A PageRank Based Coalitional Control Scheme

José María Maestre,Hideaki Ishii 제어·로봇·시스템학회 2017 International Journal of Control, Automation, and Vol.15 No.5

We introduce a novel coalitional control scheme based on the PageRank, which is a measure of therelevance of the nodes in a graph. In particular, local controllers are allowed to create aid request/offer links toeach other. The PageRank of the aid network is then used as a means to group the agents dynamically in clustersin real time. Model predictive control is used inside each cluster to calculate the control actions taking into accountthe objectives of the corresponding controllers. The proposed algorithm can be implemented in a fully distributedfashion. Via a simulation example, we demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can outperform other coalitionalcontrol schemes.

MicroRNA-296 is enriched in cancer cells and downregulates p21 ^WAF1 mRNA expression via interaction with its 3′ untranslated region

Yoon, A-rum,Gao, Ran,Kaul, Zeenia,Choi, Il-Kyu,Ryu, Jihoon,Noble, Jane R.,Kato, Yoshio,Saito, Soichiro,Hirano, Takashi,Ishii, Tetsuro,Reddel, Roger R.,Yun, Chae-Ok,Kaul, Sunil C.,Wadhwa, Renu Oxford University Press 2011 Nucleic acids research Vol.39 No.18

<P>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of noncoding small RNAs that act as negative regulators of gene expression. To identify miRNAs that may regulate human cell immortalization and carcinogenesis, we performed comparative miRNA array profiling of human normal and SV40-T antigen immortalized cells. We found that miR-296 was upregulated in immortalized cells that also had activation of telomerase. By an independent experiment on genomic analysis of cancer cells we found that chromosome region (20q13.32), where miR-296 is located, was amplified in 28/36 cell lines, and most of these showed enriched miR-296 expression. Overexpression of miR-296 in human cancer cells, with and without telomerase activity, had no effect on their telomerase function. Instead, it suppressed p53 function that is frequently downregulated during human cell immortalization and carcinogenesis. By monitoring the activity of a luciferase reporter connected to p53 and p21<SUP>WAF1</SUP> (p21) untranslated regions (UTRs), we demonstrate that miR-296 interacts with the p21-3′UTR, and the Hu binding site of p21-3′UTR was identified as a potential miR-296 target site. We demonstrate for the first time that miR-296 is frequently upregulated during immortalization of human cells and contributes to carcinogenesis by downregulation of p53-p21<SUP>WAF1</SUP> pathway.</P>

Recent Developments of Actuation Mechanisms for Continuum Robots: A Review

Ibrahim A. Seleem,Haitham El-Hussieny,Hiroyuki Ishii 제어·로봇·시스템학회 2023 International Journal of Control, Automation, and Vol.21 No.5

Traditional rigid robots face significant challenges in congested and tight environments, including bulky size, maneuverability, and safety limitations. Thus, soft continuum robots, inspired by the incredible capabilities of biological appendages such as octopus arms, starfish, and worms, have shown promising performance in complex environments due to their compliance, adaptability, and safety. Different actuation techniques are implemented in soft continuum robots to achieve a smoothly bending backbone, including cable-driven actuators, pneumatic actuators, and hydraulic actuation systems. However, designing and developing efficient actuation mechanisms, motion planning approaches, and control algorithms are challenging due to the high degree of redundancy and non-linearity of soft continuum robots. This article profoundly reviews the merits and drawbacks of soft robots’ actuation systems concerning their applications to provide the readers with a brief review reference to explore the recent development of soft robots’ actuation mechanisms technology. Moreover, the authors have surveyed the recent review studies in controller design of continuum robots as a guidance for future applications.

