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Objective We report a probable case of multiple skeletal dysplasia observed in a Late Iron Age young adult male. Materials The individual studied belongs to a Late Iron Age necropolis from Switzerland. The skeletal elements are well preserved Methods Macroscopic and radiographic assessment. Results The individual shows evidence of both craniofacial and mandibular deformation. Developmental defects are also visible with effects on the general shape and articular surfaces of both humeri, as well as the left femur and tibia. Conclusion We propose that the lesions observed are manifestations of skeletal dysplasia, such as pseudo-achondroplasia or multiple epiphyseal dysplasia. Significance This is the first recorded case of multiple skeletal dysplasia in an Iron Age necropolis in Switzerland, questioning the integration of physically compromised individuals in La Tene society. Limitations Examination of other skeletal dysplasias from archaeological contexts provides support for this diagnosis. Suggestions for future research The integration of individuals with disabilities in La Tene societies is still poorly understood and further research is needed to better characterize these communities.

In this paper, it is discussed the control of a double inverted pendulum (DIP) on a cart with the use of a Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC). The DIP is a classic problem in mechanics and the control procedure to stabilize around equilibrium position constitutes a classic criterion for the various control methods in Control Systems Theory and Robotics e.g., can serve as a representative model for the computation and stability of walking robots. To access the efficacy of the proposed method, a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) was used as a benchmark. The study showed that the proposed FLC can provide considerably better performance than LQR under different initial conditions of the system. This performance is remarkably significant in terms of the system outputs peak values reduction. The balancing and velocity tracking performance of the proposed controller was studied via simulations. The simulation result shows the effectiveness of our control scheme.

The main objective of this paper is to present a new and cost-effective Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tool that can lead to efficient energy management in buildings and optimal operation of electricity networks with increased share of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and Electric Vehicles (EVs). The new ICT infrastructure is based on the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) standard and its interoperability with smart metering technology, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and Building Automation Systems (BAS). The main idea involves the attachment of a DAB receiver to electric devices (from small household appliances up to EVs and solar systems and other RES). In this paper, the DAB protocol is described, enabling high cyber-physical security. Moreover, the results of addressing a thermostatically-controlled load using DAB-signaling in Switzerland are also presented. The next steps envisioned are i) the validation of the final protocol version and of the DAB receivers for various electric appliances and DR schemes and, ii) demonstration of the new technology in real-life cases through the National DAB broadcaster in Greece.

Polycythemia vera (PV) and heterozygous beta-thalassemia (HBT) have opposing effects on the hematocrit (Hct) and may mask the presence of each other. Missing the diagnosis of PV may have serious consequences, mainly by exposing the patient to the risk of thromboses. We present a case where the diagnosis of PV was delayed due to the coexistence of HBT, and review the relevant literature. It can be postulated that "stress erythropoiesis", known to occur in patients with thalassemic syndromes, increases the probability of somatic JAK2 mutations leading to development of PV.

Organic Vapor Jet Printing (OVJP) is a solvent-less, mask-less printing technology for depositing patterned small molecule organic materials to manufacture large area side by side R-G-B OLED displays. This paper discusses a brief history of OVJP, describes recent technology advances and describes prospects for large area mass production systems.

BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is one of the most common emergencies in gastroenterology. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the incidence of GIB and seasonal, circadian and meteorological patterns in the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS From January 2007 until December 2012, we retrospectively evaluated patients presenting to the ED with respect to the number and location of GIB, season, time of day and weather. RESULTS Of 45 458 patients, 578 (1.3%) presented with a GIB. Of these, 62.5% were men compared with 54.7% of all patients in the ED (χ, P=0.0002). Patients with GIB were on average 4.4 years older than those without GIB (95% confidence interval 2.76-5.98, t-test, P

