Human-in-the-Loop Model Predictive Control of an Irrigation Canal

Until now, advanced model-based control techniques have been predominantly employed to control problems that are relatively straightforward to model. Many systems with complex dynamics or containing sophisticated sensing and actuation elements can be controlled if the corresponding mathematical models are available, even if there is uncertainty in this information. Consequently, the application of model-based control strategies has flourished in numerous areas, including industrial applications [1]-[3].Junta de Andalucía P11-TEP-812

Enhancement handling performance of 4-wheels drive electrical vehicle using advanced control technique

[Abstract] Electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining attention because they are environmentally friendly. Also, EVs can use in-hub motors, which can be independently controlled, improving maneuverability and allowing to set more ambitious control goals. In this paper, the lateral motion of an EV is controlled using the direct yaw control (DYC) method. The proposed controller uses the yaw moment produced by the longitudinal forces of the tires to stabilize the vehicle motion during critical cornering conditions to improve vehicle handling characteristics. The designed controllers, based on a linear model of the vehicle compute the optimal coupled traction/braking torque of the four in-wheel motors. By using unequal torque distribution, a restoring yaw moment can be generated in order to improve vehicle stability. Two controllers (PID and MPC) were designed to generate the moment required to achieve vehicle stability . The MPC outperforms PID regarding reduction of side slip angle and yaw rate.Financial support for this research was provided by the Spanish Ministry of Scince and Innovation (Grant no.IJC2018-035395-I).Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; IJC2018-035395-

Revitalizing Alzheimer\u27s Community Engagement in the RGV Post-Pandemic: Insights from the First Two Alzheimer\u27s Forums

Background: The Rio Grande Valley (RGV), with a population predominantly composed of Hispanic/Latinos (93%), faces a higher risk of Alzheimer\u27s Disease (AD) compared to other groups. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the lack of education and awareness surrounding AD and related dementias in our community. To address these challenges, we partnered with the Alzheimer\u27s Association to organize the first two Community Forums after the pandemic. Our goal is to raise awareness, provide resources, and support those affected by AD and related conditions in the RGV. Methods: Through a proactive partnership, our objective was to meet the growing demand for education, resources, and support for individuals impacted by Alzheimer\u27s. We hosted two Alzheimer’s Community Forums on May 9th, 2023, at the UTRGV Harlingen Auditorium in Harlingen and May 23rd at UTRGV Salon Cassia in Brownsville. We used the Community Assessment Toolkit as guiding frameworks. These forums served as a dynamic engagement strategy, bringing together healthcare professionals, researchers, and community members to exchange valuable insights and information. With involvement from UTRGV teams, including marketing, we developed impactful marketing resources and invited UTRGV Community Partners to set up informational tables to promote resources for those impacted by dementia. To maximize outreach, we distributed flyers and engaged in conversations with people on the streets. This grassroots approach attracted a significant number of attendees who signed in, allowing us to present crucial information and facilitate discussions. Our Community Partners generously donated door prizes to further incentivize participation and engagement. Results: With the combined forums, we hosted nearly 60 participants, including caregivers, individuals with a family history of AD, community members seeking knowledge, stakeholders, and community health workers. Attendees who were previously unaware of AD and dementia research in the Valley expressed a commitment to prevention and participation in research, including their wish to become volunteers and advocates within their community. Approximately 28 potential participants expressed interest in enrolling in our study. Having individuals willing to actively participate in research is crucial for advancing our understanding of AD and developing potential treatments and preventive measures. The forums have motivated people to become volunteers and advocates within their community, as their involvement can have a positive impact on increasing awareness and driving further research efforts. Conclusions: The Forums provided attendees with increased knowledge and tools for AD awareness and support. Efforts should continue to bridge gender gaps and diversify attendee representation. This report documents the success and impact of these Alzheimer\u27s community forums, aiming to inspire ongoing efforts to raise awareness and improve the quality of life for those affected by AD in the RGV. The strong partnerships forged with Community Partners demonstrated a lasting relationship that we hope will ultimately contribute to positive change in the impact of AD on the RGV and Latino/a community. The forums have clearly had a meaningful impact on the community, fostering engagement, education, and a commitment to AD prevention and research. This outcome reflects the importance of providing platforms for knowledge sharing and community involvement in healthcare initiatives

