scholarly journals Biomimetic vibrissal sensing for robots

2011 ◽  
Vol 366 (1581) ◽  
pp. 3085-3096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin J. Pearson ◽  
Ben Mitchinson ◽  
J. Charles Sullivan ◽  
Anthony G. Pipe ◽  
Tony J. Prescott
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Pattern Generation ◽  
Active Touch ◽  
Biomimetic Robots ◽  
Sensory Capacity ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Work First ◽  
Sensory Surface

Active vibrissal touch can be used to replace or to supplement sensory systems such as computer vision and, therefore, improve the sensory capacity of mobile robots. This paper describes how arrays of whisker-like touch sensors have been incorporated onto mobile robot platforms taking inspiration from biology for their morphology and control. There were two motivations for this work: first, to build a physical platform on which to model, and therefore test, recent neuroethological hypotheses about vibrissal touch; second, to exploit the control strategies and morphology observed in the biological analogue to maximize the quality and quantity of tactile sensory information derived from the artificial whisker array. We describe the design of a new whiskered robot, Shrewbot , endowed with a biomimetic array of individually controlled whiskers and a neuroethologically inspired whisking pattern generation mechanism. We then present results showing how the morphology of the whisker array shapes the sensory surface surrounding the robot's head, and demonstrate the impact of active touch control on the sensory information that can be acquired by the robot. We show that adopting bio-inspired, low latency motor control of the rhythmic motion of the whiskers in response to contact-induced stimuli usefully constrains the sensory range, while also maximizing the number of whisker contacts. The robot experiments also demonstrate that the sensory consequences of active touch control can be usefully investigated in biomimetic robots.

Assessing the Impact of Temperature Change on the Effectiveness of Insecticide-Treated Nets

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 35-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory J. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Insecticide Treated Nets ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Mosquito Abundance ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Malaria is a vector-borne illness affecting millions of lives annually and imposes a heavy financial burden felt worldwide. Moreover, there is growing concern that global climate change, in particular, rising temperature, will increase this burden. As such, policy makers are in need of tools capable of informing them about the potential strengths and weaknesses of intervention and control strategies. A previously developed agent-based model of the Anopheles gambiae mosquito is extended, one of the primary vectors of malaria, to investigate how changes in temperature influence the dynamics of malaria transmission and the effectiveness of a common malaria intervention: insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). Results from the simulations suggest two important findings. Consistent with previous studies, an increase in mosquito abundance as temperature increases is observed. However, the increase in mosquito abundance reduces the effectiveness of ITNs at a given coverage level. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Rapid shifts in the age-specific burden of malaria following successful control interventions in four regions of Uganda

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon P. Kigozi ◽  
Ruth N. Kigozi ◽  
Adrienne Epstein ◽  
Arthur Mpimbaza ◽  
Asadu Sserwanga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Indoor Residual Spraying ◽  
Malaria Prevention ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Multinomial Regression ◽  
Transmission Reduction ◽  
Successful Control ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Malaria control using long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying of insecticide (IRS) has been associated with reduced transmission throughout Africa. However, the impact of transmission reduction on the age distribution of malaria cases remains unclear. Methods: Over a 10-year period (January, 2009 to July, 2018), outpatient surveillance data from four health facilities in Uganda were used to estimate the impact of control interventions on temporal changes in the age distribution of malaria cases using multinomial regression. Interventions included mass distribution of LLINs at all sites and IRS at two sites. Results: Overall, 896,550 patient visits were included in the study; 211,632 aged <5 years, 171,166 aged 5-15 years, and 513,752 >15 years. Over time, the age distribution of patients not suspected of malaria and those malaria negative either declined or remained the same across all sites. In contrast, the age distribution of suspected and confirmed malaria cases increased across all four sites. In the two LLINs-only sites, the proportion of malaria cases in <5 years decreased from 31% to 16% and 35% to 25%, respectively. In the two sites receiving LLINs plus IRS, these proportions decreased from 58% to 30% and 64% to 47%, respectively. Similarly, in the LLINs-only sites, the proportion of malaria cases >15 years increased from 40% to 61% and 29% to 39%, respectively. In the sites receiving LLINs plus IRS, these proportions increased from 19% to 44% and 18% to 31%, respectively. Discussion: These findings demonstrate a shift in the burden of malaria from younger to older individuals following implementation of successful control interventions, which has important implications for malaria prevention, surveillance, case management and control strategies.

scholarly journals Mathematical modelling and phylodynamics for the study of dog rabies dynamics and control: A scoping review

