Selection of Strategies for Collision-free Motion in Multi-manipulator Systems

Strategy-based path planning was introduced by the authors as a way to give robotic manipulators some sort of reactive behaviour in dynamic and unpredictable environments. This approach is based on making robots react to moving obstacles using a restricted subset of the configuration space, and on using an off-line pre-planning stage to choose the restricted subset. In this paper, strategy-based path planning is applied and explored, focusing our attention on the off-line stage. It is applied to the joint motion of two and three robots that perform pick and place tasks sharing common working areas.     

Memory Management for Real-Time Java: An Efficient Solution using Hardware Support*

This paper addresses the issue of improving the performance of memory management for real-time Java applications, building upon the real-time specification for Java (RTSJ) from the Real-Time Java Expert Group. In a first step, a collecting dynamic memory solution including both a real-time garbage collector and region-based memory management, is proposed. A thorough analysis of the parameters influencing the performance of write barriers in memory management, together with ways of improvement are then presented. Finally, the implementation of a memory management solution compliant with the RTSJ and integrating the proposed improvements is sketched.     

Identification of Tone Duration, Line Length, and Letter Position: An Experimental Approach to Timing and Working Memory Deficits in Schizophrenia.

Patients with schizophrenia display numerous cognitive deficits, including problems in working memory, time estimation, and absolute identification of stimuli. Research in these fields has traditionally been conducted independently. We examined these cognitive processes using tasks that are structurally similar and that yield rich error data. Relative to healthy control participants (n = 20), patients with schizophrenia (n = 20) were impaired on a duration identification task and a probed-recall memory task but not on a line-length identification task. These findings do not support the notion of a global impairment in absolute identification in schizophrenia. However, the authors suggest that some aspect of temporal information processing is indeed disturbed in schizophrenia. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fine structure of the male accessory glands of Triatoma rubrofasciata (De Geer, 1773) (Hemiptera, Triatominae)

Male of Triatoma rubrofasciata has four elongated sac-like reproductive mesodermic accessory glands, lined by an inner single layer of secretory cells, with basal plasma membrane infolds and short apical microvilli, and externally enveloped by a thin visceral muscle layer. The secretory cells have a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, mitochondria, and secretory granules. In one day old adult the gland cells are poorly developed, presenting small, electron-transparent secretory granules scattered among the rough endoplasmatic reticulum, whereas in three days old adult these cells have the cisternae of the rough endoplasmatic reticulum varing size degree, filled with granular electrondense content. In five days old males the secretory granules increase in diameter, being released to the gland lumen. Therefore, there is an increase of the secretory activity according to male maturation.     

Cathodoluminescence study of semiconductor oxide micro- and nanostructures grown by vapor deposition

Nano- and microstructures of SnO(2), In(2)O(3) and ZnO have been grown during thermal treatment of compacted powders under argon flow. Indium-doped SnO(2) tube-shaped structures with rectangular cross-section are obtained by adding a fraction of In(2)O(3) to the starting SnO(2) powder. In-rich nanoislands were found to grow on some edges of the tubes. ZnO nanostructures doped with Sn or Eu were grown by adding SnO(2) and Eu(2)O(3) powder, respectively, to the ZnO precursor powder. All the samples have been characterized by the emissive and cathodoluminescence (CL) modes of scanning electron microscopy. CL images from SnO(2):In and In(2)O(3):Sn tubes and islands show a higher emission from the Sn-rich structures related to oxygen deficiency. CL of doped ZnO enables to detect the presence of dopant in specific regions or structures. CL appears to be a useful technique to study optical and electronic properties of semiconductor oxide nanostructures.     

Adaptive control of a class of non-linearly parametrized systems using convexification

In this paper we deal with the problem of adaptive control of a class of non-linearly parametrized plants. The main contribution is to show that, through a well-chosen reparametrization, it is possible to transform the non-convex nonlinear parametrization into a convex one, a property that is used to design a globally stable adaptive controller.     

Stabilization of pluronic gels in the presence of different polysaccharides

Several different polysaccharides have been added to pluronic F127 (poloxamer 407) gels to test their ability to stabilize the gels against dissolution in aqueous media over time. The studied polysaccharides include κ‐carrageenan, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, pectin, alginate, hydroxyethylcellulose, and ethyl(hydroxyethyl)cellulose. Although all the considered polysaccharides slowed down the dissolution time of the pluronic gels, unmodified polysaccharides only had a modest stabilization effect. However, hydrophobic modification of polysaccharides with a sufficiently long hydrocarbon chain (C₁₆) was found to partly prevent the gels from dissolving for more than 6 months. Shorter hydrocarbon chains did not have the same effect, even at high degrees of hydrophobicity. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40465.     

Hereditary Prostate Cancer: Genes Related,Target Therapy and Prevention

Prostate cancer (PCa) is globally the second most diagnosed cancer type and the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in men. Family history of PCa, hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) and Lynch syndromes (LS), are among the most important risk factors compared to age, race, ethnicity and environmental factors for PCa development. Hereditary prostate cancer (HPCa) has the highest heritability of any major cancer in men. The proportion of PCa attributable to hereditary factors has been estimated in the range of 5–15%. To date, the genes more consistently associated to HPCa susceptibility include mismatch repair (MMR) genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2) and homologous recombination genes (BRCA1/2, ATM, PALB2, CHEK2). Additional genes are also recommended to be integrated into specific research, including HOXB13, BRP1 and NSB1. Importantly, BRCA1/BRCA2 and ATM mutated patients potentially benefit from Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase PARP inhibitors, through a mechanism of synthetic lethality, causing selective tumor cell cytotoxicity in cell lines. Moreover, the detection of germline alterations in MMR genes has therapeutic implications, as it may help to predict immunotherapy benefits. Here, we discuss the current knowledge of the genetic basis for inherited predisposition to PCa, the potential target therapy, and the role of active surveillance as a management strategy for patients with low-risk PCa. Finally, the current PCa guideline recommendations are reviewed.