Patient-Specific Magnetic Catheters for Atraumatic Autonomous Endoscopy.

The path of least resistance explaining tourist mobility patterns in destination areas using Airbnb data

Recently, the robot with many links and degrees of freedoms is actively produced. Generally, the robot that has many degrees of freedoms owns many redundant joints. So we make a suggestion for using redundant joints effectively. The paper proposes using redundant joint as a counter weight. We make a trajectory in momentum space, and we use Fourier Basis Algorism as the method for an optimization. This trajectory generating method has an effect on reducing a driving energy for throwing motion.

In this thesis, we present a dynamical systems approach to adaptive controllers for locomotion control. The approach is based on a rigorous mathematical framework using nonlinear dynamical systems and is inspired by theories of self-organization. Nonlinear dynamical systems such as coupled oscillators are an interesting approach for the on-line generation of trajectories for robots with many degrees of freedom (e.g. legged locomotion). However, designing a nonlinear dynamical system to satisfy a given specification and goal is not an easy task, and, hitherto no methodology exists to approach this problem in a unified way. Nature presents us with satisfactory solutions for the coordination of many degrees of freedom. One central feature observed in biological subjects is the ability of the neural systems to exploit natural dynamics of the body to achieve efficient locomotion. In order to be able to exploit the body properties, adaptive mechanisms must be at work. Recent work has pointed out the importance of the mechanical system for efficient locomotion. Even more interestingly, such well suited mechanical systems do not need complicated control. Yet, in robotics, in most approaches, adaptive mechanisms are either missing or they are not based on a rigorous framework, i.e. they are based on heuristics and ad-hoc approaches. Over the last three decades there has been enormous progress in describing movement coordination with the help of Synergetic approaches. This has led to the formulation of a theoretical framework: the theory of dynamic patterns. This framework is mathematically rigorous and at the same time fully operational. However, it does not provide any guidelines for synthetic approaches as needed for the engineering of robots with many degrees of freedom, nor does it directly help to explain adaptive systems. We will show how we can extend the theoretical framework to build adaptive systems. For this purpose, we propose the use of multi-scale dynamical systems. The basic idea behind multi-scale dynamical systems is that a given dynamical system gets extended by additional slow dynamics of its parameters, i.e. some of the parameters become state variables. The advantages of the framework of multi-scale dynamical systems for adaptive controllers are 1) fully dynamic description, 2) no separation of learning algorithm and learning substrate, 3) no separation of learning trials or time windows, 4) mathematically rigorous, 5) low dimensional systems. However, in order to fully exploit the framework important questions have to be solved. Most importantly, methodologies for designing the feedback loops have to be found and important theoretical questions about stability and convergence properties of the devised systems have to be answered. In order to tackle this challenge, we first introduce an engineering view on designing nonlinear dynamical systems and especially oscillators. We will highlight the important differences and freedom that this engineering view introduces as opposed to a modeling one. We then apply this approach by first proposing a very simple adaptive toy-system, consisting of a dynamical system coupled to a spring-mass system. Due to its spring-mass dynamics, this system contains clear natural dynamics in the form of resonant frequencies. We propose a prototype adaptive multi-scale system, the adaptive frequency oscillator, which is able to adapt its intrinsic frequency to the resonant frequency of the body dynamics. After a small sidetrack to show that we can use adaptive frequency oscillators also for other applications than for adaptive controllers, namely for frequency analysis, we then come back to further investigation of the adaptive controller. We apply the same controller concept to a simple spring-mass hopper system. The spring-mass system consists of a body with two legs attached by rotational joints. The legs contain spring-damper elements. Finally, we present results of the implementation of the controller on a real robot, the experimental robot PUPPY II. This robot is a under-actuated robot with spring dynamics in the knee joints. It will be shown, that due to the appropriate simplification and concentration on relevant features in the toy-system the controller concepts works without a fundamental change on all systems from the toy system up to the real robot.

