Formation control of multiple robots using parametric and implicit representations

A novel method is presented for formation control of a group of autonomous mobile robots using parametric and implicit descriptions of the desired formation. Shape formation is controlled by using potential fields generated from Implicit Polynomial (IP) representations and the control for keeping the desired shape is designed using Elliptical Fourier Descriptors (EFD). Coordination of the robots is modeled by linear springs between each robot and its nearest two neighbors. This approach offers more flexibility in the formation shape and scales well to different swarm sizes and to heterogeneous systems. The method is simulated on robot groups with different sizes to form various formation shapes

Effects of lead user method on product development performance and a case study

Etkili ve güçlü ürün geliştirme, müşteri ihtiyaçlarının doğru olarak analiz edilmesine bağlıdır.  Müşteriyi ürün geliştirme proseslerine dâhil eden firmalar, pazarda büyük bir rekabet avantajı elde edeceklerdir. Yeni ürün geliştirme proseslerine müşterinin daha sık dâhil edilmesi, yeni ürünlerin pazara çıkma hızı üzerinde olumlu etkiye sahiptir. Bu bağlamda, pazarların en önemli müşterileri olarak görülen lider kullanıcılar da yeni ürün kavramları ve dizaynları elde etme çalışmalarında, müşteri ihtiyaçlarını analiz etmede önemli ihtiyaç ve çözüm bilgisi sağlarlar. Müşteri ihtiyaçlarının artmasından ve hızlı değişiklik göstermesinden dolayı kilit müşterilerin ürün geliştirme proseslerine dahil edilmesi özellikle otomotiv sektöründe oldukça önemlidir. Bu çalışmada, yeni ürün fikirlerinin üretilmesi prosesine müşterinin dâhil edilmesi, lider kullanıcı kavramı ve metodu ele alınmıştır.  Lider kullanıcı metodunun temel uygulama adımları ve bu metodun kullanılmasındaki kritik başarı faktörlerine yer verilmiş ve ürün geliştirme performansı açıklanmıştır. Bu çalışma kapsamında, lider kullanıcıların ürün geliştirme prosesine dahil edilmesinin ürün geliştirme performansı üzerindeki etkilerini incelemek amacıyla otomotiv yan sanayinde faaliyet gösteren 51 firmayı kapsayan bir anket çalışması yapılmıştır. Elde edilen veriler SPSS 11.0 istatistik programı kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Değerlendirme kapsamında; faktör analizi, güvenilirlik analizi, korelasyon ve regresyon analizi yapılmıştır. İstatistiksel analiz bulguları incelendiğinde, ürün geliştirme performansı ile lider kullanıcıların ürün geliştirme prosesinde yer alması değişkeni arasında anlamlı ve pozitif yönde bir ilişkinin olduğu tespit edilmiştir.  Anahtar Kelimeler: Lider kullanıcı metodu, ürün geliştirme performansı, faktör analizi, güvenilirlik analizi, korelasyon analizi, regresyon analizi.As a result of increasing competitive pressures together with continuously increasing costumers needs, decreasing production costs and product development times urge companies to adept a systematic product development process. As the product are designed and produced for the costumers, costumer views are vital for the design and it dictates a close collaboration with the costumers. In order to meet their increasing customers’ needs, today many companies are seeking the ways to reflect their costumers’ voices and requirements into their products and services. A product development process based on rapid, non-problematical and costumer voices will provide companies a market success through developed products and services. An effective new product development process depends on the definition of uneasy customer problems. In today’s competitive environment, companies are utilising different methods to define costumers’ needs and to develop products accordingly. Nowadays companies are incorporating the lead users having the abilities to see the general future trends of the market and getting important solutions to these future market needs. In this way, the companies both define the changing costumer needs and getting important competitive advantages by entering their products to the market in shorter times. In this study, firstly the importance of the inclusion of the costumers to the creation of new product development process is outlined, the lead user concept is defined, and the lead user method is explained and the importance of this method in product development studies is underlined. Secondly, the main application steps of the lead user method, namely definition of definition of lead users and lead user characteristics, creation of product concept with lead users and lead users’ product concept test are outlined in detail. Finally, the success factors in the application of this method are examined and the product development performance scales are explained. In the application stage of the work, a theoretical model explaining the effect of inclusion of the lead users into product development process was developed. As a result of continuously improvement of automotive technology and increase in customers’ expectations, the automotive sub-industry has to develop new product and improve the performance of the product they develop. Automotive sub-industry is one of the high value added industries in sustainable, social and economical development of a society and from this perspective it is highly important for Turkey. In this respect, a market survey with a questionnaire in automotive sub-industry was conducted in order to define the effects of lead users considered in the product development process performance independent variable on product development performance dependent variable in the theoretical model. According to the State Statistical Institute (DİE) and Small and Medium Industry Development Organisation (KOSGEB) criterion, 51 out of 210 small and medium sized companies active in automotive sub industry in and around Istanbul and Gebze were responded positively to our questionnaire. 27 of these responded companies were contacted with face-to-face method and 27 of the remaining companies were responded via e-mail.  The characteristics of these companies participated in the study are detailed in presented tables.  The information gathered from the field survey was analyses with SPSS 11.0 statistical analysis software. In the statistical analysis, it is determined that the dependent and independent variables in the factor analysis are ascertained in the related factors, the scales developed in the reliability analysis are rather reliable. The analysis also revealed that in the correlation analysis there is a meaningful and positive relationship between dependent and independent variables and with the help of simple linear regression analysis it was determined the variable of the inclusion of the lead users in the product development process affects the product development process in high meaningful level and positive manner. Under the light of the current study, the effects of the inclusion of the lead users in the product development process are interpreted from automotive sub-industries perspective. The comments made on this sectoral basis could be considered as a guideline for other companies and the researches. Keywords: Lead user method, product development performance, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis

A New Approach to Surgical Gowns

Emerging diseases such as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, SARS, and most recently the Covid 19 epidemic have increased the importance of hygiene in the world, bringing the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) to the forefront. An important part of PPE in healthcare is surgical gowns, which are worn by doctors and nurses in the operating room to serve a dual function of preventing the transmission of microorganisms and body fluids from surgical staff to patients and from patients to staff. This chapter presents the history and importance of surgical gowns. The factors to be considered in the selection of surgical gowns are discussed. The model characteristics and fabric properties of surgical gowns currently on the market and the environmental impact of reusable and disposable gowns are outlined. Finally, shortcomings in available gowns are discussed, a new knitted surgical gown design is introduced, and recommendations are given in the final section. The chapter provides broad coverage of surgical gowns for both experienced readers and those new to the field

Moyamoya slimības ķirurģiskas ārstēšanas iespējas

MedicīnaVeselības aprūpeMedicineHealth CarePriekšvēsture: Moyamoya slimība ir reta cerebrovaskulāra slimība, ko raksturo patoloģiska asinsvadu tīkla attīstība smadzeņu pamatnē, kas var izraisīt išēmiskus vai hemorāģiskus notikumus, piemēram, pārejošas išēmiskas lēkmes, insultu vai intrakraniālu asinsizplūdumu. Moyamoya slimības ķirurģiska ārstēšana ir atzīta par galveno ārstēšanas metodi simptomātiskiem pacientiem, jo īpaši pacientiem ar išēmisku izpausmi. Tomēr indikācijas ķirurģiskai ārstēšanai pacientiem ar asimptomātisku vai hemorāģisku izpausmi ir bijušas pretrunīgas. Turklāt ir diskutēts par optimālās revaskularizācijas metodes izvēli pediatriskiem pacientiem. Mērķis: Šī literatūras apskata mērķis ir analizēt ķirurģiskās ārstēšanas nozīmi pacientiem, kas slimo ar Moyamoya slimību. Tādējādi tiks noskaidrotas dažādas ķirurģiskās ārstēšanas iespējas, ņemot vērā to tehniskos apsvērumus, priekšrocības un ierobežojumus. Turklāt tiks izvērtēta ķirurģiskās revaskularizācijas izmantošana īpašās pacientu grupās, tostarp pediatriskās, asimptomātiskās un hemorāģiskās pacientu grupās. Metode: Tika veikts literatūras apskats, iegūstot informāciju no vairākām datubāzēm, tostarp PubMed, Web of Science, kā arī RSU tiešsaistes portāla datubāzē pieejamajiem e-žurnāliem. Tika iegūta informācija par ķirurģiskās ārstēšanas iespēju priekšrocībām un ierobežojumiem, kā arī to pielietošanu noteiktām pacientu grupām. Secinājumi: Ķirurģiska ārstēšana un jo īpaši tieša revaskularizācija ir iespējama pacientiem ar simptomātisku mojamoja slimību, tostarp pacientiem ar išēmisku vai hemorāģisku izpausmi. Nav zinātnisku pierādījumu par asimptomātiskas mojamoja slimības pacientu ārstēšanu, tomēr nelielu pētījumu rezultāti atklāja labvēlīgu ietekmi attiecībā uz izdzīvošanas ilgumu bez progresēšanas. Pediatriskie pacienti gūst labumu gan no tiešās, gan netiešās revaskularizācijas metodēm, tomēr priekšroka jādod tiešajai revaskularizācijai, īpaši bērniem ar smagu izpausmi un atkārtotiem notikumiem.Background: Moyamoya disease is a rare cerebrovascular disorder characterized by the development of an abnormal vascular network at the base of the brain which may result in ischemic or hemorrhagic events, such as transient ischemic attacks, strokes, or intracranial hemorrhages. Surgical treatment of moyamoya disease has been accepted as the mainstay of treatment for symptomatic patients, especially those with an ischemic presentation. However, indications of surgical treatment for patients with an asymptomatic or hemorrhagic presentation have been controversial. Furthermore, the choice of optimal revascularization method for pediatric patients has been a point of debate. Aim: The aim of this literature review is to analyze the role of surgical treatment in patients suffering from moyamoya disease. Thus, the various surgical treatment options will be elucidated regarding their technical considerations, advantages, and limitations. Furthermore, use of surgical revascularization will be evaluated in specific patient groups, including pediatric, asymptomatic, and hemorrhagic patients. Method: A literature review was conducted obtaining information from several databases, including PubMed, Web of Science as well as E-journals available in RSU’s online portal database. Information regarding the advantages and limitations of surgical treatment options, as well as their application in specific patient groups, was extracted. Conclusion: Surgical treatment and especially direct revascularization is feasible in patients suffering from symptomatic moyamoya disease, including patients with an ischemic or hemorrhagic presentation. Scientific evidence for the treatment of asymptomatic moyamoya patients is lacking, however the results of small studies revealed a beneficial effect regarding a progression-free survival time. Pediatric patients benefit from both, direct and indirect revascularization methods, however direct revascularization should be preferred especially in those children with severe presentation and recurrent events