Background The role of Nailfold Video Capillaroscopy (NVC) in the identification of patients with Raynaud phenomenon (RP) at risk to develop systemic sclerosis (SSc) is well established. However, it is not clear if certain capillaroscopic indices perform better than others at predicting SSc development and which NVC parameters have a prognostic value in established SSc. Objectives To comparatively assess the performance of different NVC parameters in predicting development of SSc, very early diagnosis of SSc (VEDOSS), or mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) in patients with RP. Also, to longitudinally examine the consistency of clinical correlations of NVC parameters in SSc patients at two different time points and evaluate the prognostic capacity of NVC in SSc. Methods Consecutive RP patients referred to our department for NVC (138 with SSc, 12 with VEDOSS, 6 with MCTD, 36 with primary RP, and 50 with non-SSc secondary RP) were evaluated at baseline, both clinically and capillaroscopically; 175 were reevaluated after a mean±SD of 3.34±1.48 years. Sixty-two healthy volunteers served as controls. Qualitative assessment of NVC images permitted categorization of patients to a normal, early, active or late capillaroscopic pattern. Capillary loss, dilated, giant or ramified capillaries and micro-hemorrhages were evaluated by a semi-quantitative score (0-3), derived as the mean of three 1mm fields in each of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th finger of both hands. FVC and DLCO were recorded, if performed within 6 months of NVC. FVC and DLCO deterioration were considered clinically significant if >10% and >15%, respectively. Skin thickening was measured using the modified Rodnan Skin Score (mRSS). MRSS deterioration was considered clinically significant if >3.5. First occurrence of digital ulcers in patients with no prior such history and vital status were also recorded at follow-up. Results Capillary loss score had the highest diagnostic accuracy at discriminating patients with an SSc-spectrum disorder from patients with RP of different etiology and from controls, as defined by ROC curve analysis [AUC (95% CI)=0.925 (0.893-0.956)], followed by dilatation score [AUC (95% CI)=0.904 (0.807- 0.938)] and giant score [AUC (95% CI)=0.856 (0.810-0.902)]. By contrast, micro-hemorrhages [AUC (95% CI)=0.727 (0.669-0.786)] and ramification scores [AUC (95% CI)=0.588 (0.521-0.654)] did not perform equally well. Notably, clinical correlations of capillaroscopic parameters in SSc were found not to be consistent over time, when longitudinally assessed at two different time points by univariate and multivariate analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that baseline capillaroscopic pattern could predict occurrence of a combined adverse disease outcome (FVC deterioration>10% and/or DLCO deterioration>15% and/or mRSS deterioration>3.5 and/or first occurrence of digital ulcers and/or death), after a mean±SD follow up of 3.28±1.45 years in 94 SSc patients with available follow-up data (OR=3.43, p=0.031 for active versus early pattern, OR=8.778, p=0.007 for late versus early pattern). Conclusion Dilatation score performs best of all semi-quantitative NVC parameters in diagnosing SSc and although clinical correlations of capillaroscopic findings change over time, an active or late capillaroscopy pattern at baseline is associated with an adverse prognosis. Disclosure of Interests Vasiliki-Kalliopi Bournia: None declared, Konstantinos Kottas: None declared, Stylianos Panopoulos: None declared, George Konstantonis: None declared, Alexios Iliopoulos: None declared, Athanasios Tzioufas Grant/research support from: ABBVIE, PFIZER, AMGEN, NOVARTIS, GSK, Petros Sfikakis: None declared, PANAYIOTIS VLACHOYIANNOPOULOS: None declared

Background Nailfold video-capillaroscopy(NVC) is a non-invasive method to assess peripheral microangiopathy. Abnormal capillaroscopic patterns are almost universally found in patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) and assist the diagnosis of SSc. However, little is known about the prognostic value of NVC in skin and lung involvement progression in these patients. Objectives To test the hypothesis that baseline capillaroscopic indices, as well as possible changes in capillaroscopic indices over time, correlate with deterioration in skin thickening and lung function tests in a prospective SSc cohort. Methods Fifty-five consecutive SSc patients from a tertiary care university centre (49 women, 29 limited cutaneous SSc, mean age: 50.84±14.88 years, mean disease duration 6.74±6.25 years) were evaluated by NVC at baseline and after a median of 3.1 years. Qualitative assessment of NVC findings permitted categorization of patients to a predominantly normal, early, active or late capillaroscopic pattern. Capillary loss, capillary dilatation, giant or ramified capillaries and microhemorrhages were further assessed using a semi-quantitative rating scale (score 0–3), derived as the mean of three fields in each of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th finger of both hands. Scoring was performed by two different assessors. Skin thickening was measured using the modified Rodnan Skin Score (mRSS). FVC and DLCO were performed within 6 months from the NVC. Deterioration in FVC and DLCO was considered clinically significant when>10%. Between baseline and follow-up evaluation 36% of patients had been receiving both major antiproliferative and vasodilator therapy, while15% and 29% had been receiving only antiproliferative or vasodilator therapy, respectively. Results Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for interrater reliability analyses was very good for all semi-quantitative capillaroscopy scores [ICC: 0.97 (0.74–0.99) for capillary loss score, 0.94 (0.85–0.98) for dilatation score,0.98 (0.97–0.99) for giant score, 0.94 (0.84–0.97) for microhemorrhages score), except for the ramification score [ICC: 0.52 (-0.2,–0.81)] which was excluded from all analyses. Linear regression, adjusted for age and gender, showed no association between either baseline capillaroscopy scores or of their changes and changes in mRSS over time. FVC and DLCO deteriorated in 13 and 11 patients, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and gender showed no association either baseline capillaroscopy scores or of their changes with deterioration in FVC or DLCO, with the exception of the change in microhemorrhages score, which correlated inversely with deterioration in FVC [p=0.013, Odds Ratio=0.051 (CI: 0.005–0.534)]. Regarding qualitative analysis of capillaroscopic findings, the baseline capillaroscopy pattern remained unchanged in 35, deteriorated in 15 and improved in 5 patients. No difference was found between these 3 groups regarding change in mRSS (ANOVA, p=0.634), deterioration in FVC (x 2 test, p=0.502) or deterioration in DLCO (x 2 test, p=1.00). Conclusions Although a possible confounding effect of treatment cannot be excluded, NVC seems to have poor prognostic value for the progression of skin thickening and interstitial lung disease in rigorously treated SSc patients. Disclosure of Interest None declared

We replaced a 1064-nm interference filter of a Polly-XT lidar system by a 1058-nm filter to observe pure rotational Raman backscattering from atmospheric Nitrogen and Oxygen. Polly-XT is compact Raman lidar with a Nd:YAG laser (20 Hz, 200 mJ at 1064 nm) and a 30-cm telescope mirror which applies photomultipliers in photoncounting mode. We present the first measured signals at 1058 nm and the derived extinction profile from measurements aboard RV Polarstern and in Leipzig. In combination with another Polly-XT system we could also derive particle backscatter and lidar ratio profiles at 1064 nm.

