Nonlinear Controller Design for UAVs with Time-Varying Aerodynamic Uncertainties

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are here and they are here to stay. Unmanned Aviation has expanded significantly in recent years and research and development in the field of navigation and control have advanced beyond expectations. UAVs are currently being used for defense programs around the world but the range of applications is expected to grow in the near future, with civilian applications such as environmental and aerial monitoring, aerial surveillance and homeland security being some representative examples. Conventional and commercially available small-scale UAVs have limited utilization and applicability to executing specific short-duration missions because of limitations in size, payload, power supply and endurance. This fact has already marked the dawn of a new era of more powerful and versatile UAVs (e.g. morphing aircraft), able to perform a variety of missions. This dissertation presents a novel, comprehensive, step-by-step, nonlinear controller design framework for new generation, non-conventional UAVs with time-varying aerodynamic characteristics during flight. Controller design for such UAVs is a challenging task mainly due to uncertain aerodynamic parameters in the UAV mathematical model. This challenge is tackled by using and implementing μ-analysis and additive uncertainty weighting functions. The technique described herein can be generalized and applied to the class of non-conventional UAVs, seeking to address uncertainty challenges regarding the aircraft\u27s aerodynamic coefficients

Whole genome scanning of a Mediterranean basin hotspot collection provide new insights into olive tree biodiversity and biology

Olive tree (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. europaea) is one of the most important species of the Mediterranean region and one of the most ancient species domesticated. The availability of whole genome assemblies and annotations of olive tree cultivars and oleaster (O. europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) has contributed to a better understanding of genetic and genomic differences between olive tree cultivars. However, compared to other plant species there is still a lack of genomic resources for olive tree popula-tions that span the entire Mediterranean region. In the present study we developed the most complete genomic variation map and the most comprehensive catalog/resource of molecular variation to date for 89 olive tree genotypes originating from the entire Mediterranean basin, revealing the genetic diversity of this commercially significant crop tree and explaining the divergence/similarity among different variants. Addi-tionally, the monumental ancient tree ‘Throuba Naxos’ was studied to characterize the potential origin or routes of olive tree domestication. Several candidate genes known to be associated with key agronomic traits, including olive oil quality and fruit yield, were uncovered by a selective sweep scan to be under selection pressure on all olive tree chromosomes. To further exploit the genomic and phenotypic resources obtained from the current work, genome-wide association analyses were performed for 23 morphological and two agronomic traits. Significant associations were detected for eight traits that provide valuable candidates for fruit tree breeding and for deeper understanding of olive tree biology.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Unpublished Mediterranean records of marine alien and cryptogenic species

Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, buried in scattered repositories or in the personal databases of experts. Through an initiative to collect, harmonize and make such unpublished data for marine alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea available, a large dataset comprising 5376 records was created. It includes records of 239 alien or cryptogenic taxa (192 Animalia, 24 Plantae, 23 Chromista) from 19 countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In terms of records, the most reported Phyla in descending order were Chordata, Mollusca, Chlorophyta, Arthropoda, and Rhodophyta. The most recorded species was Caulerpa cylindracea, followed by Siganus luridus, Magallana sp. (cf. gigas or angulata) and Pterois miles. The dataset includes records from 1972 to 2020, with the highest number of records observed in 2018. Among the records of the dataset, Dictyota acutiloba is a first record for the Mediterranean Sea. Nine first country records are also included: the alga Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla, the cube boxfish Ostracion cubicus, and the cleaner shrimp Urocaridella pulchella from Israel; the sponge Paraleucilla magna from Libya and Slovenia; the lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus from Cyprus; the bryozoan Celleporaria vermiformis and the polychaetes Prionospio depauperata and Notomastus aberans from Malta

Study of pre- and post- harvest calcium treatments that affect the quality characteristics of sweet cherry fruits (Prunus avium L.)

