Sequential and Simultaneous Algorithms to Solve the Collision-Free Trajectory Planning Problem for Industrial Robots – Impact of Interpolation Functions and the Characteristics of the Actuators on Robot Performance

This paper has been possible thanks to the funding of Science and Innovation Ministry of the Spain Government by means of the Researching and Technologic Development Project DPI2010-20814-C02-01 (IDEMOV).Rubio Montoya, FJ.; Valero Chuliá, FJ.; Besa Gonzálvez, AJ.; Pedrosa Sanchez, AM. (2012). Sequential and Simultaneous Algorithms to Solve the Collision-Free Trajectory Planning Problem for Industrial Robots ¿ Impact of Interpolation Functions and the Characteristics of the Actuators on Robot Performance. En Robotic Systems - Applications, Control and Programming. InTech. 591-610. doi:10.5772/25970S59161

Note: Vectorial-magneto optical Kerr effect technique combined with variable temperature and full angular range all in a single setup

Here, we report on a versatile full angular resolved/broad temperature range/vectorial magneto optical Kerr effect (MOKE) magnetometer, named TRISTAN. Its versatility relies on its capacity to probe temperature and angular dependencies of magnetization reversal processes without the need to do any intervention on the apparatus during measurements. The setup is a combination of a vectorial MOKE bench and a cryostat with optical access. The cryostat has a motorized rotatable sample holder with azimuthal correction. It allows for simultaneous and quantitative acquisition of the two in-plane magnetization components during the hysteresis loop at different temperatures from 4 K up to 500 K and in the whole angular range, without neither changing magnet orientation nor opening the cryostat. Measurements performed in a model system with competing collinear biaxial and uniaxial contributions are presented to illustrate its capabilitiesP.P. acknowledges financial support from MINECO through Contract No. JCI-2011- 09602. F.J.T. acknowledges financial support from Ramon y Cajal program (RYC-2011-09617). This work has been supported by MINECO through Project Nos. MAT2011-25598 and MAT2012-39308, by the Comunidad de Madrid through Project No. S2013/MIT-2850 NANOFRONTMAG-CM and by EU-FP7 through NANOPYME Project (No. 310516

Room Temperature In-plane <100> Magnetic Easy Axis for Fe3O4/SrTiO3(001):Nb Grown by Infrared PLD

We examine the magnetic easy-axis directions of stoichiometric magnetite films grown on SrTiO3:Nb by infrared pulsed-laser deposition. Spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy reveals that the individual magnetic domains are magnetized along the in-plane film directions. Magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements show that the maxima of the remanence and coercivity are also along in-plane film directions. This easy-axis orientation differs from bulk magnetite and films prepared by other techniques, establishing that the magnetic anisotropy can be tuned by film growth.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

Conformal TiO2_2 aerogel-like films by plasma deposition: from omniphobic antireflective coatings to perovskite solar cells photoelectrodes

The ability to control porosity in oxide thin films is one of the key factors that determine their properties. Despite the abundance of dry processes for the synthesis of oxide porous layers, the high porosity range is typically achieved by spin-coating-based wet chemical methods. Besides, special techniques such as supercritical drying are required to replace the pore liquid with air while maintaining the porous network. In this study, we propose a new method for the fabrication of ultra-porous titanium dioxide thin films at room or mild temperatures (T lower or equal to 120 degrees Celsius) by the sequential process involving plasma deposition and etching. These films are conformal to the substrate topography even for high-aspect-ratio substrates and show percolated porosity values above 85 percent that are comparable to advanced aerogels. The films deposited at room temperature are amorphous. However, they become partly crystalline at slightly higher temperatures presenting a distribution of anatase clusters embedded in the sponge-like structure. Surprisingly, the porous structure remains after annealing the films at 450 degrees Celsius in air, which increases the fraction of the embedded anatase nanocrystals. The films are antireflective, omniphobic, and photoactive becoming super-hydrophilic subjected to UV light irradiation The supported percolated nanoporous structure can be used as an electron-conducting electrode in perovskite solar cells. The properties of the cells depend on the aerogel film thickness reaching efficiencies close to those of commercial mesoporous anatase electrodes. This generic solvent-free synthesis is scalable and is applicable to ultra-high porous conformal oxides of different compositions with potential applications in photonics, optoelectronics, energy storage, and controlled wetting.Comment: 31 pages, 10 Figs. plus Supporting Information 7 pags, 6 figs. Full Pape

Bullying girls - Changes after brief strategic family therapy: A randomized, prospective, controlled trial with one-year follow-up