BackgroundThe co-administration of multiple drugs (polypharmacy) is the single most common cause of adverse drug events in the older population, and residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are at particularly high risk of medication harm. ‘Deprescribing’ – the withdrawal of an inappropriate medication with goal of managing polypharmacy and improving outcomes – may improve the quality of life of LTCF residents. The RELEASE study sought to explore perceptions of medication use and the concept of deprescribing in LTCFs.MethodsFocus groups and interviews were conducted with General Practitioners (GPs), pharmacists, nursing staff, residents and their relatives within three LTCFs in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region of NSW, Australia. Audiotapes were transcribed verbatim and, using the Integrative Model of Behaviour Prediction as a framework, thematic analysis of transcripts was conducted using QSR NVivo 10.ResultsParticipants acknowledged the burden of too many medications (time to administer, physical discomfort, cost), yet displayed passivity towards medication reduction. Residents and relatives lacked understanding of medicine indications or potential harms. Willingness to initiate and accept medication change was dependent on the GP, who emerged as a central trusted figure. GPs preferred ‘the path of least resistance’, signalling systems barriers (poor uniformity of LTCF medical records, limited trained LTCF personnel); time constraints (resident consultations, follow-up with specialists and family); and the organisation of care (collaborating with LTCF staff, pharmacists and prescribing specialists) as obstacles to deprescribing.ConclusionsTargeted engagement is required to raise awareness of the risks of polypharmacy in LTCFs and encourage acceptance of deprescribing amongst residents and their relatives. GPs are integral to the success of deprescribing initiatives within this sector.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12877-016-0181-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Arc determination equals injury identification: Trauma mantra applied to electrocution

Bronchoscopy in North America: The ACCP Survey

Recent legislation means that it is now illegal to treat a student, for reasons relating to a disability, less favourably than a non‐disabled student unless this is justified to maintain academic standards. However, recent research has identified numerous barriers faced by students with disabilities when they attempt to access the higher education curriculum. This study uses a methodology combining life‐story approaches with a voice‐relational analysis and aims to explore in more detail these barriers by listening to first person accounts from university students with a disability. The students’ narratives suggest that disabled students have to work considerably harder than non‐disabled students to overcome a wide range of physical, attitudinal, social, cultural and political barriers. Students appear to take the path of least resistance by choosing routes where the barriers are least great and it is argued that in this way they are being discriminated against. The research shows that voice‐relational methodology is excellent at producing a thorough account of the phenomenological world of these students without neglecting a materialist and cultural analysis of their environment. These insider perspectives are then used to suggest possible improvements to policy and practice in higher education.

The degree to which individuals prefer smaller sooner versus larger delayed rewards serves as a powerful predictor of their impulsivity towards a number of different kinds of rewards. Here we test the limits of its predictive ability within a variety of cognitive and social domains. Across several large samples of subjects, individuals who prefer smaller more immediate rewards (steeper discounters) are less reflective (or more impulsive) in their choices, preferences, and beliefs. First, steeper discounters used more automatic, less controlled choice strategies, giving more intuitive but incorrect responses on the Cognitive Reflection Test (replicating previous findings); employing a suboptimal probability matching heuristic for a one-shot gamble (rather than maximizing their probability of reward); and relying less on optimal planning in a two-stage reinforcement learning task. Second, steeper discounters preferred to consume information that was less complex and multi-faceted, as suggested by their self-reported Need for Cognitive Closure, their use of short-form social media (i.e., Twitter), and their preferred news sources (in particular, whether or not they preferred National Public Radio over other news sources). Third, steeper discounters had interpersonal and religious beliefs that are associated with reduced epistemic complexity: they were more likely to believe that the behavior of others could be explained by fixed rather than dynamic factors, and they believed more strongly in God and in the afterlife. Together these findings provide evidence for a link between individual differences in temporal discounting for monetary rewards and preferences for the path of least resistance (less reflective and/or more automatic modes of processing) across a variety of domains.

Paraffin deposition is a commonly experienced problem throughout the petroleum industry, and especially in certain reservoir fluids found in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). As hydrocarbons are produced from the relatively high pressure and temperature found in the reservoir, fluids experience a thermal cooling, as well as significant pressure decreases. These alterations in the fluid thermodynamics can lead to the instability and eventual deposition of paraffins from the hydrocarbon matrix. As production continues, these paraffin deposits can result in significant flow impairment in downhole and surface facilities. Aromatic and aliphatic compounds are commonly used as remediation methods for the dissolution of these paraffins. However, one of the most significant challenges in ensuring an effective remedial treatment is maintaining optimal fluid placement. Given a lack of diversionary placement methods, fluids will preferentially take the path of least resistance. This path does not necessarily coincide with desirable solvent placement for optimum contact with the organic solids. Instead, expensive solvents can be rendered ineffective through a lack of contact. In order to counteract poor fluid placement, a variety of chemical and mechanical diversionary methods have been developed for use in acid or solvent treatments. Mechanical methods rely on tools or packers to force remediation fluids into the desired location. Chemical methods often rely on a viscosification to force remediation fluid from the path of least resistance into the desired areas. To date, the majority of chemical diversion methods have been utilized for acidization treatments, while hydrocarbon based solvents have largely relied on mechanical means of isolation. This paper will provide details on the development, laboratory testing, and case study of a novel chemical system intended to provide diversion for an aliphatic and aromatic based solvent. The use of a delayed viscosifying agent can be custom tailored for each individual wellbore scenario, allowing for optimal fluid placement.