The role of the novel adipokines, omentin-1 and chemerin, in coronary artery disease is still obscure. The present study analyzed the serum levels of omentin-1 and chemerin in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) as well as prospectively 6 months post-AMI.Seventy-eight patients (63 men and 15 women) with first AMI were enrolled. Thirty-two age-matched and sex-matched individuals without overt cardiovascular disease served as healthy controls. Serum levels of omentin-1, chemerin, interleukin-18 (IL-18), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), glycemic and lipid profiles, blood pressure, BMI and ejection fraction were assayed. In AMI patients, blood samples were obtained at hospital admission and after 6 months, whereas coronary angiography was performed within 7 days after admission.At baseline, AMI group appeared with significantly lower ejection fraction, omentin-1 and high-density lipoprotein serum levels, whereas it had higher concentrations of white blood cells count (WBC), hsCRP, IL-18 and chemerin compared with healthy controls (P0.05). After 6 months of follow-up, the concentrations of WBC, hsCRP and IL-18 significantly downregulated, whereas omentin-1 levels considerably increased (from 18.73 ± 3.66 ng/ml to 28.62 ± 5.61 ng/ml, P0.001) within AMI group. In contrast, serum chemerin did not significantly change (263.37 ± 73.32 ng/ml vs. 195.90 ± 84.32 ng/ml, P = 0.190). In standard multiple regression analyses, baseline levels and changes of hsCRP and IL-18 levels during follow-up remained independent determinants of omentin-1, respectively at baseline and after follow-up.Patients with AMI showed at admission lower omentin-1 and higher chemerin serum levels compared with healthy controls. The suppression of inflammation in the 6-month post-AMI period might have mediated the significant upregulation of omentin-1, implicating a novel target of treatment.

Models commonly employed to fit current claims data and predict future claims are often parametric and relatively inflexible. An incorrect model assumption can cause model misspecification which leads to reduced profits at best and dangerous, unanticipated risk exposure at worst. Even mixture models may not be sufficiently flexible to properly fit the data. Using a Bayesian nonparametric model instead can dramatically improve claim predictions and consequently risk management decisions in group health practices. The improvement is significant in both simulated and real data from a major health insurer’s medium-sized groups. The nonparametric method outperforms a similar Bayesian parametric model, especially when predicting future claims for new business (entire groups not in the previous year’s data). In our analysis, the nonparametric model outperforms the parametric model in predicting costs of both renewal and new business. This is particularly important as healthcare costs rise around the world.

Background & Aims Biliary tract cancer is a rare tumour entity characterized by a poor prognosis. We aimed to identify prognostic factors and create a prognostic score to estimate survival. Methods Clinical data of the training set, consisting of 569 patients treated from 2000 to 2010 at Hannover Medical School, were analysed. A prognostic model defining three prognostic risk groups was derived from Cox regression analyses. The score was applied and validated in an independent cohort of 557 patients from four different German centres. Results Median overall survival (OS) was 14.5 months. If complete resection was performed, the patients had a significantly improved OS (23.9 months; n=242) as compared to patients with non-resectable tumours (9.1 months; n=329, P

We develop a Bayesian nonparametric mixture modeling framework for replicated count responses in dose-response settings. We explore this methodology for modeling and risk assessment in developmental toxicity studies, where the primary objective is to determine the relationship between the level of exposure to a toxic chemical and the probability of a physiological or biochemical response, or death. Data from these experiments typically involve features that cannot be captured by standard parametric approaches. To provide flexibility in the functional form of both the response distribution and the probability of positive response, the proposed mixture model is built from a dependent Dirichlet process prior, with the dependence of the mixing distributions governed by the dose level. The methodology is tested with a simulation study, which involves also comparison with semiparametric Bayesian approaches to highlight the practical utility of the dependent Dirichlet process nonparametric mixture model. Further...

In this paper, we study estimator inconsistency in vision-aided inertial navigation systems (VINS) from the standpoint of system's observability. We postulate that a leading cause of inconsistency is the gain of spurious information along unobservable directions, which results in smaller uncertainties, larger estimation errors, and divergence. We develop an observability constrained VINS (OC-VINS), which explicitly enforces the unobservable directions of the system, hence preventing spurious information gain and reducing inconsistency. This framework is applicable to several variants of the VINS problem such as visual simultaneous localization and mapping (V-SLAM), as well as visual-inertial odometry using the multi-state constraint Kalman filter (MSC-KF). Our analysis, along with the proposed method to reduce inconsistency, are extensively validated with simulation trials and real-world experimentation.