Background: Many girls bully others. They are conspicuous because of their risk-taking behavior, increased anger, problematic interpersonal relationships and poor quality of life. Our aim was to determine the efficacy of brief strategic family therapy (BSFT) for bullying-related behavior, anger reduction, improvement of interpersonal relationships, and improvement of health-related quality of life in girls who bully, and to find out whether their expressive aggression correlates with their distinctive psychological features. Methods: 40 bullying girls were recruited from the general population: 20 were randomly selected for 3 months of BSFT. Follow-up took place 12 months after the therapy had ended. The results of treatment were examined using the Adolescents' Risk-taking Behavior Scale (ARBS), the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-D), and the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36). Results: In comparison with the control group (CG) (according to the intent-to-treat principle), bullying behavior in the BSFT group was reduced (BSFT-G from n = 20 to n = 6; CG from n = 20 to n = 18, p = 0.05) and statistically significant changes in all risk-taking behaviors (ARBS), on most STAXI, IIP-D, and SF-36 scales were observed after BSFT. The reduction in expressive aggression (Anger-Out scale of the STAXI) correlated with the reduction on several scales of the ARBS, IIP-D, and SF-36. Follow-up a year later showed relatively stable events. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that bullying girls suffer from psychological and social problems which may be reduced by the use of BSFT. Expressive aggression in girls appears to correlate with several types of risk-taking behavior and interpersonal problems, as well as with health-related quality of life. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel

A Rat Immobilization Model Based on Cage Volume Reduction: A Physiological Model for Bed Rest?

Bed rest has been an established treatment in the past prescribed for critically illness or convalescing patients, in order to preserve their body metabolic resource, to prevent serious complications and to support their rapid path to recovery. However, it has been reported that prolonged bed rest can have detrimental consequences that may delay or prevent the recovery from clinical illness. In order to study disuse-induced changes in muscle and bone, as observed during prolonged bed rest in humans, an innovative new model of muscle disuse for rodents is presented. Basically, the animals are confined to a reduced space designed to restrict their locomotion movements and allow them to drink and eat easily, without generating physical stress. The animals were immobilized for either 7, 14, or 28 days. The immobilization procedure induced a significant decrease of food intake, both at 14 and 28 days of immobilization. The reduced food intake was not a consequence of a stress condition induced by the model since plasma corticosterone levels –an indicator of a stress response– were not altered following the immobilization period. The animals showed a significant decrease in soleus muscle mass, grip force and cross-sectional area (a measure of fiber size), together with a decrease in bone mineral density. The present model may potentially serve to investigate the effects of bed-rest in pathological states characterized by a catabolic condition, such as diabetes or cancer

Utilización de dibujos, imágenes y otros elementos multimedia en el diseño de recursos para la docencia virtual

Se presentan una serie de recursos hipermedia, que el grupo de autores han desarrollado con el ánimo de facilitar el aprendizaje de los alumnos en disciplinas de alto contenido descriptivo. En este caso concreto se refieren a la anatomía microscópica animal y vegetal, aunque las aplicaciones informáticas y procedimientos empleados son aplicables también a otras disciplinas, siempre con dicho carácter descriptivo en común. Fundamentalmente se trata de módulos interactivos de autoaprendizaje en formato SCORM, que incorporan como principal elemento dibujos descriptivos sobre las estructuras histológicas estudiadas. Tales dibujos se presentan al usuario como archivos tipo flash, con visualización interactiva y secuencial, para facilitar su comprensión. A la vez, incorporan enlaces con otra aplicación, diseñada previamente por los autores, bajo el aspecto de atlas histológico, en el que se recogen ejemplos de la realidad en forma de microfotografías, algunas de ellas navegables (microscopía virtual). Incluyen igualmente pruebas de autoevaluación y la posibilidad, dado su formato compatible, de que el profesor pueda realizar un completo seguimiento de su utilización a través de diferentes Plataformas de Docencia Virtual (LMSs). Por otro lado se han desarrollado otros recursos hipermedia en formato AVI de contenidos relacionados con el manejo de dispositivos y técnicas de uso habitual en histología. Incluyen, además de las grabaciones en video, imágenes fijas, texto, títulos de crédito y comentarios hablados ilustrando los contenidos expuestos. El acceso a este material se hace a través de una página web índice, con hipervínculos a cada archivo. Todos los recursos presentados se encuentran actualmente disponibles a través del servidor y la LMS de la Universidad de Jaén, pudiéndose acceder a los mismos desde la URL: http://virtual.ujaen.es/atlas/.This work is addressed to introduce a number of hypermedia resources aimed to facilitate the learning of students in descriptive disciplines. We have focused on animal and vegetal microscopic anatomy, although the applications and procedures described can be also applicable to other descriptive disciplines. In this way, self-study interactive modules in SCORM format were designed, incorporating descriptive drawings of the histological structures. These drawings are presented as flash-type files to the users, which can observe them in an interactive and sequential way to facilitate understanding. At the same time, they incorporate links to an interactive histological atlas, previously designed by the authors, in which are collected real photomicrographs, some of them available as “virtual microscopy” (a section that allows examining images as real observations using the microscope). The drawings also include self-evaluation tests, as well as the possibility that the teacher can conduct an exhaustive monitoring of the use of this teaching tool through different Learning Management Systems (LMSs). On the other hand, other hypermedia resources in AVI format have been developed. Such tools are related to the management of devices and techniques commonly used in Histology. They also include video recordings, images, text, credit, and spoken comments illustrating the contents. The access to this material can be achieved through an index web page with hyperlinks to each file. These tools are currently available through the server and LMS of the University of Jaén (Spain) in http://virtual.ujaen.es/atlas/

Extracellular cysteine disulfide bond break at Cys122 disrupts PIP2-dependent Kir2.1 channel function and leads to arrhythmias in Andersen-Tawil Syndrome

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