Brief warm periods may facilitate malaria transmission and are therefore able to generate epidemic conditions in immunologically naive human populations living at high altitudes. The adult:child ratio (ACR) of malaria admissions is a simple tool we have used to assess the degree of functional immunity in the catchment population of a health facility. Examples of ACR are collected from inpatient admission data at facilities with a range of malaria endemicities in Kenya. Two decades of inpatient malaria admission data from three health facilities in a high-altitude area of western Kenya do not support the canonical view of unstable transmission. The malaria of the region is best described as seasonal and meso-endemic. We discuss the implications for malaria control options in the Kenyan highlands

Identification of malaria transmission and epidemic hotspots in the western Kenya highlands: its application to malaria epidemic prediction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria in the western Kenya highlands is characterized by unstable and high transmission variability which results in epidemics during periods of suitable climatic conditions. The sensitivity of a site to malaria epidemics depends on the level of immunity of the human population. This study examined how terrain in the highlands affects exposure and sensitivity of a site to malaria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was conducted in five sites in the western Kenya highlands, two U-shaped valleys (Iguhu, Emutete), two V-shaped valleys (Marani, Fort-Ternan) and one plateau (Shikondi) for 16 months among 6-15 years old children. Exposure to malaria was tested using circum-sporozoite protein (CSP) and merozoite surface protein (MSP) immunochromatographic antibody tests; malaria infections were tested by microscopic examination of thick and thin smears, the children's homes were georeferenced using a global positioning system. Paired t-test was used to compare the mean prevalence rates of the sites, K-function was use to determine if the clustering of malaria infections was significant.</p> <p>Results and Discussion</p> <p>The mean antibody prevalence was 22.6% in Iguhu, 24% in Emutete, 11.5% in Shikondi, 8.3% in Fort-Ternan and 9.3% in Marani. The mean malaria infection prevalence was 23.3% in Iguhu, 21.9% in Emutete, 4.7% in Shikondi, 2.9% in Fort-Ternan and 2.4% in Marani. There was a significant difference in the antibodies and malaria infection prevalence between the two valley systems, and between the two valley systems and the plateau (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the antibodies and malaria infection prevalence in the two U-shaped valleys (Iguhu and Emutete) and in the V-shaped valleys (Marani and Fort Ternan) (P > 0.05). There was 8.5- fold and a 2-fold greater parasite and antibody prevalence respectively, in the U-shaped compared to the V-shaped valleys. The plateau antibody and parasite prevalence was similar to that of the V-shaped valleys. There was clustering of malaria antibodies and infections around flat areas in the U-shaped valleys, the infections were randomly distributed in the V-shaped valleys and less clustered at the plateau.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study showed that the V-shaped ecosystems have very low malaria prevalence and few individuals with an immune response to two major malaria antigens and they can be considered as epidemic hotspots. These populations are at higher risk of severe forms of malaria during hyper-transmission seasons. The plateau ecosystem has a similar infection and immune response to the V-shaped ecosystems. The U-shaped ecosystems are transmission hotspots.</p

Malaria in Kenya's Western Highlands

Reemergence of epidemics in tea plantations will likely result in antimalarial-drug resistance