Manipulation monitoring and robot intervention in complex manipulation sequences

Trabajo presentado al IX Robotics Science and Systems: "Workshop on Robotic Monitoring" (RSS-WRM), celebrado en Berkeley (US) del 12 al 16 de julio de 2014.-- et al.Compared to machines, humans are intelligent and dexterous; they are indispensable for many complex tasks in areas such as flexible manufacturing or scientific experimentation. However, they are also subject to fatigue and inattention, which may cause errors. This motivates automated monitoring systems that verify the correct execution of manipulation sequences. To be practical, such a monitoring system should not require laborious programming.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 (Specific Programme Cooperation, Theme 3, Information and Communication Technologies) under grant agreement no. 269959, IntellAct.Peer Reviewe

Simultaneous fault detection algorithm for grid-connected photovoltaic plants

In this work, the authors present a new algorithm for detecting faults in grid-connected photovoltaic (GCPV) plant. There are few instances of statistical tools being deployed in the analysis of photovoltaic (PV) measured data. The main focus of this study is, therefore, to outline a PV fault detection algorithm that can diagnose faults on the DC side of the examined GCPV system based on the t-test statistical analysis method. For a given set of operational conditions, solar irradiance and module temperature, a number of attributes such as voltage and power ratio of the PV strings are measured using virtual instrumentation (VI) LabVIEW software. The results obtained indicate that the fault detection algorithm can detect accurately different types of faults such as, faulty PV module, faulty PV String, faulty Bypass diode and faulty maximum power point tracking unit. The proposed PV fault detection algorithm has been validated using 1.98 kWp PV plant installed at the University of Huddersfield, UK

Breast cancer management pathways during the COVID-19 pandemic: outcomes from the UK ‘Alert Level 4’ phase of the B-MaP-C study

Abstract: Background: The B-MaP-C study aimed to determine alterations to breast cancer (BC) management during the peak transmission period of the UK COVID-19 pandemic and the potential impact of these treatment decisions. Methods: This was a national cohort study of patients with early BC undergoing multidisciplinary team (MDT)-guided treatment recommendations during the pandemic, designated ‘standard’ or ‘COVID-altered’, in the preoperative, operative and post-operative setting. Findings: Of 3776 patients (from 64 UK units) in the study, 2246 (59%) had ‘COVID-altered’ management. ‘Bridging’ endocrine therapy was used (n = 951) where theatre capacity was reduced. There was increasing access to COVID-19 low-risk theatres during the study period (59%). In line with national guidance, immediate breast reconstruction was avoided (n = 299). Where adjuvant chemotherapy was omitted (n = 81), the median benefit was only 3% (IQR 2–9%) using ‘NHS Predict’. There was the rapid adoption of new evidence-based hypofractionated radiotherapy (n = 781, from 46 units). Only 14 patients (1%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during their treatment journey. Conclusions: The majority of ‘COVID-altered’ management decisions were largely in line with pre-COVID evidence-based guidelines, implying that breast cancer survival outcomes are unlikely to be negatively impacted by the pandemic. However, in this study, the potential impact of delays to BC presentation or diagnosis remains unknown

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Rehabilitation of Reinforced Concrete Beams

The concrete structures are often exposed to damage as a result of several factors including, environment, design, and other factors, and because of the high cost and long time needed for reconstruction of the damaged buildings, it become necessary to consider methods for rehabilitation of the damaged structural member in the building. Several methods for repairing the damaged beams are considered in the present work. The technologies of ferrocement, steel plate, fiber carbon reinforced polymer (FCRP), and the technology of the developed nano cement mortar are used in the present work. Twelve reinforced concrete beams (2200x200x150)mm were cast and tested under point load at mid-span to limit the failure. The ultimate strength of rehabilitated concrete beams using the techniques of injecting nano materials in the cracks or having a jacket made from reinforced nano cement mortar exceeds 80% of the ultimate strength of the beam before rehabilitation and exceeds 99% of ultimate strength of the beam before rehabilitation of rehabilitation by fiber carbon reinforced polymer (FCRP) with low cost compared to other techniques that used in research

Syntactic and Semantic Interface of English Complementizers ‘for' and ‘That': Implications and Theory

The aim of this study is to investigate the function and use of English complementizers ‘that and for' and to examine how these complementizers interact with(in) the semantic scope of complex sentences. The study argues that the transformational processes of English complementizers have the potential to change and manipulate the sentence/speaker's meaning. This manipulative change of meaning is firstly abode by the complementizer used within the matrix of (complex) sentence and secondly by the type that the propositional content of the sentence refers to (whether the information conveyed expresses objective knowledge, subjective mood, moral judgment, emotional state or open, uncertain question). The study concludes that the classification of verbs plays an essential role in selecting the complementizer to be properly used in covering the necessary cognitive status of the sentence at the syntactic and semantic levels. Thus, each complementizer has its own semantic restrictions, which differentiate it from other complementizers

Days from Pollination to Seed Maturity in Crownvetch

Flowers of crownvetch, Coronilla varia. L., were hand pollinated in the field at approximately weekly intervals during the growing seasons of 1969 and 1970 to ascertain the time required from pollination to seed maturity. Averaged over both years, the mean time from pollination to fully mature seed was 50 days but ranged from 46 to 59 days, depending upon the date of pollination and the field. Mature seeds are plump with either dull brown or reddish-brown seedcoats. In 1969, none of the flowers pollinated after July 22 produced seeds that matured before commercial harvest in late September and early October, while in 1970, none of the flowers pollinated after August 16 produced mature seeds. The mean number of seeds per pod was 6.7. Mature seeds collected in 1971 from seedpods resulting from flowers pollinated during July had a total germination of 96% of which 92% were hard seeds. Seeds from flowers pollinated in mid-August had a total germination of 82% of which only 11% were hard. These studies suggest that to increase seed yield and seed quality, crownvetch seed fields pollinated by honeybees should be managed so that flowers are pollinated as early as possible during the growing season

Multivariate indicators of disease severity in COVID-19

Abstract The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality around the world. Diverse clinical presentations prompted numerous attempts to predict disease severity to improve care and patient outcomes. Equally important is understanding the mechanisms underlying such divergent disease outcomes. Multivariate modeling was used here to define the most distinctive features that separate COVID-19 from healthy controls and severe from moderate disease. Using discriminant analysis and binary logistic regression models we could distinguish between severe disease, moderate disease, and control with rates of correct classifications ranging from 71 to 100%. The distinction of severe and moderate disease was most reliant on the depletion of natural killer cells and activated class-switched memory B cells, increased frequency of neutrophils, and decreased expression of the activation marker HLA-DR on monocytes in patients with severe disease. An increased frequency of activated class-switched memory B cells and activated neutrophils was seen in moderate compared to severe disease and control. Our results suggest that natural killer cells, activated class-switched memory B cells, and activated neutrophils are important for protection against severe disease. We show that binary logistic regression was superior to discriminant analysis by attaining higher rates of correct classification based on immune profiles. We discuss the utility of these multivariate techniques in biomedical sciences, contrast their mathematical basis and limitations, and propose strategies to overcome such limitations