Data-Driven Model-Free Sliding Mode and Fuzzy Control with Experimental Validation

The paper presents the combination of the model-free control technique with two popular nonlinear control techniques, sliding mode control and fuzzy control. Two data-driven model-free sliding mode control structures and one data-driven model-free fuzzy control structure are given. The data-driven model-free sliding mode control structures are built upon a model-free intelligent Proportional-Integral (iPI) control system structure, where an augmented control signal is inserted in the iPI control law to deal with the error dynamics in terms of sliding mode control. The data-driven model-free fuzzy control structure is developed by fuzzifying the PI component of the continuous-time iPI control law. The design approaches of the data-driven model-free control algorithms are offered. The data-driven model-free control algorithms are validated as controllers by real-time experiments conducted on 3D crane system laboratory equipment

A LOW-COST APPROACH TO DATA-DRIVEN FUZZY CONTROL OF SERVO SYSTEMS

Servo systems become more and more important in control systems applications in various fields as both separate control systems and actuators. Ensuring very good control system performance using few information on the servo system model (viewed as a controlled process) is a challenging task. Starting with authors’ results on data-driven model-free control, fuzzy control and the indirect model-free tuning of fuzzy controllers, this paper suggests a low-cost approach to the data-driven fuzzy control of servo systems. The data-driven fuzzy control approach consists of six steps: (i) open-loop data-driven system identification to produce the process model from input-output data expressed as the system step response, (ii) Proportional-Integral (PI) controller tuning using the Extended Symmetrical Optimum (ESO) method, (iii) PI controller parameters mapping onto parameters of Takagi-Sugeno PI-fuzzy controller in terms of the modal equivalence principle, (iv) closed-loop data-driven system identification, (v) PI controller tuning using the ESO method, (vi) PI controller parameters mapping onto parameters of Takagi-Sugeno PI-fuzzy controller. The steps (iv), (v) and (vi) are optional. The approach is applied to the position control of a nonlinear servo system. The experimental results obtained on laboratory equipment validate the approach

Performance Improvement of Low-Cost Iterative Learning-Based Fuzzy Control Systems for Tower Crane Systems

This paper is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Ioan Dzitac, one of the fathers of this journal and its founding Editor-in-Chief till 2021. The paper addresses the performance improvement of three Single Input-Single Output (SISO) fuzzy control systems that control separately the positions of interest of tower crane systems, namely the cart position, the arm angular position and the payload position. Three separate low-cost SISO fuzzy controllers are employed in terms of first order discrete-time intelligent Proportional-Integral (PI) controllers with Takagi-Sugeno-Kang Proportional-Derivative (PD) fuzzy terms. Iterative Learning Control (ILC) system structures with PD learning functions are involved in the current iteration SISO ILC structures. Optimization problems are defined in order to tune the parameters of the learning functions. The objective functions are defined as the sums of squared control errors, and they are solved in the iteration domain using the recent metaheuristic Slime Mould Algorithm (SMA). The experimental results prove the performance improvement of the SISO control systems after ten iterations of SMA

A CENTER MANIFOLD THEORY-BASED APPROACH TO THE STABILITY ANALYSIS OF STATE FEEDBACK TAKAGI-SUGENO-KANG FUZZY CONTROL SYSTEMS

The aim of this paper is to propose a stability analysis approach based on the application of the center manifold theory and applied to state feedback Takagi-Sugeno-Kang fuzzy control systems. The approach is built upon a similar approach developed for Mamdani fuzzy controllers. It starts with a linearized mathematical model of the process that is accepted to belong to the family of single input second-order nonlinear systems which are linear with respect to the control signal. In addition, smooth right-hand terms of the state-space equations that model the processes are assumed. The paper includes the validation of the approach by application to stable state feedback Takagi-Sugeno-Kang fuzzy control system for the position control of an electro-hydraulic servo-system

Microvascular Complications of Diabetes Mellitus: Focus on Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) and Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU)

Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic foot ulcer are the most frequent, but also the most disabling complications of diabetes mellitus, with a sinister impact on patients’ quality of life. Microvascular changes related to the deleterious effect of chronic hyperglycemia play an important role in the pathophysiology of both clinical entities by multiple molecular pathways. Vision-threating diabetic retinopathy may be treated by laser photocoagulation, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents and vitreoretinal surgery. Diabetic foot lesions are best treated by revascularization if needed, off-loading, infection control and therapeutic adjuncts (e.g. special dressings). Treatment should ideally be offered by a multidisciplinary expert team. Prevention and early detection, along with adequate control of glucose, lipids and arterial hypertension are of paramount importance to avoid and mitigate these fearful complications

AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS OF EVOLVING TAKAGI-SUGENO-KANG FUZZY MODELS

This paper presents theoretical and application results concerning the development of evolving Takagi-Sugeno-Kang fuzzy models for two dynamic systems, which will be viewed as controlled processes, in the field of automotive applications. The two dynamic systems models are nonlinear dynamics of the longitudinal slip in the Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) and the vehicle speed in vehicles with the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) systems. The evolving Takagi-Sugeno-Kang fuzzy models are obtained as discrete-time fuzzy models by incremental online identification algorithms. The fuzzy models are validated against experimental results in the case of the ABS and the first principles simulation results in the case of the vehicle with the CVT

