The Use of Accelerometers and Gyroscopes to Estimate Hip and Knee Angles on Gait Analysis

In this paper the performance of a sensor system, which has been developed to estimate hip and knee angles and the beginning of the gait phase, have been investigated. The sensor system consists of accelerometers and gyroscopes. A new algorithm was developed in order to avoid the error accumulation due to the gyroscopes drift and vibrations due to the ground contact at the beginning of the stance phase. The proposed algorithm have been tested and compared to some existing algorithms on over-ground walking trials with a commercial device for assisted gait. The results have shown the good accuracy of the angles estimation, also in high angle rate movement

Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Determines the Vasculogenic Fate of Post-Natal Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Vasculogenesis is the process of de novo blood vessel formation observed primarily during embryonic development. Emerging evidence suggest that post-natal mesenchymal stem cells are capable of recapitulating vasculogenesis when these cells are engaged in tissue regeneration. However, the mechanisms underlining the vasculogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells remain unclear. Here, we used stem cells from human permanent teeth (DPSC) or deciduous teeth (SHED) as models of post-natal primary human mesenchymal stem cells to understand mechanisms regulating their vasculogenic fate. GFP-tagged mesenchymal stem cells seeded in human tooth slice/scaffolds and transplanted into immunodeficient mice differentiate into human blood vessels that anastomize with the mouse vasculature. In vitro, VEGF induced the vasculogenic differentiation of DPSC and SHED via potent activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Further, activation of Wnt signaling is sufficient to induce the vasculogenic differentiation of post-natal mesenchymal stem cells, while Wnt inhibition blocked this process. Notably, β-catenin-silenced DPSC no longer differentiate into endothelial cells in vitro, and showed impaired vasculogenesis in vivo. Collectively, these data demonstrate that VEGF signaling through the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway defines the vasculogenic fate of post-natal mesenchymal stem cells

Little owl (Athene noctua): nuclear and mitochondrial DNA analysis reveals divergence of soutwestern and central european subspecies

We utilized mitochondrial and nuclear DNA to study the phylogeography of little owls (Athene noctua) across Europe. Data from 326 individuals distributed among 22 sites were used to assess geographical distribution of the European subspecies, i.e., the widely accepted vidalii, noctua and indigena, and the questioned sarda-species. On the basis of the sequences of two mtDNA markers (CRI D-Loop 494 bp and COI 679 bp), we found a major difference between a first haplogroup, distributed in the North-West (from Iberia to Denmark and Czech Republic) and three other clades, distributed in the South-Eastern part of the study area. In particular we found a second group distributed in the Balkans and a third located in Sardinia, while in Italy there was a mixture between a fourth haplogroup of South-Italy and both the North-West and the Balkan clades. All individuals sampled in Sardinian differed clearly from other haplogroups. The combined analyses of the 13 nuclear microsatellite loci corroborated these results. Both mitochondrial and nuclear markers showed that interaction across contact zones generate a mixture of genotypes not only in Italy, but also in Central Europe. The apparent position of the contact zones differs substantially from the subspecies distribution reported in literature. DNA data are consistent with the phylogeographic hypothesis that this species survived the Pleistocene glaciations in three major refugia located in Iberia, South Italy, and the Balkans. Expansion patterns indicate that little owls from the Iberian refugium were the predominant source of postglacial colonization of northern Europe, while expansion out of South-Italy and Balkans had more limited effects

Autonomous nuclear waste management

Redundant and non-operational buildings at nuclear sites are decommissioned over a period of time. The process involves demolition of physical infrastructure resulting in large quantities of residual waste material. The resulting waste materials are packed into import containers to be delivered for post-processing, containing either sealed canisters or assortments of miscellaneous objects. At present post-processing does not happen within the United Kingdom. Sellafield Ltd. and National Nuclear Laboratory are developing a process for future operation so that upon an initial inspection, imported waste materials undergo two stages of post-processing before being packed into export containers, namely sort and segregate or sort and disrupt. The post-processing facility will remotely treat and export a wide range of wastes before downstream encapsulation. Certain wastes require additional treatment, such as disruption, before export to ensure suitability for long-term disposal. This article focuses on the design, development, and demonstration of a reconfigurable rational agent-based robotic system that aims to highly automate these processes removing the need for close human supervision. The proposed system is being demonstrated through a downsized, lab-based setup incorporating a small-scale robotic arm, a time-of-flight camera, and high-level rational agent-based decision making and control framework

Is the Salmonella contamination of swine carcasses at slaughter related to the Salmonella load in caecum?

