Autonomous Navigation and Mapping using LiDAR

The goal of this project was to make a fully autonomous robot, capable of mapping its surroundings and navigating through obstacles. This was done through the use of a chassis fitted with tracks and two motors, a lidar, a compass, and a Raspberry Pi. The robot also contains two batteries and is self powered. Encoders are used on the motors in order to track the distance traveled for more precise mapping and movements

ANTHROPOMETRIC AND PHYSICAL FITNESS PROFILES OF YOUTH ATHLETES

Mason Thieu1, Quincy R. Johnson1,Yang Yang1, Dayton Sealey2, Clay Frels2, Dimitrije Cabarkapa1, & Andrew C. Fry1, FACSM 1University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas; 2Department of Kinesiology and Sport Science, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, Nebraska Youth sports participation, competitiveness, and training intensity continues to increase. However, more information is needed regarding the anthropometric and physical fitness profile of today’s youth athletes. Common strategies for profiling anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics of athletes across their lifespan include the sit and reach (SR), functional movement screen (FMS), isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), and the countermovement jump (CMJ) tests. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess SR, FMS, IMTP, and CMJ performance of youth athletes. METHODS: Youth athletes participating in a community-based strength and conditioning program (male; n=15, age=10.7±0.9, height=157.7±9.2cm, weight=53.2±14.3kg, female; n=6, age=10.2±0.4, height=146.9±8.7cm, weight=40.4±8.2kg) participated in this study. Each athlete performed a SR test, FMS test, two maximum effort IMTPs, and two maximum effort CMJs. Mann-Whitney U Tests (p\u3c0.05) were performed using sex as the grouping variable. RESULTS: Among the variables analyzed, significant differences were found in SR performance (p=0.026), FMS total score (p=0.018), IMTP peak force (p=0.006), and CMJ peak propulsive power (p=0.016) between sexes. The mean ± SD is reported in Table 1. CONCLUSION: Significant differences in anthropometric and physical fitness were observed between male and female youth athletes. While sex differences in anthropometrics have been well reported, the present study provides novel insights on physical fitness data measuring muscular strength and power for youth athletes. These findings can be utilized by coaches, physical educators, strength and conditioning professionals, and sport scientists to better understand the youth athlete population and contribute to their long-term development of athletic qualities

In Vivo Expression of MHC Class I Genes Depends on the Presence of a Downstream Barrier Element

Regulation of MHC class I gene expression is critical to achieve proper immune surveillance. In this work, we identify elements downstream of the MHC class I promoter that are necessary for appropriate in vivo regulation: a novel barrier element that protects the MHC class I gene from silencing and elements within the first two introns that contribute to tissue specific transcription. The barrier element is located in intergenic sequences 3′ to the polyA addition site. It is necessary for stable expression in vivo, but has no effect in transient transfection assays. Accordingly, in both transgenic mice and stably transfected cell lines, truncation of the barrier resulted in transcriptional gene silencing, increased nucleosomal density and decreased histone H3K9/K14 acetylation and H3K4 di-methylation across the gene. Significantly, distinct sequences within the barrier element govern anti-silencing and chromatin modifications. Thus, this novel barrier element functions to maintain transcriptionally permissive chromatin organization and prevent transcriptional silencing of the MHC class I gene, ensuring it is poised to respond to immune signaling

Developing mixed methods research in sport and exercise psychology: Critical reflections on five points of controversy

© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. Objectives: To stimulate debate in sport and exercise psychology about the nature of mixed methods research as currently practiced and how this approach might develop in the future. Design: An exploration of five points of controversy relating to mixed methods research. Method: A presentation of critical reflections on the following. (1) Mixing methods as a non-debate, (2) Purists, pragmatists and mixing paradigms, (3) Integrating findings and representational forms, (4) Judgment criteria and mixed methods research, and (5) Power, politics and what counts in mixed methods research. Results: The examples provided of mixed methods research in action indicate that a number of problematic issues regarding both process and product have been neglected. Conclusions: Mixed methods research offers a number of conceptual, practical and pedagogical challenges that need to be addressed if this form of inquiry is to develop its full potential in sport and exercise psychology

Three Novel Downstream Promoter Elements Regulate MHC Class I Promoter Activity in Mammalian Cells

BACKGROUND: MHC CLASS I TRANSCRIPTION IS REGULATED BY TWO DISTINCT TYPES OF REGULATORY PATHWAYS: 1) tissue-specific pathways that establish constitutive levels of expression within a given tissue and 2) dynamically modulated pathways that increase or decrease expression within that tissue in response to hormonal or cytokine mediated stimuli. These sets of pathways target distinct upstream regulatory elements, have distinct basal transcription factor requirements, and utilize discrete sets of transcription start sites within an extended core promoter. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We studied regulatory elements within the MHC class I promoter by cellular transfection and in vitro transcription assays in HeLa, HeLa/CIITA, and tsBN462 of various promoter constructs. We have identified three novel MHC class I regulatory elements (GLE, DPE-L1 and DPE-L2), located downstream of the major transcription start sites, that contribute to the regulation of both constitutive and activated MHC class I expression. These elements located at the 3' end of the core promoter preferentially regulate the multiple transcription start sites clustered at the 5' end of the core promoter. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Three novel downstream elements (GLE, DPE-L1, DPE-L2), located between +1 and +32 bp, regulate both constitutive and activated MHC class I gene expression by selectively increasing usage of transcription start sites clustered at the 5' end of the core promoter upstream of +1 bp. Results indicate that the downstream elements preferentially regulate TAF1-dependent, relative to TAF1-independent, transcription

Ein Beitrag zur Messung und Bewertung von gasfoermigen organischen Emissionen in Kaffeeroestereien mit katalytischer Nachverbrennung

Available from TIB Hannover: DW 1994 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman