Substance Abuse via Legally Prescribed Drugs: The Case of Vicodin in the United States

Vicodin is the most commonly prescribed pain reliever in the United States. Research indicates that there are two million people who are currently abusing Vicodin, and the majority of those who abuse Vicodin were initially exposed to it via prescription. Our goal is to determine the most effective strategies for reducing the overall population of Vicodin abusers. More specifically, we focus on whether prevention methods aimed at educating doctors and patients on the potential for drug abuse or treatment methods implemented after a person abuses Vicodin will have a greater overall impact. We consider one linear and two non-linear compartmental models in which medical users of Vicodin can transition into the abuser compartment or leave the population by no longer taking the drug. Once Vicodin abusers, people can transition into a treatment compartment, with the possibility of leaving the population through successful completion of treatment or of relapsing and re-entering the abusive compartment. The linear model assumes no social interaction, while both non-linear models consider interaction. One considers interaction with abusers affecting the relapse rate, while the other assumes both this and an additional interaction between the number of abusers and the number of new prescriptions. Sensitivity analyses are conducted varying the rates of success of these intervention methods measured by the parameters to determine which strategy has the greatest impact on controlling the population of Vicodin abusers. From these models and analyses, we determine that manipulating parameters tied to prevention measures has a greater impact on reducing the population of abusers than manipulating parameters associated with treatment. We also note that increasing the rate at which abusers seek treatment affects the population of abusers more than the success rate of treatment itself

Optimal control with MANF treatment of photoreceptor degeneration

People afflicted with diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration experience a decline in vision due to photoreceptor degeneration, which is currently unstoppable and irreversible. Currently there is no cure for diseases linked to photoreceptor degeneration. Recent experimental work showed that mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) can reduce neuron death and, in particular, photoreceptor death by reducing the number of cells that undergo apoptosis. In this work, we build on an existing system of ordinary differential equations that represent photoreceptor interactions and incorporate MANF treatment for three experimental mouse models having undergone varying degrees of photoreceptor degeneration. Using MANF treatment levels as controls, we investigate optimal control results in the three mouse models. In addition, our numerical solutions match the experimentally observed surviving percentage of photoreceptors and our uncertainty and sensitivity analysis identifies significant parameters in the math model both with and without MANF treatment

Automation of product packaging for industrial applications

[EN] This work presents a robotic-based solution devised to automate the product packaging in industrial environments. Although the proposed approach is illustrated for the case of the shoe industry, it applies to many other products requiring similar packaging processes. The main advantage obtained with the automated task is that productivity could be significantly increased. The key algorithms for the developed robot system are: object detection using a computer vision system; object grasping; trajectory planning with collision avoidance; and operator interaction using a force/torque sensor. All these algorithms have been experimentally tested in the laboratory to show the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed approach.This work has been partly supported by Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad of the Spanish Government [Grant No. RTC201654086 and PRI-AIBDE-2011-1219], by the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) of the German Government (Projekt-ID 54368155) and by ROBOFOOT project [Grant No. 260159] of the European Commission.Perez-Vidal, C.; Gracia, L.; De Paco, J.; Wirkus, M.; Azorin, J.; De Gea, J. (2018). Automation of product packaging for industrial applications. International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing. 31(2):129-137. https://doi.org/10.1080/0951192X.2017.1369165S12913731

Mathematical models of bipolar disorder

We use limit cycle oscillators to model bipolar II disorder, which is characterized by alternating hypomanic and depressive episodes and afflicts about 1% of the United States adult population. We consider two non-linear oscillator models of a single bipolar patient. In both frameworks, we begin with an untreated individual and examine the mathematical effects and resulting biological consequences of treatment. We also briefly consider the dynamics of interacting bipolar II individuals using weakly-coupled, weakly-damped harmonic oscillators. We discuss how the proposed models can be used as a framework for refined models that incorporate additional biological data. We conclude with a discussion of possible generalizations of our work, as there are several biologically-motivated extensions that can be readily incorporated into the series of models presented here

ESROCOS: a robotic operating system for space and terrestrial applications

ESROCOS (http://www.h2020-esrocos.eu) is a European Project in the frame of the PERASPERA SRC, (http://www.h2020-peraspera.eu/), targeting the design of a Robot Control Operating Software (RCOS) for space robotics applications. The goal of the ESROCOS project is to provide an open-source framework to assist in the development of flight software for space robots, providing adequate features and performance with space-grade Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety (RAMS) properties. This paper presents the ESROCOS project and summarizes the approach and the current status

Who Says We R(o) Ready for Change?