The effect of calcium on the physiology of sweet cherry fruits has been tested in three approaches. Initially (first experimental approach), fruit quality in response to CaCl2, applied via foliar sprays (Ca2+) or/and hydrocooling water (CaHC), was characterized in ‘Lapins’ cherries cultivar at harvest, just after cold storage (20 days at 0 °C) as well as after cold storage followed by 2 days at 20 °C, herein defined as shelf-life period. Data indicated that pre- and post-harvest Ca2+ applications increased total Ca2+ and cell wall bound Ca2+, respectively. Treatment with Ca reduced skin cracking whereas Ca+CaHC condition depressed stem browning. Both skin penetration and stem removal were affected by Ca2+ feeding. Also, several color and antioxidant-related parameters were induced by Ca2+ treatments. Metabolomic analysis revealed significant alterations in primary metabolites among the Ca2+ treatments, including sugars (e.g., glucose, fructose), alcohols (e.g., arabitol, sorbitol), acids (e.g., malic acid, quinic acid) and amino acids (e.g., glycine, beta-alanine). At second approach, we studied the effect of heat and calcium treatments on sweet cherries metabolism. ‘Lapins’ fruits were treated with heat or CaCl2 solutions and their combination and subsequently were exposed at room temperature, for up to 4 days, defined as senescence period. Single and combined heat and calcium treatments partially delayed fruit senescence, as evidenced by changes in fruit colour darkening, skin penetration force and respiration activity. Calcium content was noticeably increased by heat in Ca-treated fruit. Several primary metabolites, including amino acids, organic acids and alcohols were decreased in response to both treatments, while many soluble sugars and secondary metabolites were increased within 1d post-treatment. Changes of several metabolites of heat-treated fruits, especially esculetin, peonidin 3-O-glucoside and peonidin 3-O-galactoside, ribose, pyroglutamic acid and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside were detected. The metabolome of fruit exposed to calcium also displayed substantial modulations, particularly in the levels of galactose, glyceric acid, aspartic acid, tryptophan, phosphoric acid, rutin and peonidin 3-O-glucoside. The expression of several genes involved in TCA cycle (MDH1, IDH1, OGDH, SUCLA2 & SDH1-1), pectin degradation (ADPG1) as well as secondary (SK1, 4CL1, HCT & BAN), amino acids (ALDH18A1, ALDH4A1, GS, GAD, GOT2, OPLAH, HSDH & SDS) and sugar (PDHA1 & DLAT) metabolism were affected by both treatments. Pathway-specific analysis further revealed the regulation of fruit metabolic programming by heat and calcium. At third approach, we characterize the impact of calcium on sweet cherries metabolism. ‘Tsolakeika’ fruits were treated via foliar spray at 15, 27 and 37 days after full blossom (DAFB) with 0.5 % CaCl2*2H2O solution. Physiological traits were recorded, and fruit samples were collected 2 days later (17, 29 and 39 DAFB) from calcium foliar application and at 44 DAFB (full red color), 55 DAFB (commercial harvest). Metabolic levels at 5 developmental stages are defined. In addition, molecular regulations of transcripts and proteins triggering by calcium in post-application fruit stages (44 and 55 DAFB) are also determined. Calcium treatment has a reduction on respiration rate and cracking index mainly at harvest. Changes of several metabolites in calcium-treated sweet cherries, especially malic acid, glucose, cysteine, epicatechin and neochlorogenic acid were increased. The expression of several genes and the regulation of several proteins involved in oxidative phosphorylation, endocytosis, repair DNA, hypersensitive response, amino acid metabolism and sugars accumulation were affected by calcium pre-application at harvest.Tο ασβέστιο (Ca2+) διαδραματίζει σημαντικό ρόλο στη φυσιολογία και στη θρεπτική κατάσταση των καρπών, παρόλα αυτά η γνώση του μηχανισμού δράσης του παραμένει ελλιπής. Στην παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή η επίδραση του ασβεστίου στη φυσιολογία των καρπών κερασιάς διερευνήθηκε χρησιμοποιώντας τρεις πειραματικές προσεγγίσεις. Στην 1η πειραματική προσέγγιση, χαρακτηρίστηκε η ποιότητα των κερασιών ως απόκριση στο CaCl2, που εφαρμόστηκε με διαφυλλικό ψεκασμό ασβεστίου (Ca2+) ή / και με νερό