Ethical Issues in Neuromarketing: "I Consume, Therefore I am!"

Neuromarketing is a recent interdisciplinary field which crosses traditional boundaries between neuroscience, neuroeconomics and marketing research. Since this nascent field is primarily concerned with improving marketing strategies and promoting sales, there has been an increasing public aversion and protest against it. These protests can be exemplified by the reactions observed lately in Baylor School of Medicine and Emory University in the United States. The most recent attempt to stop ongoing neuromarketing research in France is also remarkable. The pertaining ethical issues have been continuously attracting much attention, especially since the number of neuromarketing companies has exceeded 300 world-wide. This paper begins with a brief introduction to the field of neurotechnology by presenting its current capabilities and limitations. Then, it will focus on the ethical issues and debates most related with the recent applications of this technology. The French Parliament's revision of rules on bioethics in 2004 has an exemplary role in our discussion. The proposal by Murphy et al. (2008) has attracted attention to the necessity of ethical codes structuring this field. A code has recently been declared by the Neuromarketing Science and Business Association. In this paper, it is argued that these technologies should be sufficiently discussed in public spheres and its use on humans should be fully carried out according to the ethical principles and legal regulations designed in line with human rights and human dignity. There is an urgent need in the interdisciplinary scientific bodies like ethics committees monitoring the research regarding the scientific and ethical values of nonmaleficence, beneficence, autonomy, confidentiality, right to privacy and protection of vulnerable groups

Identification and disease incidence of bacterial canker on stone fruits in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Turkey

In recent years, stone fruit plantations have been widely increased in the eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey. In 2012, bacterial canker caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae were first observed in the region. In 2014 among February to May, stone fruit orchards in Adana, Mersin and Hatay provinces were surveyed in order to determine the disease incidence. From 68 individual orchards, 25, 8 and 35 stone fruit orchards were surveyed in Adana, Mersin and Hatay provinces, respectively. No disease symptoms were observed in Adana and Mersin orchards. Despite that the occurrence of bacterial canker was determined in Hatay county in three individual apricot ('Ninfa') and one plum growing orchard. Disease incidence approached 20, 25 and 30% in three apricot orchards and 5% in plum orchard. Black, sunken lesions on apricot and plum fruits, chlorosis and necrotic lesions on leaf tissue were observed on symptomatic plants. Due to isolations from symptomatic fruits, 15 and 5 putative strains from apricot and plum, respectively, were isolated. All strains were identified as Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae by pathogenicity (immature peach and lemon fruits), LOPAT (Group Ia) and GATTa tests. In this study, the disease incidence of bacterial canker on apricot and plum trees and the occurrence of the disease on plum were first determined in the eastern Mediterranean region. Disease reactions on apricot ('Ninfa', 'Magador' and 'Colorado') and plum ('Black Diamond', 'Black Amber' and 'Black Beauty') cultivars growing in the region is still running