Effect of the Addition of β-Hydroxybutyrate to Chemically Defined Maturation Medium on the Nuclear Maturation, Sperm Penetration and Embryonic Development of Porcine Oocytes In vitro

Endo, R.,Ishii, A.,Nakanishi, A.,Nabenishi, H.,Ashizawa, K.,Tsuzuki, Y. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2010 Animal Bioscience Vol.23 No.11

We investigated the effects of various concentrations of ${\beta}$-hydroxybutyrate (BHB, 0, 0.1, 1 and 10 mM), a ketone body, added to chemically-defined maturation medium with or without energy substrates (glucose, pyruvate and lactate) on nuclear maturation rates up to the metaphase stage of the second meiotic division (M-II stage). In addition, we also assessed the influence of BHB on glutathione content, sperm penetration rate and embryonic development up to the blastocyst stage of oocytes matured under the presence of these energy substrates. Nuclear maturation rates up to the M-II stage of oocytes matured with BHB in each concentration group did not show a significant increase compared with the control (0 mM) groups in both the presence and absence of energy substrates. Although glutathione contents were not significantly different in each BHB concentration group, the sperm penetration rate in the 1 mM BHB group was significantly higher (p<0.05) and the embryonic development rate of oocytes up to the blastocyst stage was significantly lower (p<0.05) than the respective values of the control groups. These results suggest that BHB added to a chemically-defined maturation medium may stimulate sperm penetration while inhibiting embryonic development of porcine oocytes.

High-Power ECRH Experiments in the GAMMA 10 Tandem Mirror

yoshinori Tatematsu,A. Itakura,D. Nagai,H. Higaki,H. Hojo,I. Katanuma,J. Kohagura,K. Nozaki,K. Sakamotoa,K. Ishii,M. Ichimura,M. Yoshikawa,M. Hirata,M. K. Islam,N. Machida,O. Watanabe,T. Imai,T. Numak 한국물리학회 2006 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.49 No.III

Power-up of gyrotrons was carried out and corresponding launcher systems were designed for plug and central-cell ECRH systems in the GAMMA 10 tandem mirror. Then, a high-power ECRH experiment was started. For the plug ECRH, new 500-kW gyrotrons produced a new record value of the confining potential. For the central-cell ECRH, development of a new antenna system has increased the transmission rate of incident microwave power and focused it onto the machine axis in the resonance surface. As a result, a clear increase of the diamagnetism was observed during the pulse of ECRH.

Observations of the radial particle flux induced by the phase difference between density and potential fluctuations using a gold neutral beam probe in the tandem mirror GAMMA 10

atsushi Kojima,A. Itakura,H. Kakiuchi,H. Higaki,K. Ishii,M. Ichimura,M. Yoshikawa,N. Kaidou,S. Fujimoto,T. Cho,T. Yamaguchi,Y. Miyata 한국물리학회 2006 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.49 No.III

The radial particle flux induced by drift-type fluctuations is observed by use of a gold neutral beam probe in the tandem mirror GAMMA 10. When the drift waves are excited in the plasma, the measured phase difference between the density and potential fluctuations is not zero; the radial profile of the phase difference is not constant. This showed that the radial particle flux had some profile and then the density profile would be varied due to the radial particle transport induced by the fluctuations through the radial particle flux. Experimental results showed the density reduction due to the transport induced by the drift-type fluctuations. The phase difference is an important parameter to decide the radial particle flux. The profiles of the phase difference are measured to understand the decision mechanism of the phase difference. The radial profile of the phase difference is varied by the ion heating power, the density and the potential profiles. As a result, the phase difference had a correlation with the difference between the local drift frequency (the electron diamagnetic drift frequency and the E×B drift frequency) and the observed frequency.

Power System and Drive-Train for Omni-Directional Autonomous Mobile Robots with Multiple Energy Storage Units

Ghaderi, Ahmad,Nassiraei, Amir A.F,Sanada, Atsushi,Ishii, Kazuo,Godler, Ivan The Korean Institute of Power Electronics 2008 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.8 No.4

In this paper power system and drive-train for omni-directional autonomous mobile robots with multiple energy storage units are presented. Because in proposed system, which is implemented in soccer robots, the ability of power flow control from of multiple separated energy storage units and speed control for each motor are combined, these robots can be derived by more than one power source. This capability, allow robot to diversify its energy source by employing hybrid power sources. In this research Lithium ion polymer batteries have been used for main and auxiliary energy storage units because of their high power and energy densities. And to protect them against deep discharge, over current and short circuit, a protection circuit was designed. The other parts of our robot power system are DC-DC converters and kicker circuit. The simulation and experimental results show proposed scheme and extracted equations are valid and energy management and speed control can be achieved properly using this method. The filed experiments show robot mobility functions to perform the requested motion is enough and it has a high maneuverability in the field.