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. e0009449
Author(s):  
Maylis Layan ◽  
Simon Dellicour ◽  
Guy Baele ◽  
Simon Cauchemez ◽  
Hervé Bourhy
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modelling ◽  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Domestic Dog ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approaches ◽  
Dynamics And Control ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Background Rabies is a fatal yet vaccine-preventable disease. In the last two decades, domestic dog populations have been shown to constitute the predominant reservoir of rabies in developing countries, causing 99% of human rabies cases. Despite substantial control efforts, dog rabies is still widely endemic and is spreading across previously rabies-free areas. Developing a detailed understanding of dog rabies dynamics and the impact of vaccination is essential to optimize existing control strategies and developing new ones. In this scoping review, we aimed at disentangling the respective contributions of mathematical models and phylodynamic approaches to advancing the understanding of rabies dynamics and control in domestic dog populations. We also addressed the methodological limitations of both approaches and the remaining issues related to studying rabies spread and how this could be applied to rabies control. Methodology/principal findings We reviewed how mathematical modelling of disease dynamics and phylodynamics have been developed and used to characterize dog rabies dynamics and control. Through a detailed search of the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, we identified a total of n = 59 relevant studies using mathematical models (n = 30), phylodynamic inference (n = 22) and interdisciplinary approaches (n = 7). We found that despite often relying on scarce rabies epidemiological data, mathematical models investigated multiple aspects of rabies dynamics and control. These models confirmed the overwhelming efficacy of massive dog vaccination campaigns in all settings and unraveled the role of dog population structure and frequent introductions in dog rabies maintenance. Phylodynamic approaches successfully disentangled the evolutionary and environmental determinants of rabies dispersal and consistently reported support for the role of reintroduction events and human-mediated transportation over long distances in the maintenance of rabies in endemic areas. Potential biases in data collection still need to be properly accounted for in most of these analyses. Finally, interdisciplinary studies were determined to provide the most comprehensive assessments through hypothesis generation and testing. They also represent new avenues, especially concerning the reconstruction of local transmission chains or clusters through data integration. Conclusions/significance Despite advances in rabies knowledge, substantial uncertainty remains regarding the mechanisms of local spread, the role of wildlife in dog rabies maintenance, and the impact of community behavior on the efficacy of control strategies including vaccination of dogs. Future integrative approaches that use phylodynamic analyses and mechanistic models within a single framework could take full advantage of not only viral sequences but also additional epidemiological information as well as dog ecology data to refine our understanding of rabies spread and control. This would represent a significant improvement on past studies and a promising opportunity for canine rabies research in the frame of the One Health concept that aims to achieve better public health outcomes through cross-sector collaboration.

scholarly journals Rapid shifts in the age-specific burden of malaria following successful control interventions in four regions of Uganda

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon P. Kigozi ◽  
Ruth N. Kigozi ◽  
Adrienne Epstein ◽  
Arthur Mpimbaza ◽  
Asadu Sserwanga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Indoor Residual Spraying ◽  
Malaria Prevention ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Multinomial Regression ◽  
Transmission Reduction ◽  
Successful Control ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Malaria control using long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying of insecticide (IRS) has been associated with reduced transmission throughout Africa. However, the impact of transmission reduction on the age distribution of malaria cases remains unclear. Methods: Over a 10-year period (January, 2009 to July, 2018), outpatient surveillance data from four health facilities in Uganda were used to estimate the impact of control interventions on temporal changes in the age distribution of malaria cases using multinomial regression. Interventions included mass distribution of LLINs at all sites and IRS at two sites. Results: Overall, 896,550 patient visits were included in the study; 211,632 aged <5 years, 171,166 aged 5-15 years, and 513,752 >15 years. Over time, the age distribution of patients not suspected of malaria and those malaria negative either declined or remained the same across all sites. In contrast, the age distribution of suspected and confirmed malaria cases increased across all four sites for. In the two LLINs-only sites, the proportion of malaria cases in <5 years decreased from 31% to 16% and 35% to 25%, respectively. In the two sites receiving LLINs plus IRS, these proportions decreased from 58% to 30% and 64% to 47%, respectively. Similarly, in the LLINs-only sites, the proportion of malaria cases >15 years of age increased from 40% to 61% and 29% to 39%, respectively. In the sites receiving LLINs plus IRS, these proportions increased from 19% to 44% and 18% to 31%, respectively. Discussion: These findings demonstrate a shift in the burden of malaria from younger to older individuals following implementation of successful control interventions, which has important implications for malaria prevention, surveillance, case management and control strategies.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Effectiveness of Vaccines Using a Regression Discontinuity Design