We develop a Bayesian nonparametric mixture modeling framework for quantal bioassay settings. The approach is built upon modeling dose-dependent response distributions. We adopt a structured nonparametric prior mixture model, which induces a monotonicity restriction for the dose-response curve. Particular emphasis is placed on the key risk assessment goal of calibration for the dose level that corresponds to a specified response. The proposed methodology yields flexible inference for the dose-response relationship as well as for other inferential objectives, as illustrated with two data sets from the literature.

Statins (HMGCoA-reductase inhibitors) produce numerous non-lipid related, 'pleiotropic' effects. Our aim was to investigate whether simvastatin treatment affects serum levels of vascular calcification inhibitors, such as fetuin-A, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteopontin (OPN), in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).A total of 98 statin-free patients with angiographically proven, newly diagnosed CAD were treated with simvastatin (20-40 mg daily) for 6 months to target a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level100 mg/dL (the statin group [SG]). Thirty-five age- and sex-matched healthy individuals without any chronic metabolic or cardiovascular disease at baseline served as a healthy control group (HCG). Clinical, anthropometrical and metabolic parameters and serum fetuin-A, OPG, OPN and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were assayed at baseline in all participants and after 6 months only in SG patients.Compared with HCG subjects at baseline, SG patients exhibited higher serum levels of OPG (7.39 ± 2.94 pmol/L vs 2.47 ± 1.15 pmol/L, p0.001), OPN (60.99 ± 17.52 ng/mL vs 45.45 ± 10.26 ng/mL, p = 0.005) and hsCRP (4.66 ± 1.74 mg/L vs 1.58 ± 0.56 mg/L, p0.001) as well as lower serum levels of fetuin-A (0.222 ± 0.036 μg/L vs 0.839 ± 0.092 μg/L, p0001). Apart from significantly reducing plasma total cholesterol and LDL, simvastatin also reduced serum levels of fetuin-A (by ~62.6 %), OPG (by ~47.2 %), OPN (by ~44.6 %) and hsCRP (by ~45.3 %) (p0.05) in SG patients. In standard multiple regression analysis, the simvastatin-induced reduction in fetuin-A was independently associated with changes in total cholesterol (β = -0.289, p = 0.048) and LDL (β = -0.302, p = 0.032) (R (2) = 0.305, p = 0.040).Patients with CAD showed derangements in serum levels of all vascular calcification inhibitors compared with those in healthy controls. Simvastatin treatment for 6 months significantly decreased serum fetuin-A, OPG and OPN levels, but the clinical relevance of this requires further investigation.

Nowadays, the use of Social Networking Sites (SNS) is becoming indispensable. On SNS people provide authentic information about their travels, gained through personal experience and when they interact over a long period of time they trust the opinions of their ‘friends’ or ‘followers’ and take them into consideration when making a purchase decision. The paper aims at investigating attitudes of MBA students towards SNS use for travel activities. It takes into consideration four popular SNS, namely Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google +. Fishbein model was used for the evaluation of students’ attitudes. The findings reveal that MBA students use SNS for getting socialized with other travelers and companies and informed about tourism destinations/companies/travel. Facebook is the most popular Social Networking Site for travel activities except from the professional reasons (e.g., search for job in the tourism sector), in which LinkedIn comes first.

Summary This work is concerned with the vulnerability of spaceborne microelectronics to single-event upset, which is a change of state caused by high-energy charged particles in the solar wind or the cosmic ray environment striking a sensitive node. To measure the susceptibility of a semiconductor device to single-event upsets, testing is conducted by exposing it to high-energy heavy ions or protons produced in a particle accelerator. The number of upsets is characterized by the interaction cross-section, which is an increasing function of linear energy transfer. The prediction of the on-orbit upset rate is made by combining the device geometry and cross-section versus linear energy transfer curve with a model for the orbit-specific radiation environment. We develop a semiparametric isotonic regression method for the upset count responses, based on a Dirichlet process prior for the cross-section curve. The methodology proposed allows the data to drive the shape of the cross-section versus linear energy transfer relationship, resulting in more robust predictive inference for the on-orbit upset rate than conventional models based on Weibull or log-normal parametric forms for the cross-section curve. We illustrate the modelling approach with data from two particle accelerator experiments.

The association of novel adipokines, vaspin and visfatin, with atherosclerosis is still obscure. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship of those adipokines with the existence as well as the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD), suggesting a link between adiposity and atherosclerosis.We enrolled a total of 108 patients with angiographically proven stable, asymptomatic CAD and 65 healthy controls (HC) without cardiovascular diseases. The severity of CAD was assessed using coronary angiography by the Gensini score. Clinical parameters, glycemic and lipid profile, high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP), vaspin and visfatin levels were assayed.Serum levels of vaspin were significantly lower in subjects with CAD [0.91 (0.44-1.29) ng/ml] than healthy controls [1.42 (0.96-2.42) ng/ml] (p = 0.009). Inversely, visfatin (p = 0.016) and hsCRP (p0.001) levels were considerably up-regulated in CAD vs HC group. Multivariate analysis demonstrated decreased vaspin and increased visfatin levels to correlate with CAD presence, independent of other cardiovascular risk factors (p0.05). Standard multiple regression revealed HDL, LDL-C and vaspin to be independent determinants of Gensini score (R² = 0.189, p = 0.019). Notably, statin-free patients had even lower vaspin levels compared to statin users (p = 0.018).Decreased vaspin and increased visfatin serum levels were observed in asymptomatic patients with CAD. Low vaspin concentrations seemed to correlate with CAD severity.

We propose a fully inferential model-based approach to the problem of comparing the firing patterns of a neuron recorded under two distinct experimental conditions. The methodology is based on nonhomogeneous Poisson process models for the firing times of each condition with flexible nonparametric mixture prior models for the corresponding intensity functions. We demonstrate posterior inferences from a global analysis, which may be used to compare the two conditions over the entire experimental time window, as well as from a pointwise analysis at selected time points to detect local deviations of firing patterns from one condition to another. We apply our method on two neurons recorded from the primary motor cortex area of a monkey's brain while performing a sequence of reaching tasks.

In this paper we present the results of a simulation study to explore the ability of Bayesian parametric and nonparametric models to provide an adequate fit to count data of the type that would routinely be analyzed parametrically either through fixed-effects or random-effects Poisson models. The context of the study is a randomized controlled trial with two groups (treatment and control). Our nonparametric approach uses several modeling formulations based on Dirichlet process priors. We find that the nonparametric models are able to flexibly adapt to the data, to offer rich posterior inference, and to provide, in a variety of settings, more accurate predictive inference than parametric models.

In this paper, we present a general computational and operational framework for the Fuzzy Cognitive Network FCN, which is a direct extension of Fuzzy Cognitive Maps FCM. The proposed framework assumes a network operation, which continuously receives feedback from the system it describes and outputs control or decision values. This way, its knowledge is continuously updated making it suitable for adaptive decision making or even for adaptive control tasks. The interconnection weights are continuously updated based on a modified delta rule that provides smooth and fast convergence and prevents the concept and weight values from being saturated. To avoid intensive interference of the updating mechanism with the real system, a technique is proposed that stores the previously encountered operational situations in a fuzzy rule database. The explanation of the proposed methodology is interweaved with the FCN description of a simulated hydro-electric plant, which is also used for the experimental results. The proposed framework can be used both for on-line control and decision making tasks.

Maximum power point trackers (MPPTs) play an important role in photovoltaic (PV) power systems because they maximize the power output from a PV system for a given set of conditions, and therefore maximize the array efficiency. This paper presents a novel MPPT method based on fuzzy cognitive networks (FCN). The new method gives a good maximum power operation of any PV array under different conditions such as changing insolation and temperature. The numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Heart failure is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the western world. One of the effects of heart failure is the structural remodelling of cardiac tissue, including tissue dilation and development of fibrosis. It is therefore important to study these changes and their effect on cardiac activity, in order to gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms in arrhythmogenesis, which will hopefully enable us to develop better treatments for heart failure. In this study we developed biophysically detailed models of the rabbit atria for normal and heart failure conditions. These models were used to study the effects of structural remodelling of heart failure on cardiac excitation wave conduction. Anatomical reconstructions of the control and heart failure hearts were based on contrast enhanced micro-CT imaging. Fibre orientation was extracted from the control and heart failure datasets. Effects of heart failure geometry on the activation pattern of atrial excitation waves were analyzed. It was found that atrial activation time increased from the control to the heart failure case in both isotropic and anisotropic conditions, which is attributed primarily to the dilation of tissue caused by heart failure.

“Smart Grid” is the term used to characterize an electricity grid that has been modernized using computer based remote control and automation. Such systems are beginning to be used at electricity networks, from the power plants and wind farms all the way to the consumers. Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) were initially introduced by Kosko to model complex behavioral systems in various scientific areas. Fuzzy Cognitive Networks (FCN) have been used to identify nonlinear systems. The aim of FCN in this work is to predict and perform the necessary actions for supplying different ancillary services to the grid, such as fast active power compensation, voltage and frequency regulation, and back-up supply. The FCN manages to regulate the PV-inverters power output, the battery bank current and the loads consumption effectively, thus keeping the voltage and frequency of the microgrid in acceptable levels, maintaining at the same time its optimal, in respect to cost, operation.

In this paper, we introduce an Iterative Kalman Smoother (IKS) for tracking the 3D motion of a mobile device in real-time using visual and inertial measurements. In contrast to existing Extended Kalman Filter (EKF)-based approaches, smoothing can better approximate the underlying nonlinear system and measurement models by re-linearizing them. Additionally, by iteratively optimizing over all measurements available, the IKS increases the convergence rate of critical parameters (e.g., IMU-camera clock drift) and improves the positioning accuracy during challenging conditions (e.g., scarcity of visual features). Furthermore, and in contrast to existing inverse filters, the proposed IKS's numerical stability allows for efficient 32-bit implementations on resource-constrained devices, such as cell phones and wearables. We validate the IKS for performing vision-aided inertial navigation on Google Glass, a wearable device with limited sensing and processing, and demonstrate positioning accuracy comparable to that achieved on cell phones. To the best of our knowledge, this work presents the first proof-of-concept real-time 3D indoor localization system on a commercial-grade wearable computer.