υδρόψυξης (CaΥΨ), καρπών της ποικιλίας ‘Lapins’ κατά (α) τη συγκομιδή, και (β) μετά από την ψυχρή συντήρησή τους (20 ημέρες στους 0 °C) και την επακόλουθη διατήρησή τους για 2 ημέρες στους 20 °C (περίοδος διατήρησης). Τα δεδομένα έδειξαν ότι οι εφαρμογές ασβεστίου πριν και μετά τη συγκομιδή αύξησαν το συνολικό ασβέστιο και το δεσμευμένο στο κυτταρικό τοίχωμα ασβέστιο, αντίστοιχα. Η μεταχείριση με ασβέστιο μείωσε το σχίσιμο της επιδερμίδας του καρπού, ενώ η μεταχείριση Ca+CaΥΨ ανέστειλε το καφέ αποχρωματισμό του ποδίσκου. Τόσο η διάτρηση της επιδερμίδας όσο και η δύναμη αφαίρεσης του ποδίσκου επηρεάστηκαν από την εφαρμογή ασβεστίου. Επίσης, αρκετές χρωστικές και σχετικές με τα αντιοξειδωτικά παράμετροι επάγονται από τις μεταχειρίσεις με Ca2+. Μεταξύ των μεταχειρίσεων ασβεστίου διαπιστώθηκαν σημαντικές μεταβολές στους πρωτογενείς μεταβολίτες, συμπεριλαμβανομένων των σακχάρων (π.χ. γλυκόζη, φρουκτόζη), αλκοολών (π.χ., αραβιτόλη, σορβιτόλη), οξέων (π.χ., μηλικό οξύ, κινοϊκό οξύ) και αμινοξέων (π.χ., γλυσίνη, β-αλανίνη). Στη 2η πειραματική προσέγγιση μελετήθηκε η επίδραση των μεταχειρίσεων θερμότητας και ασβεστίου στον μεταβολισμό των κερασιών. Συγκεκριμένα, καρποί της ποικιλίας ‘Lapins’ υποβλήθηκαν σε μεταχείριση με θέρμανση ή/και με διαλύματα CaCl2 και ακολούθως εκτέθηκαν σε θερμοκρασία δωματίου για διάστημα έως 4 ημερών (περίοδος γήρανσης). Οι μεμονωμένες μεταχειρίσεις καθώς και ο συνδυασμός θερμότητας και ασβεστίου καθυστέρησαν μερικώς τη γήρανση των καρπών, όπως αποδεικνύεται από τις αλλαγές στο χρώμα των κερασιών (σκούρο), τη δύναμη διάτρησης της επιδερμίδας και το ρυθμό αναπνοής. Η περιεκτικότητα των καρπών σε ασβέστιο αυξήθηκε ιδιαίτερα όταν η θερμική μεταχείριση συνδυάστηκε με την εφαρμογή ασβεστίου. Αρκετοί πρωτογενείς μεταβολίτες, όπως αμινοξέα, οξέα και αλκοόλες, μειώθηκαν εξαιτίας των δύο μεταχειρίσεων, ενώ πολλά σάκχαρα και δευτερογενείς μεταβολίτες αυξήθηκαν στη 1η ημέρα μετά την εφαρμογή ασβεστίου. Επίσης, σε καρπούς της θερμικής μεταχείρισης παρατηρήθηκαν σημαντικές μεταβολές διαφόρων δευτερογενών μεταβολιτών, όπως εσκουλετίνη, γλυκοζίδιο της πεονιδίνης και γαλακτοζίδιο της πεονιδίνης, ριβόζη, πυρογλουταμικό οξύ και ρουτινοσίδιο της ισοχαρμετίνης. Ο μεταβολισμός των καρπών που εκτέθηκαν σε ασβέστιο παρουσίασε επίσης σημαντικές διακυμάνσεις, ιδιαίτερα στα επίπεδα γαλακτόζης, γλυκερικού οξέος, ασπαρτικού οξέος, τρυπτοφάνης, ρουτίνης, φωσφορικού οξέος και του γλυκοζιδίου της πεονιδίνης. Η έκφραση γονιδίων που εμπλέκονται στον κύκλο των τρικαρβοξιλικών οξέων (MDH1, IDH1, OGDH, SUCLA2 & SDH1-1), στην αποικοδόμηση της πηκτίνης (ADPG1), στο δευτερογενή μεταβολισμό (SK1, 4CL1, HCT & BAN), στο μεταβολισμό των αμινοξέων (ALDH18A1, ALDH4A1, GS , GAD, GOT2, OPLAH, HSDH και SDS) καθώς και στο μεταβολισμό των σακχάρων (PDHA1 & DLAT) επηρεάστηκαν και από τις δύο μεταχειρίσεις. Εν τέλει, η συνολική ανάλυση των μεταβολικών μονοπατιών αποκάλυψε τη ρύθμιση που υφίστανται ο μεταβολισμός των κερασιών ως απόρροια της θερμικής μεταχείρισης και της εφαρμογής του ασβεστίου.Στη 3η πειραματική προσέγγιση, καρποί της εγχώριας ποικιλίας ‘Τσολακέικα’ ψεκάστηκαν διαφυλλικά στις 15, 27 και 37 ημέρες μετά την πλήρη άνθιση (ΗΜΠΑ) με διάλυμα 0,5 % CaCl2*2H2O. Τα φυσιολογικά χαρακτηριστικά καταγράφηκαν κατά την εφαρμογή των μεταχειρίσεων, ενώ δείγματα των καρπών συλλέχθηκαν (α) 2 ημέρες αργότερα (17, 29 και 39 ΗΜΠΑ) από την εφαρμογή του ασβεστίου και (β) στις 44 ΗΜΠΑ (ανάπτυξη πλήρους κόκκινου χρώματος καρπών) και (γ) στις 55 ΗΜΠΑ (εμπορική συγκομιδή καρπών). Επιπρόσθετα, προσδιορίστηκαν οι εκφράσεις των γονιδίων και των πρωτεϊνών που προκάλεσε το ασβέστιο στα αναπτυξιακά στάδια των καρπών μετά την εφαρμογή του (στις 44 και 55 ΗΜΠΑ). Η μεταχείριση με ασβέστιο είχε ως αποτέλεσμα τη μείωση του ρυθμού αναπνοής και του δείκτη σχισίματος της επιδερμίδας κυρίως κατά τη συγκομιδή. Κατά τη διάρκεια των 5 αναπτυξιακών σταδίων των καρπών παρατηρήθηκε μεταβολή σε πληθώρα μεταβολιτών των κερασιών που μεταχειρίστηκαν με ασβέστιο, ενδεικτικά αυξήθηκαν οι μεταβολίτες μηλικό οξύ, γλυκόζη, κυστεΐνη, επικατεχίνη και νεοχλωρογενικό οξύ. Η έκφραση των γονιδίων και τα επίπεδα αρκετών πρωτεϊνών που εμπλέκονται στην οξειδωτική φωσφορυλίωση, την ενδοκυττάρωση, την επιδιόρθωση του DNA, την αντίδραση υπερευαισθησίας, τον μεταβολισμό των αμινοξέων και τη συσσώρευση σακχάρων επηρεάστηκαν από την εφαρμογή ασβεστίου

