A Robust Model Predictive Control Approach for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Operating in a Constrained workspace

This paper presents a novel Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) scheme for underwater robotic vehicles operating in a constrained workspace including static obstacles. The purpose of the controller is to guide the vehicle towards specific way points. Various limitations such as: obstacles, workspace boundary, thruster saturation and predefined desired upper bound of the vehicle velocity are captured as state and input constraints and are guaranteed during the control design. The proposed scheme incorporates the full dynamics of the vehicle in which the ocean currents are also involved. Hence, the control inputs calculated by the proposed scheme are formulated in a way that the vehicle will exploit the ocean currents, when these are in favor of the way-point tracking mission which results in reduced energy consumption by the thrusters. The performance of the proposed control strategy is experimentally verified using a $4$ Degrees of Freedom (DoF) underwater robotic vehicle inside a constrained test tank with obstacles.Comment: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA-2018), Accepte

Efficiency and Effectiveness of Social Spending

In this qualitative sociological and quantitative economic policy paper, we start out from the assumption of a very recent European Commission Background paper on the “Efficiency and effectiveness of social spending”, which says the effectiveness of social spending can be defined by the degree to which the realized allocation approaches the socially desired outcome. The conclusions listed in the Commission paper are found far reaching and not supported by the empirical data. We perform such an analysis, starting from advances in recent literature. A more encompassing sociological perspective on the issue and factor analytical calculations is presented, which supports our general argument about the efficiency of the Scandinavian model. The social quality approach provides an alternative perspective on welfare system analysis, focusing on public policies rather than social policies. The empirical evidence, suggests that in terms of the efficiency of the European social model, the geography of comparative performance include: the direct action against social exclusion, health and family social expenditures, the neo-liberal approach, and the unemployment benefit centred approach. Applying rigorous comparative social science methodology, we also arrive at the conclusion that in terms of the initial ECOFIN definition of efficiency, the data presented in this article suggest that apart from Finland and the Netherlands, three new EU-27 member countries, especially the Czech Republic and Slovenia, provide interesting answers to the question about the efficiency of state expenditures in reducing poverty rates.social spending, European Commission, index numbers and aggregation, cross-sectional models, spatial models, economic integration, regional economic activity, international factor movements, nternational political economy

Effects of thylakoid intake on appetite and weight loss: a systematic review

Background: Previous studies have shown thylakoids, the membrane proteins which are extracted from green leaves like spinach, can induce satiety through homeostatic and non-homeostatic pathways. In this study, we reviewed the current human literature on thylakoids� characteristics and their relationship to satiety regulation and weight loss. Methods: A systematic search of literature published between January 1990 and May 2019 was conducted on the electronic databases; including WEB OF SCIENCE, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Scopus, and EMBASE databases. We included all clinical trials that addressed the effects of thylakoids or chloroplast intake on satiety and weight loss. Results: After excluding non-human studies, non-RCTs, duplications, studies with irrelevant data and interventions, eight studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. All studies supported this hypothesis that thylakoids reduce the feeling of hunger by increasing postprandial cholecystokinin and leptin and decreasing serum ghrelin, but the consequences of thylakoid intake on anthropometric characteristics were controversial. Conclusion: In conclusion, our results may approve this postulation that receiving a thylakoid-enriched meal can decrease appetite and probably food intake in short term; however, more studies are needed to explore the effects of long term supplementation with thylakoids on weight loss in human subjects. © 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Production of recombinant CAMP – Sialidase protein and preparation of chitosan nanoparticles carrying this protein to be used as a candidate for vaccines targeting Propionibacterium acnes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Acne vulgaris is one of the most common skin diseases that imposes too much mental pressure and high costs on patients. The existing treatments have low efficacy and include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, which have many complications due to the chronic nature of the disease, especially at young age, including antibiotic resistance and allergic reactions. For this reason, one of the new therapeutic approaches is the use of a vaccine with the help of the bacterium or its components. The aim of this study is to produce nanoparticles carrying the recombinant CAMP – Sialidase protein as a new chimeric antigen to be used in acne vaccine. METHODS:To express the recombinant CAMP – Sialidase protein, E. coli BL21 DE3 was used as the host. Purification of protein was done through combined urea/imidazole method and using a nickel-nitroacetic acid column. The recombinant protein was confirmed using Western Blotting by Anti – Histidine Antibody. Then, the loaded nanoparticles were prepared by recombinant protein using ionic gelation technique and tripolyphosphate. Finally, the size and zeta potential of the nanoparticles were determined by the DLS device. FINDINGS: The recombinant CAMP – Sialidase protein was confirmed after expression and purification. The size and zeta potential of nanoparticles containing recombinant CAMP – Sialidase protein at a concentration of 0.6 mg / ml were determined to be 80 nm and +27 mV, respectively, using the DLS device. The loading rate of the protein in the nanoparticles was found to be 88%. CONCLUSION: The results show that the recombinant protein is expressed completely and is successfully encapsulated in the chitosan nanoparticles