Background and Purpose: Latino children are more likely to be overweight than non-Latino whites. Family food context research is relevant to the prevention of overweight. The purpose of the study was to identify patterns in Latino family food decisions related to the dinner routine. Methods: In 2013-2014, thirty-four in-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-two Latina mothers with children age 5-10 in California’s Central Valley. Previously published research informed the semi-structured interview guide. A grounded theory methodology was used to identify themes. Results: Four salient food decision approaches emerged. Families exhibited six combinations of these approaches. Mothers’ explicit health goals guide the health approach. The traditional approach emphasizes eating favorite recipes. In the developmental approach, parents modify the main meal for children based on the belief children will develop an adult’s taste over time. The path of least resistance favors expediency over other concerns. Conclusion: While the path of least resistance and health approaches have previously been observed among other populations, this paper provides findings on these categories among Latinos. Additionally, our findings on the developmental and traditional approaches expand the body of knowledge on food decisions. The guiding approaches provide a framework that can be sensitive to diverse food schemas.

We consider the problem of potential interaction between a finite-dimensional linear Lagrangian system and an infinite-dimensional one (a system of linear oscillators and a thermostat). We study the final dynamics of the system. Under natural assumptions, this dynamics turns out to be very simple and admits an explicit description because the thermostat produces an effective dissipation despite the energy conservation and the Lagrangian nature of the system. We use the methods of [1], where the final dynamics of the finite-dimensional subsystem is studied in the case when it has one degree of freedom and a linear potential or (under additional assumptions) polynomial potential. We consider the case of finite-dimensional subsystems with arbitrarily many degrees of freedom and a linear potential and study the final dynamics of the system of oscillators and the thermostat. The necessary assertions from [1] are given with proofs adapted to the present situation.

We address the impossibility of achieving exact time reversal in a system with many degrees of freedom. This is a particular example of the difficult task of “aiming” an initial classical state so as to become a specific final state. We also comment on the classical-to-quantum transition in any non-separable closed system of \(n \ge 2\) degrees of freedom. Even if the system is initially in a well-defined WKB, semi-classical state, quantum evolution and, in particular, multiple reflections at classical turning points make it completely quantum mechanical with each particle smeared almost uniformly over all the configuration space. The argument, which is presented in the context of \(n\) hard discs, is quite general. Finally, we briefly address more complex quantum systems with many degrees of freedom and ask when can they provide an appropriate environment to the above simpler systems so that quantum spreading is avoided by continuously leaving “imprints” in the environment. We also discuss the possible connections with the pointer systems that are needed in the quantum-to-classical “collapse” transitions.

Are all doctorates equal or are some “more equal than others”? An examination of which ones should be offered by schools of nursing

A methodology to capture and post-process bat flight 3-D Stereo Triangulation data to formulate an approximated rigid body kinematic model was investigated. Bat flight is unique in nature due to the bats inherent agility and many degrees of freedom when compared to other flying animals. This complexity makes capturing accurate aerodynamic data very difficult. Unlike insects, which utilize few degrees of freedom and a high flap frequency for sustained flight and maneuverability, the agility of bats comes in part from the many degrees of freedom present in the bat wing. In order to better understand the aerodynamics present in bat flight, bats Hipposideridae (Old World leaf-nosed bats) were examined. The trajectories of critical points along the bat wings were recorded using 3D stereo triangulation techniques to capture the complexities of the bat flight. Markers were placed at all the joint locations along the bat wing. The resulting trajectories were then translated into a periodic kinematic model for future computational use.

Evaluation of the absolute configurational entropy of tri-O-methyl-β-cyclodextrin, a molecule with many degrees of freedom