18 pages, 1 article*Who Says We R(o) Ready for Change?* (Crisosto, Nicolas M.; Castillo-Chavez, Carlos; Kribs-Zaleta, Christopher; Wirkus, Stephen) 18 page

New Analogues of Proline-Rich Protein Fragments. Synthesis and Their Effect on Resistance of Murine Thymocytes to Hydrocortisone

New analogues of proline-rich protein (PRP) fragment were synthesized by the solid phase method using Boc/Bzl procedure. Dimer of the nonapeptide as well as dimer, trimer and tetramer of hexapeptide fragments of PRP possessing immunotropic activity were obtained. Effect of the peptides on the resistance of murine thymocytes to hydrocortisone was the same as that of the reference compounds (hexapeptide and nonapeptide). Key words: PRP fragments analogues, solid phase peptide synthesis, immunotropic activity A proline-rich protein (PRP) was isolated by Janusz et al. from ovine colostrum The aim of the present paper was to obtain synthetic analogues of NP and HP, which could replace PRP isolated from colostrum and might show the same or even Biochem., 138, 9 (1984)]

Mass-modulation schemes for a class of wave energy converters: Experiments, models, and efficacy

In a recent series of works, mass-modulation schemes have been proposed for a class of ocean wave energy converter (WEC). The goal of the schemes is to improve the energy harvesting capabilities of these devices by taking advantage of the ambient water. However this improvement comes at the cost of increased system complexity and possible impulse loadings at the instances where the mass changes. In the present work, experimental results for a pair of these schemes are presented and one of them is shown to be effective in increasing the energy harvesting potential of a WEC. Building and testing prototype WECs are costly and challenging and so, in order to examine as wide a range of parameters and designs as possible, a detailed two degree-of-freedom model is developed for a WEC equipped with a mass-modulation scheme. Numerical analysis of the model also shows the potential benefits of the mass-modulation scheme

Efficient management of claims in civil engineering

W publikacji zaprezentowano kluczowe zagadnienia zarządzania roszczeniami w budownictwie. Przedstawiono cele, rodzaje oraz strategię gospodarki roszczeniowej przedsiębiorstw. Opisano koncepcję metodyki dostosowanej do obecnych warunków gospodarczych w obszarze zarządzania roszczeniami. Przedstawiono wyniki badań oraz efekty pilotażowych czynności wdrożeniowych metodyki CM w spółce budowlanej o średniej wielkości zatrudnienia.Publication shows theoretical and methodological aspects of efficiently applying Claim Management in civil engineering. The described research can evaluate crucial factors of applying the new concept of Claim Management in small and medium construction companies. The research methods applied are: pilot study of applying Claim Management methods in construction company which hires 120 employees; individual interviews with the management of this company as well as questionnaire survey of different subjects of construction asking about applying this innovation. The research period as well as the field of research is small but the results of increasing efficiency in acquiring additional income from applying the claim administration indicates that it is purposeful to use and improve the new Claim Management concept. The results indicates also that it is necessary to carry on further research to perfect this method. Modern Claim Management should become the universal tool which through risk analysis, sets and changes helps to deal with claims in construction business

Properly preparing construction project - the main factor its success achievement

W opracowaniu przedstawiono wyniki analizy czynników sukcesu realizacji wielkiego przedsięwzięcia budowlanego finansowanego ze źródeł publicznych na przykładzie budowy stadionu piłkarskiego w Gdańsku – Letnicy. Przedmiotem analizy była faza przygotowawcza tj. od właściwej inicjacji, którą można datować na przełom 2005 i 2006 roku do podpisania umowy z Generalnym Wykonawcą budowy stadionu. Na tle kolejno realizowanych procesów w przedsięwzięciu, ujętych w wyodrębnionych obszarach tematycznych, zidentyfikowano zdarzenia i czynności według dat ich wystąpienia w fazie przygotowawczej. Jako obszary tematyczne analizowano przygotowanie dokumentacji projektowej i uzyskiwanie kolejnych pozwoleń, przedstawiono zasady przygotowania i realizacji przetargów na wybór wykonawców prac budowlanych. Przedmiotem analizy były również rozwiązania organizacyjne, które zastosowano przy realizacji projektu. W podsumowaniu zestawiono kilka wytycznych dla przyszłych zarządzających tego typu projektami, tak aby zakończyły się sukcesem.This paper presents the results of the analysis of key success factors for implementing large construction projects funded from public funds. It bases on example of project of building football stadium construction in Gdansk-Letnica (Poland) for EURO 2012 Championship. It is focused on setting up phase (from the main initiation – which can be dated to the turn of 2005 and 2006 – to signing a contract with the general contractor). During analysis events and task were identified, divided on subject areas and placed on timeline, in background of consequent processes which happened during the project. Following subject areas were analyzed: preparing project documentation and obtaining further authorization, and presenting rules for the preparation and implementation of tenders for selection of contractors construction. The analysis was also focused on organizational solutions, which were used in project. The summary contains the number of guidelines for future management of this kind of projects, to ensure success in the future