Investigating a Class of 2⊗2⊗d2\otimes2\otimes d Chessboard Density Matrices via Linear and Non-linear Entanglement Witnesses Constructed by Exact Convex Optimization

Here we consider a class of $2\otimes2\otimes d$ chessboard density matrices starting with three-qubit ones which have positive partial transposes with respect to all subsystems. To investigate the entanglement of these density matrices, we use the entanglement witness approach. For constructing entanglement witnesses (EWs) detecting these density matrices, we attempt to convert the problem to an exact convex optimization problem. To this aim, we map the convex set of separable states into a convex region, named feasible region, and consider cases that the exact geometrical shape of feasible region can be obtained. In this way, various linear and non-linear EWs are constructed. The optimality and decomposability of some of introduced EWs are also considered. Furthermore, the detection of the density matrices by introduced EWs are discussed analytically and numerically. {\bf Keywords: chessboard density matrices, optimal non-linear entanglement witnesses, convex optimization} {\bf PACs Index: 03.65.Ud}Comment: 35 pages, 1 figure

Effects of daily consumption of cashews on oxidative stress and atherogenic indices in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, controlled-feeding trial

Background: Cashews, as the main source of monounsaturated (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated (PUFAs) fatty acids, are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. Despite evidence for beneficial effects of nuts on lipid profile and glycemic control, to the authors� best knowledge, little is known about cashews. Methods: An eight-week, randomized, isocaloric, controlled-feeding study was conducted on 50 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) randomly assigned to either the control or intervention group (10 of total calorie from cashews). Weight, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum insulin concentration and sensitivity, lipid profile ratio, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) were measured at baseline and after eight weeks of intervention adjusted for age, gender, baseline values of FPG, insulin, HOMA-IR (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance), fiber, and both baseline and post-intervention vitamin C levels as covariates. Results: Weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC) were not significantly different in the groups after eight weeks of intervention, as well as between the two groups, compared with the baseline measures. At the end of the study, serum insulin and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol-to-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C) ratio significantly decreased in the cashews group compared with those of the controls (P = 0.01 and P = 0.04, respectively). Although, HOMA-IR decreased significantly in the cashews group (P = 0.03), changes were not significant compared with the baseline measures (P = 0.056). Despite more increase in PON-1 activity in the cashews group, the changes were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Daily consumption of cashews reduced serum insulin and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio in patients with T2DM. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and more duration are needed to confirm the current study results. Copyright © 2019, International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism

Resveratrol supplementation and acute pancreatitis: A comprehensive review

Resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic ingredient extracted from herbs, suppresses oxidative stress and inflammation. We performed a comprehensive review to find any evidence about the effects of Resveratrol on acute pancreatitis (AP). Resveratrol has been found to directly impact cytokine generation. As these factors play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of AP, resveratrol might attenuate AP and its complications. Mechanistically, resveratrol exerts its pharmacological effects through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms via interaction with different signaling molecules and transcription factors. Indeed, resveratrol might prove to be an effective therapeutic component for AP treatment in the future. In this review, we shed light on potential most recent pathways through which resveratrol might impact the management and control of AP. © 202