Introduction: The gold standard in the treatment of lumbar degenerative spinal diseases is the posterolateral fusion with rod and screws. Semi-rigid systems were first designed to stabilize the abnormal segment and to unload degenerated discs and facet joints. One commonly observed consequence of fusing spinal motion levels has been adjacent segment disease (ASD). Due to prevention of ASD is a complicated and controversial topic, the aim of this study was to assess the role of combined dynamic and rigid posterolateral fixation systems in prevention of ASD. Patients and Methods: A total of 76 adult patients with various lumbar spine pathologies, treated with posterior fusion and pedicle screw fixation between T12 and sacrum were included in this study. The prevalence of radiological and clinical ASD was measured and the functional outcome of the patients was evaluated using the Oswestry questionnaire. Results: Evidence of radiographic ASD was noted in 6 of the 76 patients (7.9%), of whom one patient was symptomatic (16.67%). The mean preoperative Oswestry score was 27.2 ± 20.7 and the mean postoperative Oswestry score was 15.4 ± 20.3. There was a significant difference between the 2 scores (p=0.027). The mean postoperative lumbar lordosis was -53° ± 2.08 and the pelvic incidence 61° ± 3.12. Related to the complications, 6 patients with superficial wound infections, one patient with deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and one patient with ASD were reported. Discussion: In our study, the very low incidence of ASD is achieved by the mean of preservation of the top facet joint, correction and preservation of coronal and sagittal balance, preservation of motion in the lumbar spine with the use of semi-rigid devices, and early rehabilitation accompanying by the training of the patient regarding to the body balance. Semi-rigid fixation significantly reduces the risk of screw fracture by the absorption of the stress on the interpedicular damper and enhances the bone fusion by maintaining constraints on the cages which remain under a compressive load.

The studies on the photovoltaic (PV) generation are extensively increasing, since it is considered as an essentially inexhaustible and broadly available energy resource. However, the output power induced in the photovoltaic modules depends on solar radiation and temperature of the solar cells. Therefore, to maximize the efficiency of the renewable energy system, it is necessary to track the maximum power point of the PV array. In this paper, a maximum power point tracker using fuzzy set theory is presented to improve energy conversion efficiency. A new method is proposed, by using a fuzzy cognitive network, which is in close cooperation with the presented fuzzy controller. The new method gives a very good maximum power operation of any PV array under different conditions such as changing insolation and temperature. The simulation studies show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm

Fuzzy Cognitive Networks (FCN) stem from Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM), initially introduced by Kosko to model complex behavioral systems in various scientific areas. This chapter presents basic definitions related to FCM and the traditional way of their operation. It starts with a brief bibliographical introduction, presenting various extensions of the initial model and areas of application. Since their convergence is a crucial point for the development of Fuzzy Cognitive Networks, particular emphasis is given to the subject of their convergence to equilibrium points and some noticeable peculiarities that may appear. Then, the scope of Part II of this book is analyzed and the organization of the relevant chapters is presented.

So far, the main fact is that RES plants have to operate at the maximum possible output whenever technically possible. However, in energy markets which consist of many different (flexible) power generation sources, this fact has led to the violation of the maximum overvoltage limit at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) and maximum short-circuit power at many HV/MV substations, hindering the penetration of other Renewable Energy Sources DGs. Taking also into account that in microgrids with R/X ratio higher than 2, the voltage level depends on the active power balance, a new microgrid control approach is also necessary. In this paper, the pseudo-State of Charge concept is introduced to improve energy storage management. Additionally, a non-invasive to the inverter, PV-plant control technique, based on remote control of PV-strings actuators, is presented. Both of these approaches are associated to a new iterative control algorithm of a microgrid and applied on a microgrid-based smart grid topology, improving power supply and demand-side management of traditional P-f and Q-V approaches.

We consider the situation in which the manufacturer of a single-period product first sets the unit wholesale price and then the retailer responds with an order size. We present mostly analytical results on the effects of the problem's environmental parameters (such as shortage cost and demand uncertainty) on the optimal decisions (ie, the unit wholesale price and retailer's order size) and on the expected profits of the manufacturer and of the retailer. Some of these effects are counter-intuitive and/or contradict related results published recently for similar models. The most important finding is that demand uncertainty is always harmful to the manufacturer but is very often beneficial to the retailer. This means that when the manufacturer can set the wholesale price, the manufacturer should be much more supportive (or even aggressive) than previously advised towards activities such as market surveys and ‘Quick Response’ that reduce the retailer's market uncertainty; in contrast, the retailer need not be as enthusiastic about these activities.