Periodontal Medicine: Impact of Periodontal Status on Pregnancy Outcomes and Carcinogenesis

Periodontal medicine is a broad term commonly used to define the relationship between periodontitis and systemic health. Periodontitis is a highly prevalent, chronic multifactorial infectious disease, induced by the dysbiotic biofilm that triggers a persistent systemic inflammation and recurrent bacteremia. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that suggests the potential implication of periodontitis in the causation and progression of various systemic disease and conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes and cancer. Some studies consider periodontitis as an independent risk factor for preterm birth, growth restriction, low birth-weight and pre-eclampsia. However not all studies support the association. Despite sparse scientific data, some studies indicate that individuals with periodontitis are at increased risk for cancer development, due to the increased inflammatory burden sustained by the presence of periodontal pathogens. This chapter emphasis the relationship between periodontitis and adverse pregnancy outcomes and the underlying mechanisms that link peridontitis to oral carcinogenesis

Species diversity, host preference and arbovirus detection of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in south-eastern Serbia

BackgroundCulicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) is a genus of small biting midges (also known as no-see ums) that currently includes 1368 described species. They are proven or suspected vectors for important pathogens affecting animals such as bluetongue virus (BTV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV). Currently little information is available on the species of Culicoides present in Serbia. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine species diversity, host preference and the presence of BTV and SBV RNA in Culicoides from the Stara Planina Nature Park in south-eastern Serbia.ResultsIn total 19,887 individual Culicoides were collected during three nights of trapping at two farm sites and pooled into six groups (Obsoletus group, Pulicaris group, Others group and further each group according to the blood-feeding status to freshly engorged and non-engorged). Species identification was done on subsamples of 592 individual Culicoides specimens by morphological and molecular methods (MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and PCR/sequencing). At least 22 Culicoides species were detected. Four animal species (cow, sheep, goat and common blackbird) as well as humans were identified as hosts of Culicoides biting midges. The screening of 8291 Culicoides specimens in 99 pools for the presence of BTV and SBV RNA by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR were negative.ConclusionsThe biodiversity of Culicoides species in the natural reserve Stara Planina was high with at least 22 species present. The presence of C. imicola Kieffer was not recorded in this area. Culicoides showed opportunistic feeding behaviour as determined by host preference. The absence of SBV and BTV viral RNA correlates with the absence of clinical disease in the field during the time of sampling. These data are the direct outcome of a training programme within the Institutional Partnership Project AMSAR: Arbovirus monitoring, research and surveillance-capacity building on mosquitoes and biting midges funded by the programme SCOPES of the Swiss National Science Foundation

Loss of apical monocilia on collecting duct principal cells impairs ATP secretion across the apical cell surface and ATP-dependent and flow-induced calcium signals

Renal epithelial cells release ATP constitutively under basal conditions and release higher quantities of purine nucleotide in response to stimuli. ATP filtered at the glomerulus, secreted by epithelial cells along the nephron, and released serosally by macula densa cells for feedback signaling to afferent arterioles within the glomerulus has important physiological signaling roles within kidneys. In autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) mice and humans, collecting duct epithelial cells lack an apical central cilium or express dysfunctional proteins within that monocilium. Collecting duct principal cells derived from an Oak Ridge polycystic kidney (orpkTg737) mouse model of ARPKD lack a well-formed apical central cilium, thought to be a sensory organelle. We compared these cells grown as polarized cell monolayers on permeable supports to the same cells where the apical monocilium was genetically rescued with the wild-type Tg737 gene that encodes Polaris, a protein essential to cilia formation. Constitutive ATP release under basal conditions was low and not different in mutant versus rescued monolayers. However, genetically rescued principal cell monolayers released ATP three- to fivefold more robustly in response to ionomycin. Principal cell monolayers with fully formed apical monocilia responded three- to fivefold greater to hypotonicity than mutant monolayers lacking monocilia. In support of the idea that monocilia are sensory organelles, intentionally harsh pipetting of medium directly onto the center of the monolayer induced ATP release in genetically rescued monolayers that possessed apical monocilia. Mechanical stimulation was much less effective, however, on mutant orpk collecting duct principal cell monolayers that lacked apical central monocilia. Our data also show that an increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ primes the ATP pool that is released in response to mechanical stimuli. It also appears that hypotonic cell swelling and mechanical pipetting stimuli trigger release of a common ATP pool. Cilium-competent monolayers responded to flow with an increase in cell Ca2+ derived from both extracellular and intracellular stores. This flow-induced Ca2+ signal was less robust in cilium-deficient monolayers. Flow-induced Ca2+ signals in both preparations were attenuated by extracellular gadolinium and by extracellular apyrase, an ATPase/ADPase. Taken together, these data suggest that apical monocilia are sensory organelles and that their presence in the apical membrane facilitates the formation of a mature ATP secretion apparatus responsive to chemical, osmotic, and mechanical stimuli. The cilium and autocrine ATP signaling appear to work in concert to control cell Ca2+. Loss of a cilium-dedicated autocrine purinergic signaling system may be a critical underlying etiology for ARPKD and may lead to disinhibition and/or upregulation of multiple sodium (Na+) absorptive mechanisms and a resultant severe hypertensive phenotype in ARPKD and, possibly, other diseases