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the load of Salmonella spp. in caeca and the carcass contamination in an Italian slaughterhouse. The sampling scheme was designed to be representative of the pigs slaughtered in a day and to estimate a 12% prevalence of pigs highly contaminated by Salmonella spp. (HCP, cecal load ≥3log). Environmental swabs were taken before slaughter. Cecal contents and carcass swabs were collected from the same pig. Salmonella MPN were estimated according to ISO6579- 2:2012/A1 and ISO7218:2007/E. The overall Salmonella prevalence were 34.64% and 7.19% for ceca and carcasses respectively, with S. Derby and S. 4,[5],12:i:- being the prevalent serotypes. The HCP prevalence was 11.44%. 7/59 environmental swabs tested positive; when the same serotype was isolated from the environment and from carcasses, the samples were excluded from further analysis. Statistical analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between Salmonella spp. loads in the cecum and contamination of the carcass of the same pig and the prevalence of HCP and the contamination of carcasses on the same day. For this purpose, the days were classified as “high prevalence days” depending on the proportion of caeca resulted positive (≥36%) and as “high load” days depending on the prevalence of HCP (≥10%). A correlation between the contamination of carcasses and the cecal Salmonella loads of the same animal was found (Spearman’s correlation coefficient: 0.2254; p-value=0.0001). No correlation was found between the contamination of carcasses and the categorization of the day of sampling as “high prevalence day”. Conversely, a correlation was found between the contamination of carcasses and the “high load” category of the sampling day (Wilcoxon test, p=0.0011). Notably, not the prevalence of pigs carrying Salmonella spp. but the prevalence of highly contaminated pigs was shown to be related to the contamination of carcasses

Efeito médio de substituição alélica para os polimorfismos CAPN4753 e UOGCAST no gene da calpaína e calpastatina.

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar possíveis interações alélicas para os polimorfismos nos genes da µ-calpaína (CAPN4753) e da calpastatina (UOGCAST1), ligados a característica de maciez da carne. Nesse trabalho, foram utilizados 590 animais da raça Nelore. Após a extração do DNA de amostras de sangue por precipitação em NaCl. A identificação e determinação dos polimorfismos para os marcadores foram realizadas pelo sistema de detecção TaqManTM utilizando-se PCR em Tempo Real. A análise de maciez da carne, aos 7, 14 e 21 dias de maturação, foi realizada com amostras de carne do Longissimus dorsi, retiradas entre a 12ª e 13ª costela e cisalhadas utilizando-se um Warner Bratzler Shear Force. Foram observados resultados significativos para o efeito médio de substituição aos 14 dias de maturação da carne, apenas para o polimorfismo no gene da calpastatina, e aos 21 dias para ambos os polimorfismos (CAPN4753 e UOGCAST1)

Carcass and meat quality traits in lineages of Nellore breed

The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences between lineages of Nellore breed for carcass and meat quality traits. Thirteen lineages of Nellore breed were evaluated from data of carcass and meat quality of 516 animals for estimating the expected progeny difference for hot carcass weight, rib eye area, fat thickness, marbling and shear force values at 7, 14 and 21 days of ageing. The founder Golias reached the better values of expected progeny difference for hot carcass weight (+1.20kg), rib eye area (+0.88cm), marbling (+3.47un) and average shear force (-0,09kg), and Akasamu the better value for fat thickness (+0.05mm). The differences between lineages of Nellore breed found in this study couldbe used to select sires for genetic improvement of carcass and meat quality traits in Brazilian beef cattle herds.O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar diferenças entre linhagens da raça Nelore para características de carcaça e qualidade de carne. Foram avaliadas treze linhagens da raça Nelore para as características de peso de carcaça quente, área de olho de lombo, espessura de gordura subcutânea, marmoreio e força de cisalhamento aos 7,14 e 21 dias de maturação. Para isso, foram utilizadas informações fenotípicas de 516 animais da raça Nelore e estimadas as diferenças esperadas na progênie para comparação entre as linhagens. Dentre os genearcas estudados, Golias obteve os melhores valores das diferenças esperadas na progênie para peso de carcaça quente (+1,20kg), área de olho de lombo (+0,88cm), marmoreio (+3,47un) e força de cisalhamento média (-0,09kg) e Akasamu para espessura de gordura subcutânea (+0,05mm). As diferenças entre linhagens da raça Nelore encontradas neste estudo podem ser utilizadas na escolha de touros para melhoria genética de características de carcaça e carne em rebanhos de gado de corte brasileiros.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de AlimentosDepartamento de ZootecniaUniversidade Federal de Uberlândia Instituto de Genética e BioquímicaUniversidade do Estado de Santa Catarina Departamento de ZootecniaUSP Departamento de ZootecniaUNIFESP, Depto. de Medicina Veterinária Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de AlimentosSciEL