In this paper, we study the problem of hovering (i.e., absence of translational motion) detection and compensation in Vision-aided Inertial Navigation Systems (VINS). We examine the system's unobservable directions for two common hovering conditions (with and without rotational motion) and propose a robust motion-classification algorithm, based on both visual and inertial measurements. By leveraging our observability analysis and the proposed motion classifier, we modify existing state-of-the-art filtering algorithms, so as to ensure that the number of the system's unobservable directions is minimized. Finally, we validate experimentally the proposed modified sliding window filter, by demonstrating its robustness on a quadrotor with rapid transitions between hovering and forward motions, within an indoor environment.

This paper addresses the problem of estimating the state of a vehicle moving in 3D based on inertial measurements and visual observations of lines. In particular, we investigate the observability properties of the corresponding vision-aided inertial navigation system (VINS) and prove that it has five (four) unobservable degrees of freedom when one (two or more) line(s) is (are) detected. Additionally, we leverage this result to improve the consistency of the extended Kalman filter (EKF) estimator introduced for efficiently processing line observations over a sliding time-window at cost only linear in the number of line features. Finally, we validate the proposed algorithm experimentally using a miniature-size camera and a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)-quality inertial measurement unit (IMU).

Chronic venous insufficiency is a widespread disease that can often lead to venous leg ulcers. Recent studies report that certain clotting abnormalities, such as anticardiolipin antibodies, are associated with leg ulcers. Although lupus anticoagulant belongs to the antiphospholipid antibodies, its presence in patients with chronic venous insufficiency has not been reported previously. The purpose of our study was to determine the presence of lupus anticoagulant in chronic venous insufficiency patients at a stage with no leg ulcers, and to follow the clinical outcome. In 37 patients with chronic venous insufficiency and in 54 control patients, lupus anticoagulant was evaluated using the Viper Venom Russell's Diluted Test. Lupus anticoagulant was found significantly more often (p < 0.001) in patients with chronic venous insufficiency than in controls. After 4 years, patients with chronic venous insufficiency with lupus anticoagulant were found to develop a venous leg ulceration more frequently compared to those without (p = 0.01), suggesting that lupus anticoagulant may play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic venous insufficiency.

In order to make smart grid feasible, the respective (a) topology and (b) control infrastructure should be determined first for the low level of the grid, i.e. microgrids or even smaller grids like a residential in-house grid, and be expandable in a larger scale. Additionally, the experimental investigation of properly designed interconnected microgrids could simulate the behavior of the whole distribution grid and thus facilitate in the transition from the traditional to the smart electric grid. Two smart grid topologies are presented in this paper. The respective infrastructure for two small-scale microgrids, one for each topology, is presented. A first comparison between the two topologies is outlined and verified by the experimental investigation of the respective microgrids.

Two smart-grid topologies are analyzed in this paper. The first one has two main differences from the traditional grid, a dc-bus and a smart integration module (SIM), which interconnects the dc- with the ac-bus. The second topology has only one difference from the traditional grid, a special control unit (SCU), which is attached to each device before connecting to the grid. The first topology has been implemented in a small-scale installation. This small-scale pilot installation is described and experimental results are presented. These results verify the predicted disadvantages of the first topology. It is expected that these disadvantages will be eliminated by using the second topology. This paper also presents the design of the second topology.

We propose a flexible hierarchical Bayesian nonparametric modeling approach to compare the spiking patterns of neurons recorded under multiple experimental conditions. In particular, we showcase the application of our statistical methodology using neurons recorded from the supplementary eye field region of the brains of two macaque monkeys trained to make delayed eye movements to three different types of targets. The proposed Bayesian methodology can be used to perform either a global analysis, allowing for the construction of posterior comparative intervals over the entire experimental time window, or a pointwise analysis for comparing the spiking patterns locally, in a predetermined portion of the experimental time window. By developing our nonparametric Bayesian model we are able to analyze neuronal data from three or more conditions while avoiding the computational expenses typically associated with more traditional analysis of physiological data.

Fuzzy Cognitive Networks (FCN) constitutes an operational extension of Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM), which assume that they always reach equilibrium points during their operation. Moreover, they are in continuous interaction with the system they describe and may be used to control it. FCN are capable of capturing steady state operational conditions of the system they describe and associate them with input values and appropriate weight sets. In the sequence they store the acquired knowledge in fuzzy rule based data bases, which can be used in determining subsequent control actions. This chapter presents basic theoretical results related to the existence and uniqueness of equilibrium points in FCN, the adaptive weight estimation based on system operation data, the fuzzy rule storage mechanism and the use of the entire framework to control unknown plants. The results are validated using well known control benchmarks.