Power System and Drive-Train for Omni-Directional Autonomous Mobile Robots with Multiple Energy Storage Units

Ahmad Ghaderi,Amir A.F Nassiraei,Atsushi Sanada,Kazuo Ishii,Ivan Godler 전력전자학회 2008 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.8 No.4

In this paper power system and drive-train for omni-directional autonomous mobile robots with multiple energy storage units are presented. Because in proposed system, which is implemented in soccer robots, the ability of power flow control from of multiple separated energy storage units and speed control for each motor are combined, these robots can be derived by more than one power source. This capability, allow robot to diversify its energy source by employing hybrid power sources. In this research Lithium ion polymer batteries have been used for main and auxiliary energy storage units because of their high power and energy densities. And to protect them against deep discharge, over current and short circuit, a protection circuit was designed. The other parts of our robot power system are DC-DC converters and kicker circuit. The simulation and experimental results show proposed scheme and extracted equations are valid and energy management and speed control can be achieved properly using this method. The filed experiments show robot mobility functions to perform the requested motion is enough and it has a high maneuverability in the field.

Physiological Factors Depressing Feed Intake and Saliva Secretion in Goats Fed on Dry Forage

Sunagawa, K.,Ooshiro, T.,Nakamura, N.,Ishii, Y.,Nagamine, I.,Shinjo, A Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2007 Animal Bioscience Vol.20 No.1

Ruminants eating dry forage secrete large volumes of saliva which results in decreased plasma volume (hypovolemia) and the loss of $NaHCO_3$ from the blood. The present research investigated whether or not hypovolemia and the loss of $NaHCO_3$ from the blood in goats brought about by dry forage feeding actually depresses feed intake and saliva secretion, respectively. The present experiment consisted of three treatments (NI, ASI, MI). In the control treatment (NI), a solution was not infused. In the ASI treatment, i.v. infusion of artificial parotid saliva was initiated 1 h before feeding and continued for the entire 2 h feeding period. In the MI treatment, iso-osmotic mannitol solution was infused. The NI treatment showed that hematocrit and plasma total protein concentration were increased due to decreased circulating plasma volume brought about by feeding. In the ASI treatment, the fluid and $NaHCO_3$ that were lost from the blood because of a feeding-induced acceleration of saliva secretion was replenished with an intravenous infusion of artificial parotid saliva. This replenishment lessened the levels of suppression on both feeding and parotid saliva secretion. When only the lost fluid was replenished with an intravenous infusion of iso-osmotic mannitol solution in the MI treatment, the degree of feeding suppression was lessened but the level of saliva secretion suppression was not affected. These results indicate that the marked suppression of feed intake during the initial stages of dry forage feeding was caused by a feeding-induced hypovolemia while the suppression of saliva secretion was brought about by the loss of $NaHCO_3$ from the blood due to increased saliva secretion during the initial stages of feeding.

Cost-effective structural health monitoring of FRPC parts for automotive applications

Mitschang, P.,Molnar, P.,Ogale, A.,Ishii, M. The Korean Society for Composite Materials 2007 Advanced composite materials Vol.16 No.2

In the automobile industry, structural health monitoring of fiber reinforced polymer composite parts is a widespread need for maintenance before breakdown of the functional elements or a complete vehicle. High performance sensors are generally used in many of the structural health monitoring operations. Within this study, a carbon fiber sewing thread has been used as a low cost laminate failure sensing element. The experimentation plan was set up according to the electrical conductance and flexibility of carbon fiber threads, advantages of preforming operations, and sewing mechanisms. The influence of the single thread damages by changing the electrical resistance and monitoring the impact location by using carbon thread sensors has been performed. Innovative utilization of relatively cost-effective carbon threads for monitoring the delamination of metallic inserts from the basic composite laminate structure is a highlighting feature of this study.