Left wind forward in football (soccer). Khinanthropometry and footprint analysis

Kinanthropometry is the study of size, shape, proportionality, body composition, biological maturation and body function with the objective of understanding the process of growth, exercise, sport performance and nutrition. It has been accepted measurements in the right side of the subject as equivalent of the overall sportsman. Right and left side variations therefore have not been sufficiently studied, particularly in left handed football players. Materials and Methods: Analysis of 5 professional footballers from the C.D. Leganés, S.A.D. was carried, being left dominant and by their team position considered as left wing forwards. The method selected to study kinanthropometric variables was established by Heath-Carter and followed by the ISAK-GREC (International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry and Grupo Español de Cineantropometría-Spanish Group of Kinanthropometry-). Footprint obtained by the simplified Hernandez-Corvo methodology, being classified as: flat, flat-normal, normal, normal-high arch, high arch, strong high arch and extreme high arch, prior and subsequent to a football match. Informed consent attained as established by local legislation. Statistics analysed by t-Student with a significance of 95% (p<0.05) and the results processed by the PC statistical software SPSS 11.5. Results: Football players have a mean height of 174.02 cm. and a mean weight of 75.32 Kg. Right foot mean length is 24.84 cm. and left foot mean length is 24.96 cm., while right foot mean width is 9.73 cm. and left foot mean width is 9.60 cm.; the footprint varies from normal prior to match to normal- high arch after the game, whereas left foot remains normal-high arch all along. Total number of lesions accounted for 9 sprains in the right ankle and 12 sprains in left ankle, 1 anterior cruciate ligament rupture and 1 menisectomy in the right knee with 1 interior lateral ligament rupture and 1 menisectomy in the left knee. Discussion: Data in variation of right and left side related to football is missing in international bibliography, which may be important due to the fact of the general belief in football environment that left dominant footballers are of better technique and therefore will have more chance of success in a world ruled by financial interests. Notice to analysis remarks the fact whereas the mean left foot is longer than the mean right foot, the mean right foot is wider than the mean left foot. Statistical significant differences arise between left and right footprint prior and subsequent to a football match, associated to statistical significant changes in various anthropometric measurements: ileospinal, throcanteric and tibial heights; total superior extremity, arm, forearm, hand, thigh, leg and foot lengths; subescapular, axillary, ileocrestal, supraspinal, thigh, leg and abdominal skinfolds; epicondyle of humerus diameter and ankle perimeter. Conclusion: 1) Footprint modifies with football practice. 2) Footprint differs in a football player in left and right feet prior and subsequent to a football match, associated with statistical discrepancies between various right and left kinanthropometric variables. 3) Broader population must be studied to better value the repercussion of football practice in footprint. 4) Research must be completed in order to analyse modification in right handed football players. 5) Research must be completed in order to analyse modification of footprint because of sport practice. 6) Research must be completed to observe differences with similar population detailing in certain sportive gestures (running, jumping, swimming, etc.)

Estimación del grado de desarrollo de la composición corporal en deportistas púberes y prepúberes