Apelin and ghrelin have emerged as novel adipokines, but their role in coronary artery disease (CAD) remains obscure. In the present study, we analyzed their serum levels in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) or established asymptomatic CAD. A total of 355 participants were enrolled. Among them were 80 patients with unstable angina (UA) and 115 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) hospitalized in the coronary care unit. We also included 88 asymptomatic patients with established CAD (asymptomatic CAD) and 72 age-and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). All groups with CAD underwent coronary angiography, and the Gensini score was determined. Clinical parameters, glycemic and lipid profile, high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), as well as apelin and ghrelin were assayed. Patients with ACS (UA or AMI) were sampled at hospital admission. All 3 groups with CAD (UA, AMI, or asymptomatic CAD) showed significantly higher levels of hsCRP, HOMA-IR, and white blood cells than controls (P0.01). Conversely, apelin and ghrelin concentrations were considerably (P0.05) lower in CAD patients with respect to the control group. Most importantly, UA (6.72 +/- 3.51 ng/mL) and AMI (6.02 +/- 4.07 ng/mL) groups had even lower apelin levels on admission compared with the asymptomatic CAD group (13.53 +/- 5.2 ng/mL) (P0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed an independent association of low apelin and ghrelin levels with CAD presence. Besides this result, apelin showed an inverse relationship with ACS incidence and a Gensini score independent of other cardiovascular risk factors (P0.05). In conclusion, CAD seemed to correlate with low serum apelin and ghrelin levels. Moreover, apelin concentrations inversely were associated with the severity and the acute phase of CAD, which suggests its involvement in the progression and destabilization of coronary atherosclerotic plaques.

The Fuzzy Cognitive Network(FCN) framework is a proposition for the operational extension of fuzzy cognitive maps to support the close interaction with the system they describe and consequently become appropriate for adaptive decision making and control applications. They constitute a methodology for data, knowledge, and experience representation based on the exploitation of theories such as fuzzy logic and neurocomputing. This chapter presents the main theoretical results related to the FCN development based on theorems specifying the conditions for the uniqueness of solutions for the FCN concept values. Moreover, case application studies are given, each one demonstrating different aspects of the design and operation of the framework.

Dissection of the innominate artery is extremely rare and is associated with a high in-hospital mortality rate. We present the case of a 44-year-old man who presented with syncope and cardiovocal syndrome as the result of a spontaneous innominate artery dissection with an extension to the right common carotid.

Effective robotic autonomy requires an accurate estimation of the remaining power that the robot is carrying. There are a number of methods to estimate the remaining capacity of the robot's batteries. The accuracy of these approaches varies depending upon the chemical composition of the batteries as well as the means by which the monitoring is conducted. In this paper, an overview of various battery capacity estimation methodologies will be presented as well as a discussion of a specific implementation utilized on robotic platforms developed at the Center for Distributed Robotics at the University of Minnesota. This approach involves the novel use of fuel-gauging electronics for mobile robotic platforms. Experiments were conducted to show the accuracy of this method for both charge and discharge of the polymer Lithium-ion batteries in use.

In this paper the advantage of a new method is proposed, capable of extracting maximum power from photovoltaic (PV) arrays, by using a Fuzzy Cognitive Network (FCN), which is in close cooperation with a Fuzzy Controller. The advantage of the presented method is that the control system can adapt to different changes that might happen during the life cycle of the PV module, such as a destroyed cell of the PV array.

Within the fields of law enforcement and urban search and rescue, there is always a need to obtain information from areas that may be hard to reach or unsafe to enter. One method of obtaining this reconnaissance information is to deploy a robot as a projectile. This may be accomplished with mechanical aids or simply by throwing the robot manually. This rapid deployment method has the ability to attain locations inaccessible to other technologies. The miniature nature of the presented design has the ability to operate discretely and avoid detection, making it desirable for law enforcement. In the case of urban search and rescue, the diminutive form minimizes the impact on potentially unsound structures. During the course of deployment, unexpected impacts and drops are inevitable, generating a need for an impact invariant design. Design decisions to create this system are presented, and experimental validation of design aspects is discussed

Fuzzy Cognitive Networks (FCN) are extensions of the well known Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) so that they operate in direct interconnection with the system they describe. This paper explores the ability of FCNs to control an anaerobic digestion process of a wastewater treatment plant. The design of the appropriate FCN to simulate the operation of the process is proposed first. Then, a control scheme for the process is proposed, which is based on the operational ability of the FCN to interact with the process. The ability of the FCN to control the process is simulated by using data from an experimental anaerobic digestion unit.

We describe an extremely rare case of trigeminal neuralgia caused by an arachnoid cyst located in the contralateral cerebellopontine angle.

A new proposition for computing equilibrium values in FCMs is presented. The equilibrium values affect the decisions to be taken and therefore are of great importance. The proposed method takes into account the fact that in any complex dynamic system represented by an FCM, there exist activities that indirectly (through various paths) influence one another and this influence may not be only positive or only negative. By getting the "dominant" influences between nodes the proposed method suggest getting both positive and negative "dominant" influences and calculating the equilibrium values considering both of them. Applying this approach to a socio-medical problem, we observe that we reach different equilibrium states and consequently different decisions.

The Scout is a miniature robot capable of performing surveillance and reconnaissance applications. However, the small size of the Scout limits the on-board processing capability and thus requires that the primary sensing modality (vision) be processed remotely. This creates a dependence upon a video channel which can become a severe bottleneck when attempting to use large numbers of robots. This paper discusses the newest generation of the Scout, the COTS 3.0, which attempts to reduce the effect of the communication bottleneck by using more local sensing capabilities to achieve a degree of autonomous functionality. Several experiments showing the durability of the new COTS Scout and the autonomous capability are presented.