Improving Quality of Fruit

Fruits are necessary for a balanced diet, and they are consumed for their vitamins, fiber, and other beneficial compounds [...

Improving Quality of Fruit

Fruits are necessary for a balanced diet, and they are consumed for their vitamins, fiber, and other beneficial compounds [...

Physiological and Metabolic Traits Linked to Kiwifruit Quality

The assessment of fruit quality traits is a key factor in increasing consumer acceptance of kiwifruit. Here, an experiment was performed to evaluate the relationship between dry matter (DM) and soluble solids concentration (SSC), evaluated by both destructive (D) and non-destructive (ND) approaches, with acidity content and sensory evaluation, particularly taste, in fully ripened ‘Hayward’ kiwifruits from 20 orchards. Nutrient content and metabolomic analysis were also performed in ripened kiwifruit tissues (pericarp, placenta, and seeds) from four selected orchards of kiwifruits of high taste scores (HTS) and four orchards of low taste scores (LTS). The results suggest that ND-DM measurement positively correlated with D-DM and may serve as an indicator of kiwifruit taste. Moreover, the taste of kiwifruit was affected by both SSC and acidity. Based on the nutrient content of the pericarp and the primary metabolites of the pericarp and placenta, a clear separation was observed between kiwifruits with HTS and those with LTS, while no differences were found in seed samples. Metabolites such as fructose, maltose, mannobiose, tagatose, and citrate were accumulated in kiwifruits with a strong taste in the pericarp, whereas others, such as serine in the pericarp and placenta, have a negative impact on taste. The current study contributes to a greater understanding of the influence of dry matter, ripening characteristics, primary metabolites, and nutrient content on the taste of kiwifruits