Un valioso elemento en la vigilancia de la salud pediátrica es la gráfica de recimiento, que relaciona en curvas de percentil la edad con el peso y la talla. Bastante útiles en edades preescolares, son poco representativas de los cambios producidos en etapas adolescentes en las que se añade al crecimiento normal, los cambios fisiológicos propios del desarrollo puberal y factores ambientales tales como la practica de actividades deportivas, que pueden inducir un desarrollo diferente de cada componente corporal. Aplicando el método antropométrico se calcula la composición corporal de 300 escolares entre 10 y 15 años, estudiando el fraccionamiento del peso corporal en 4 componentes. Los objetivos del presente estudio son: conocer cómo cambian los distintos componentes corporales durante las etapas preadolescente y adolescente de los individuos que realizan deporte extraescolar y obtener gráficas de crecimiento para cada componente similares a las existentes para la correlación edad/peso, edad/talla, peso/talla aceptadas por la OMS y de idéntico manejo, que muestren las variables en percentiles por edad, no en términos de proporción del peso total, sino en valor absoluto para cada componente, de modo que permitan monitorizar el desarrollo de cada individuo, resultando así de utilidad en la práctica clínica diaria.Los resultados de la artroplastia de codo han mejorado sustancialmente coincidiendo con el mejor conocimiento de la biomecánica del codo. El diseño y los resultados clínicos de las prótesis de codo se basan en un conocimiento preciso de la cinemática, los estabilizadores y las fuerzas que atraviesan esta articulación.A valuable element in the vigilance of the pediatric health is the graph of growth which relates in curves of percentile the age with the weight and the height. Very useful in preschool ages, they are not very representative in the changes of the adolescent stages in which, to the normal growth, it adds the physiologic changes characteristic of the development puberal and environmental factors just as practice of sport activities that can induce a different development in each corporal component. Applying the anthropometric method, the body composition of 300 scholars, between 10 and 15 years old, is calculated, studying the division of the corporal mass according to four compartment model. The objectives of the present study are: to know the change of the different corporal components during the preadolescent and adolescent stages of the people whom practice extra-school sport and to obtain graphics of growth for each component similar to the existent ones for the correlation age/weight, age/height, weight/height accepted by the WHO and of identical handling that show the variables in percentiles for age, not in terms of proportion of the total weight, but in absolute value for each component, so they allow to monitor the development of each person, being that utility in the everyday clinical practice

Architectural Features of Streetscapes and Aging in Cameron County, Texas: Preliminary Results

The impact of architectural features in urban settings reveals priorities for its residents and the integration of social and natural environments. It has been estimated that 23% of global deaths to the environments in which people live. We aim to characterize the most prevalent architectural features of Cameron County, Texas streetscapes and analyze their role in health promotion and healthy aging

Estudio de las metáforas bélicas para conceptualizar el embellecimiento desde la perspectiva de género

Un dominio fuente especialmente productivo a nivel conceptual es el de la guerra, el cual se utiliza para conceptualizar múltiples campos como el amor, la política, los deportes etc. A nuestro juicio, este dominio fuente se aplica también al embellecimiento humano, generando la metáfora conceptual el embellecimiento es una guerra. Por ello, en este artículo basándonos en la lingüística cognitiva y desde una perspectiva crítica feminista, estudiamos el dominio fuente de la guerra en relación con el embellecimiento, con el fin de explorar si, tal y como sugiere Márquez (2007), es productivo en castellano. Los resultados obtenidos apuntan a que este dominio se utiliza en castellano en relación con el embellecimiento, generando expresiones lingüístico-metafóricas que muestran una forma de razonar y de pensar sobre la belleza y el cuerpo humano de una manera antagonista basada en la confrontación y la guerra. Estas expresiones conceptualizan el cuerpo de una forma hostil, atacado por enemigos internos y externos, en constante necesidad de conquista o defensa para conseguir que sea bello o preservar su belleza. Desde un punto de vista socio-cultural, la metáfora conceptual el embellecimiento es una guerra podría contribuir a construir y mantener los discursos e ideologías relacionados con el ideal de belleza femenino y la importancia que tradicionalmente la belleza ha tenido para las mujeres. A particularly productive source domain at the conceptual level is that of war. It is used to conceptualise multiple fields such as love, politics, sports etc. In our opinion, this source domain also applies to beautification, generating the conceptual metaphor beautification is a war. Therefore, in this article, following a cognitive linguistics approach and from a feminist critical perspective, we study the source domain of war in relation to beautification, in order to explore if, as Márquez (2007) suggests, this source domain is productive in Spanish. The results obtained suggest that this domain is used in Spanish in relation to beautification, generating metaphorical linguistic expressions that show a way of reasoning about beauty and the body based on confrontation and war. These expressions conceptualise the body in a hostile form, attacked by both internal and external enemies and in constant need of conquest or defence to become beautiful or preserve its beauty. Ideologically this metaphorical conceptualisation might contribute to construct and maintain prevalent discourses and ideologies related to the feminine beauty ideal and the socio-cultural importance that traditionally beauty has held for women