Robotic Ironing with 3D Perception and Force/Torque Feedback in Household Environments

As robotic systems become more popular in household environments, the complexity of required tasks also increases. In this work we focus on a domestic chore deemed dull by a majority of the population, the task of ironing. The presented algorithm improves on the limited number of previous works by joining 3D perception with force/torque sensing, with emphasis on finding a practical solution with a feasible implementation in a domestic setting. Our algorithm obtains a point cloud representation of the working environment. From this point cloud, the garment is segmented and a custom Wrinkleness Local Descriptor (WiLD) is computed to determine the location of the present wrinkles. Using this descriptor, the most suitable ironing path is computed and, based on it, the manipulation algorithm performs the force-controlled ironing operation. Experiments have been performed with a humanoid robot platform, proving that our algorithm is able to detect successfully wrinkles present in garments and iteratively reduce the wrinkleness using an unmodified iron.Comment: Accepted and to be published on the 2017 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2017) that will be held in Vancouver, Canada, September 24-28, 201

The effect of the crisis on the economic federative situation and evolution of sports results in Spain

Sports federations are the great promoters of sport at the national level. Their public-private structure requires them to maintain a strong relationship with the public administration. That is why the economic situation of a country, as well as the sports support policy, significantly influence the structure, projects and sports results obtained. This work shows the evolution of public funding in the Spanish federative sport, as well as the evolution of the medals obtained in the Olympic Games held in the period 2008-201

A Visual Guide to Sheff v. O\u27Neill School Desegregation

This report, which includes maps, tables and text analysis, details the Sheff v. O’Neill school desegregation case. The report contains a brief chronology of the case, tables exploring the Sheff region by racial breakdown and magnet school attendance rates, and maps regarding racial composition of the 22 districts in the Sheff Region, locations of Magnet schools, and Hartford students enrolled in the Open Choice program. Throughout the report, the maps, tables and text analyze the Sheff standards and predict whether the Sheff goals will be met by June 2007. An excerpt also appeared in The Hartford Courant, Northeast Magazine, July 23, 2006. See also an updated version of this report, titled “Missing the Goal: A Visual Guide to Sheff v. O’Neill School Desegregation: June 2007” written by Jack Dougherty, Jesse Wanzer and Christina Ramsay

VCP/p97 regulates Beclin-1-dependent autophagy initiation

Autophagy is an essential cellular process that removes harmful protein species, and autophagy upregulation may be able to protect against neurodegeneration and various pathogens. Here, we have identified the essential protein VCP/p97 as a novel regulator of autophagosome biogenesis, where VCP regulates autophagy induction in two ways, both dependent on Beclin-1. Utilizing small-molecule inhibitors of VCP ATPase activity, we show that VCP stabilizes Beclin-1 levels by promoting the deubiquitinase activity of Ataxin-3 towards Beclin-1. VCP also regulates the assembly and activity of the Beclin-1-containing phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) complex I, thus regulating the production of PI(3)P, a key signaling lipid responsible for the recruitment of downstream autophagy factors. Decreased levels of VCP, or inhibition of its ATPase activity impairs starvation-induced production of PI(3)P and limits downstream recruitment of WIPI2, ATG16L and LC3, thereby decreasing autophagosome formation, illustrating an important role for VCP in early autophagy initiation.We are grateful for funding from the UK Dementia Research Institute (funded by the MRC, Alzheimer’s Research UK and the Alzheimer’s Society) (UKDRI-2002 to DCR), The Tau Consortium, Alzheimer’s Research UK, an anonymous donation to the Cambridge Centre for Parkinson-Plus, AstraZeneca, the Swedish Natural Research Council (VR) (reference 2016–06605; to S.M.H;) and from the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO long-term fellowships, ALTF 1024-2016 and ALTF 135-2016, to SMH and LW; respectively)

Adsorption of Methylene Blue and Tetracycline by Zeolites Immobilized on a PBAT Electrospun Membrane

The detection of emerging contaminants in bodies of water has steadily increased in recent years, becoming a severe problem threatening human and ecosystem health. Developing new materials with adsorption properties to remove these pollutants represents an important step toward a potential solution. In this paper, a polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) nanofibrous membrane incorporating clinoptilolite zeolite was developed and its excellent performance in removing tetracycline (TC) and methylene blue (MB) from water was demonstrated. The composite membrane was prepared in two steps: firstly, a homogeneous dispersion of clinoptilolite (1 wt% respect to polymer) in a PBAT solution (12.6 wt%) was electrospun; secondly, the electrospun membrane was subjected to an acid treatment that improved its wettability through the protonation of the surface silanol groups of clinoptilolite. The resulting membrane was hydrophilic and showed higher adsorption for TC (800 mg/g) and MB (100 mg/g), using a low dose (90 mg/L) powdered zeolite. The maximum removal capacity was obtained at neutral pH, being the cation exchange reaction the main adsorption mechanism. Pseudo-second-order kinetics and Henry’s law agree well with the proposed chemisorption and the high affinity of TC and MB for the adsorbent. The material can be reused after the removal process without generating additional contamination, although losing some effectivity.Fil: Picon Borregales, David Emmanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física. Laboratorio de Polímeros y Materiales Compuestos; ArgentinaFil: Vergara Rubio, María Alicia. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física. Laboratorio de Polímeros y Materiales Compuestos; ArgentinaFil: Estevez Areco, Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Sede Olavarría del Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aire. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Sede Olavarría del Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física de Materiales; ArgentinaFil: Cerveny, Silvina. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España. Universidad del País Vasco; EspañaFil: Goyanes, Silvia Nair. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Centro de Física de Materiales; España. Donostia International Physics Center; Españ

Bartonella spp. in Bats, Guatemala

To better understand the role of bats as reservoirs of Bartonella spp., we estimated Bartonella spp. prevalence and genetic diversity in bats in Guatemala during 2009. We found prevalence of 33% and identified 21 genetic variants of 13 phylogroups. Vampire bat–associated Bartonella spp. may cause undiagnosed illnesses in humans

Metabolism based isolation of invasive glioblastoma cells with specific gene signatures and tumorigenic potential

BackgroundGlioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive brain tumor with rapid subclonal diversification, harboring molecular abnormalities that vary temporo-spatially, a contributor to therapy resistance. Fluorescence guided neurosurgical resection utilizes administration of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA) generating individually fluorescent tumor cells within a background population of non-neoplastic cells in the invasive tumor region. The aim of the study was to specifically isolate and interrogate the invasive GBM cell population using a novel 5ALA based method.MethodsWe have isolated the critical invasive GBM cell population by developing 5ALA-based metabolic fluorescence activated cell sorting. This allows purification and study of invasive cells from GBM without an overwhelming background “normal brain” signal to confound data. The population was studied using RNAseq, rtPCR and immunohistochemistry, with gene targets functionally interrogated on proliferation and migration assays using siRNA knockdown and known drug inhibitors.ResultsRNAseq analysis identifies specific genes such as SERPINE1 which is highly expressed in invasive GBM cells but at low levels in the surrounding normal brain parenchyma. siRNA knockdown and pharmacological inhibition with specific inhibitors of SERPINE1 reduced the capacity of GBM cells to invade in an in vitro assay. Rodent xenografts of 5ALA positive cells were established and serially transplanted, confirming tumorigenicity of the fluorescent patient derived cells but not the 5ALA negative cells.ConclusionsIdentification of unique molecular features in the invasive GBM population offer hope for developing more efficacious targeted therapies compared to targeting the tumor core and for isolating tumor sub-populations based upon intrinsic metabolic properties