Robust computer-aided synthesis and optimization of linear multivariable control systems with varying plant dynamics via AUTOCON

AUTOCON is an automated computer-aided design tool for the synthesis and optimization of linear multivariable control systems based upon user-defined control parameter optimization. Violations in stability and performance requirements are computed from constraints on Single Input/Single Output (SISO) open- and closed-loop transfer function frequency responses, and from constraints on the singular-value frequency responses of Multiple Input/Multiple Output (MIMO) transfer functions, for all critical plant variations. Optimum nonlinear programming algorithms are used in the search for local constrained solutions in which violations in stability and performance are caused either to vanish or be minimized for a proper selection of the control parameters. Classical control system stability and performance design can, in this way, be combined with modern multivariable robustness methods to offer general frequency response loop-shaping via a computer-aided design tool. Complete Nichols, Nyquist, Bode, singular-value Bode magnitude and transient response plots are produced, including user-defined boundary responses. AUTOCON is used to synthesize and optimize the lateral/directional flight control system for a typical high-performance aircraft

ACCURACY OF FNAC IN FEMALE BREAST LESIONS

Background: Various breast lesions are common lesions in females with a wide range of variability from inflammatory lesions, benign and malignant breast lesions. FNAC is first diagnostic test, as it has high sensitivity and specificity. Lesions were categorized on FNA into inflammatory lesions, benign neoplastic lesions, malignant neoplastic lesions, and suspicious for malignancy. Methods: This was a retrospective study done in the Department of Pathology, P.D.U. Medical College, Rajkot, Gujarat State, India from Aug-2013 to July 2014. FNAC of 392 cases of breast lesions were done and reported by expert pathologist. The histopathological specimens when available were reported by other pathologist without prior knowledge of FNA diagnosis. Sensitivity, Specificity and Accuracy of FNA diagnosis were then analyzed. Results: A total of 392 cases of breast lesions were diagnosed on FNA, out of them histopathological correlation was available in 87 cases. Benign breast lesions are more common in younger patients in 21-30 yrs age group and malignant lesions are more common in old age group patients of 41-60 yrs with few exceptions. In our setup fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast lesion (26.53%) and ductal carcinoma (17.86%) is the most common malignant lesion. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNAC for malignant lesions were found to be 91.43%, 100% and 96.25% respectively. Conclusion: FNAC is an effective and valid tool as the first line diagnostic modality in the preoperative diagnosis of the malignant and benign breast lesions.KEYWORDS: FNAC; Breast lesions; Fibroadenoma; Ductal carcinoma

ACCURACY OF FNAC IN FEMALE BREAST LESIONS

Background: Various breast lesions are common lesions in females with a wide range of variability from inflammatory lesions, benign and malignant breast lesions. FNAC is first diagnostic test, as it has high sensitivity and specificity. Lesions were categorized on FNA into inflammatory lesions, benign neoplastic lesions, malignant neoplastic lesions, and suspicious for malignancy. Methods: This was a retrospective study done in the Department of Pathology, P.D.U. Medical College, Rajkot, Gujarat State, India from Aug-2013 to July 2014. FNAC of 392 cases of breast lesions were done and reported by expert pathologist. The histopathological specimens when available were reported by other pathologist without prior knowledge of FNA diagnosis. Sensitivity, Specificity and Accuracy of FNA diagnosis were then analyzed. Results: A total of 392 cases of breast lesions were diagnosed on FNA, out of them histopathological correlation was available in 87 cases. Benign breast lesions are more common in younger patients in 21-30 yrs age group and malignant lesions are more common in old age group patients of 41-60 yrs with few exceptions. In our setup fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast lesion (26.53%) and ductal carcinoma (17.86%) is the most common malignant lesion. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNAC for malignant lesions were found to be 91.43%, 100% and 96.25% respectively. Conclusion: FNAC is an effective and valid tool as the first line diagnostic modality in the preoperative diagnosis of the malignant and benign breast lesions.KEYWORDS: FNAC; Breast lesions; Fibroadenoma; Ductal carcinoma

“In small places, close to home”: urban environmental impacts on child rights across four global cities

Urban environments influence child behaviours, exposures and experiences and may affect health, development, achievement and realization of fundamental human rights. We examined the status of eleven UN Convention on the Rights of the Child articles, in a multi-case study across four global cities. Within all study cities, children experienced unequal exposure to urban environmental risks and amenities. Many violations of child rights are related to car-based transportation systems and further challenged by pressures on urban systems from rapid population increases in the context of climate change. A child rights framework provides principles for a collective, multi-sectoral re-imagination of urban environments that support the human rights of all citizens

Changing Significance of Landslide Hazard and Risk After The 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha, Nepal Earthquake

The 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha, Nepal Earthquake triggered in excess of 20,000 landslides across 14 districts of Central and Western Nepal. Whilst the instantaneous impact of these landslides was significant, the ongoing effect of the earthquake on changing the potential for rainfall-triggered landsliding in the months and years that followed has remained poorly understood and challenging to predict. To provide insight into how landsliding has evolved since the earthquake, and how it has impacted those living in the affected area, a detailed time-series landslide mapping campaign was undertaken to monitor the evolution of coseismic landslides and the initiation of new post-seismic landslides. This was supplemented by numerical modelling to simulate the future potential reactivation and runout of landslides as debris flows under monsoon rainfall, identifying locations potentially at risk. This analysis shows that landslide hazard was higher in November 2019 as compared to immediately after the 2015 earthquake, with a considerable portion of the landscape being impacted by landsliding. We show that, while pre-existing landslides continued to pose the majority of hazard in the aftermath of the earthquake, a significant number of landslides also occurred in new locations. We discuss the value of this type of analysis in informing the reconstruction and management of settlements at risk by summarizing how this work was integrated into the project Durable Solutions II, that supported communities at risk from landslides. Finally, we consider how such data could be used in future to inform risk sensitive land-use planning and disaster recovery, and to mitigate the impacts of future landsliding in Nepal and beyond

National-Scale Rainfall-Triggered Landslide Susceptibility and Exposure in Nepal

Nepal is one of the most landslide-prone countries in the world, with year-on-year impacts resulting in loss of life and imposing a chronic impediment to sustainable livelihoods. Living with landslides is a daily reality for an increasing number of people, so establishing the nature of landslide hazard and risk is essential. Here we develop a model of landslide susceptibility for Nepal and use this to generate a nationwide geographical profile of exposure to rainfall-triggered landslides. We model landslide susceptibility using a fuzzy overlay approach based on freely-available topographic data, trained on an inventory of mapped landslides, and combine this with high resolution population and building data to describe the spatial distribution of exposure to landslides. We find that whilst landslide susceptibility is highest in the High Himalaya, exposure is highest within the Middle Hills, but this is highly spatially variable and skewed to on average relatively low values. Around 4 × 106 Nepalis (∼15\% of the population) live in areas considered to be at moderate or higher degree of exposure to landsliding (>0.25 of the maximum), and critically this number is highly sensitive to even small variations in landslide susceptibility. Our results show a complex relationship between landslides and buildings, that implies wider complexity in the association between physical exposure to landslides and poverty. This analysis for the first time brings into focus the geography of the landslide exposure and risk case load in Nepal, and demonstrates limitations of assessing future risk based on limited records of previous events