2019 ◽  
Vol 188 (6) ◽  
pp. 987-990
Author(s):  
Nicole E Basta ◽  
M Elizabeth Halloran
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Regression Discontinuity ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Regression Discontinuity Design ◽  
Vaccination Programs ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Psychology Literature ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The regression discontinuity design (RDD), first proposed in the educational psychology literature and popularized in econometrics in the 1960s, has only recently been applied to epidemiologic research. A critical aim of infectious disease epidemiologists and global health researchers is to evaluate disease prevention and control strategies, including the impact of vaccines and vaccination programs. RDDs have very rarely been used in this context. This quasi-experimental approach using observational data is designed to quantify the effect of an intervention when eligibility for the intervention is based on a defined cutoff such as age or grade in school, making it ideally suited to estimating vaccine effects given that many vaccination programs and mass-vaccination campaigns define eligibility in this way. Here, we describe key features of RDDs in general, then specific scenarios, with examples, to illustrate that RDDs are an important tool for advancing our understanding of vaccine effects. We argue that epidemiologic researchers should consider RDDs when evaluating interventions designed to prevent and control diseases. This approach can address a wide range of research questions, especially those for which randomized clinical trials would present major challenges or be infeasible. Finally, we propose specific ways in which RDDs could advance future vaccine research.

Impact on sludge inventory and control strategies using the benchmark simulation model no. 1 with the Bürger-Diehl settler model

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 1524-1535 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Torfs ◽  
T. Maere ◽  
R. Bürger ◽  
S. Diehl ◽  
I. Nopens
Keyword(s):  
Simulation Model ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Sludge Waste ◽  
Plant Modelling ◽  
Modelling Effort ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
D Model ◽  
Entire Treatment

An improved one-dimensional (1-D) model for the secondary clarifier, i.e. the Bürger-Diehl model, was recently presented. The decisive difference to traditional layer models is that every detail of the implementation is in accordance with the theory of partial differential equations. The Bürger-Diehl model allows accounting for hindered and compressive settling as well as inlet dispersion. In this contribution, the impact of specific features of the Bürger-Diehl model on settler underflow concentration predictions, plant sludge inventory and mixed liquor suspended solids based control actions are investigated by using the benchmark simulation model no. 1. The numerical results show that the Bürger-Diehl model allows for more realistic predictions of the underflow sludge concentration, which is essential for more accurate wet weather modelling and sludge waste predictions. The choice of secondary settler model clearly has a profound impact on the operation and control of the entire treatment plant and it is recommended to use the Bürger-Diehl model as of now in any wastewater treatment plant modelling effort.

scholarly journals Patterns of epidemiology and control of onchocerciasis in West Africa

1997 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Boatin ◽  
D.H. Molyneux ◽  
J.M. Hougard ◽  
O.W. Christensen ◽  
E.S. Alley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Vector Control ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Control Programme ◽  
Transmission Potential ◽  
The Public ◽  
And Control ◽  
Combined Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Onchocerciasis Control

AbstractThis paper summarizes the work of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP) in West Africa, a programme which over a 22 year history has reduced the public health problems of blinding onchocerciasis in eleven countries of West Africa through vector control and, more recently, ivermectin distribution. The paper emphasizes the different approaches to control the programme has developed in the different parts of the programme area which have been determined by the epidemiology of the disease (savanna/forest form), the migratory characteristics of the vectors, intensity of the disease before commencement of treatment, the combined impact of vector control and ivermectin and the likelihood of infiltration of infective blackflies from outside the programme area. The programme has constantly monitored the impact of operations on the trends in prevalence, incidence, annual transmission potential, ocular morbidity and species of fly populations, and as a result, has identified areas where special interventions are required until the programme comes to an end in 2002. The paper illustrates the changes in intensity of infection as measured by community microfilarial load and annual transmission potential over the duration of the programme control activities. The paper also defines and justifies the control strategies in different areas and identifies areas for special interventions.

scholarly journals Analysis of COVID-19 Prevention and Control Effects Based on the SEITRD Dynamic Model and Wuhan Epidemic Statistics

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (24) ◽  
pp. 9309
Author(s):  
Yusheng Zhang ◽  
Liang Li ◽  
Yuewen Jiang ◽  
Biqing Huang
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Dynamical Behavior ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Time Control ◽  
Intervention Measures ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Since December 2019, millions of people worldwide have been diagnosed with COVID-19, which has caused enormous losses. Given that there are currently no effective treatment or prevention drugs, most countries and regions mainly rely on quarantine and travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the epidemic. How to find proper prevention and treatment methods has been a hot topic of discussion. The key to the problem is to understand when these intervention measures are the best strategies for disease control and how they might affect disease dynamics. In this paper, we build a transmission dynamic model in combination with the transmission characteristics of COVID-19. We thoroughly study the dynamical behavior of the model and analyze how to determine the relevant parameters, and how the parameters influence the transmission process. Furthermore, we subsequently compare the impact of different control strategies on the epidemic, the variables include intervention time, control duration, control intensity, and other model parameters. Finally, we can find a better control method by comparing the results under different schemes and choose the proper preventive control strategy according to the actual epidemic stage and control objectives.

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