Effects of a Short Half-Time Re-Warm-Up Program on Matches Running Performance and Fitness Test Performance of Male Elite Youth Soccer Players

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a half-time short re-warm-up (RW) strategy on the performance of young soccer players in tests of physical abilities and running performance during matches. Twenty-three players (under 17) participated in the study. Body temperature, 10 m sprint, 30 m sprint, the Illinois agility test, countermovement jump (CMJ), and squat jump (SJ) were measured, immediately post-warm-up. Then in one condition, the tests were repeated after a passive rest, and in the other condition, after a 12 min passive rest and 3 min RW. Furthermore, the RW was applied at half-time of two of the four matches where the running performance was measured in the first quarter of the two halves. The results showed that the two conditions differed significantly in the 10 m sprint and CMJ performances (p p = 0.049, respectively). After the passive rest, a significant decrease in body temperature and performance in SJ was observed (p < 0.001 for both). No other differences were observed. In conclusion, the short RW program can limit the decrement in performance in power tests such as sprints and jumps

Could Causal Discovery in Proteogenomics Assist in Understanding Gene&ndash;Protein Relations? A Perennial Fruit Tree Case Study Using Sweet Cherry as a Model

Genome-wide transcriptome analysis is a method that produces important data on plant biology at a systemic level. The lack of understanding of the relationships between proteins and genes in plants necessitates a further thorough analysis at the proteogenomic level. Recently, our group generated a quantitative proteogenomic atlas of 15 sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cv. &lsquo;Tragana Edessis&rsquo; tissues represented by 29,247 genes and 7584 proteins. The aim of the current study was to perform a targeted analysis at the gene/protein level to assess the structure of their relation, and the biological implications. Weighted correlation network analysis and causal modeling were employed to, respectively, cluster the gene/protein pairs, and reveal their cause&ndash;effect relations, aiming to assess the associated biological functions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that causal modeling has been employed within the proteogenomics concept in plants. The analysis revealed the complex nature of causal relations among genes/proteins that are important for traits of interest in perennial fruit trees, particularly regarding the fruit softening and ripening process in sweet cherry. Causal discovery could be used to highlight persistent relations at the gene/protein level, stimulating biological interpretation and facilitating further study of the proteogenomic atlas in plants

Comparative physiological and proteomic analysis reveal distinct regulation of peach skin quality traits by altitude

The role of environment in fruit physiology has been established; however, knowledge regarding the effect of altitude in fruit quality traits is still lacking. Here, skin tissue quality characters were analyzed in peach fruit (cv. June Gold), harvested in 16 orchards located in low (71.5 m mean), or high (495 m mean) altitudes sites. Data indicated that soluble solids concentration and fruit firmness at commercial harvest stage were unaffected by altitude. Peach grown at high-altitude environment displayed higher levels of pigmentation and specific antioxidant-related activity in their skin at the commercial harvest stage. Skin extracts from distinct developmental stages and growing altitudes exhibited different antioxidant ability against DNA strand-scission. The effects of altitude on skin tissue were further studied using a proteomic approach. Protein expression analysis of the mature fruits depicted altered expression of 42 proteins that are mainly involved in the metabolic pathways of defense, primary metabolism, destination/storage and energy. The majority of these proteins were up-regulated at the low-altitude region. High-altitude environment increased the accumulation of several proteins, including chaperone ClpC, chaperone ClpB, pyruvate dehydrogenase E1, TCP domain class transcription factor, and lipoxygenase. We also discuss the altitude-affected protein variations, taking into account their potential role in peach ripening process. This study provides the first characterization of the peach skin proteome and helps to improve our understanding of peach's response to altitude