Thalidomide before autologous stem cell transplantation in VAD-refractory multiple myeloma patients

We used thalidomide to treat 10 patients with advanced stage multiple myeloma who had failed to obtain at least a partial response after a VAD-based induction therapy. Seven out 10 cases achieved clinical and histologic responses and proceeded to collection of peripheral blood stem cells and transplantation and ASCT

Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration associated with anti-neuronal anti-Tr antibodies in a patient with Hodgkin's disease

7nonenoneGeromin, A; Candoni, A; Marcon, Gabriella; Ferrari, S; Sperotto, A; DE LUCA, S; Fanin, Renat

Kinect-based teleoperated pseudo-anthropomorphic robotic arm

The objective of this study is to develop a pseudo-anthropomorphic robotic arm that is controlled through a motion capture device. The study aims to present an alternative method to robot control. Utilization of motion capture to control a pseudo-anthropomorphic arm can make the control initiative and straightforward for its operator. This can contribute to robot applications wherein accurate control is necessary. This pseudo-anthropomorphic robotic arm has four degrees of freedom, specifically, shoulder yaw and pitch, elbow pitch and wrist pitch. The motion capture device used is the Microsoft Kinect which detects its operator’s arm position. Data from the Kinect is fed through a computer and a PIC microcontroller in order to control the motors of the robotic arm. The PIC microcontroller is responsible for generating pulse width modulation that will power the motors. Encoders are used to determine the position of the motors. A PI controller is used as the feedback controller and is implemented also through the PIC microcontroller. Testing was done in order to determine how well the robotic arm is able to follow the operator\u27s arm position. Through this study the Kinect was shown to be a capable method to control a pseudo-anthropomorphic robotic arm with four degree of freedom

Links between structural, technical and socio-economic features of farms and the motivations of farmers for organic farming systems

Policy makers are promoting organic farming systems. But much previous research shows the complexity of farmer's decision-making processes regarding incentives to change their practices. This leads to an actor-oriented approach of policy analysis in which farmers' views are studied. This paper reports (i) the results of a comparison between motivations of farmers who moved towards organic farming systems, motivations of farmers who adopt nitrogen reduction, and motivations of farmers who rejected these two changes, in France and in Italy, and (ii) the links between these motivations and the structural, technical and socio-economic features of farms. These results are part of an EU funded project (IMAGES: FAIR3 CT96-2092). Adopters of organic farming systems and (to a lesser degree) adopters of nitrogen reduction are motivated for landscape quality and nature preservation. But adopters of these two measures also are strongly motivated for revenue. Consequently, success of policies promoting organic farming systems and nitrogen reduction depends on ability of these policies to contribute to maintaining or improving the economic sustainability of farms. Further, the high degree of motivation of most of the non adopters for independence in decision-making implies that agri-environmental measures need specific packaging and dissemination strategie

Kinect-based teleoperated pseudo-anthropomorphic robotic arm

The objective of this study is to develop a pseudo-anthropomorphic robotic arm that is controlled through a motion capture device. The study aims to present an alternative method to robot control. Utilization of motion capture to control a pseudo-anthropomorphic arm can make the control intuitive and straightforward for its operator. This can contribute to robot applications wherein accurate control is necessary. This pseudo-anthropomorphic robotic arm has four degrees of freedom, specifically, shoulder yaw and pitch, elbow pitch and wrist pitch. The motion capture device used is the Microsoft Kinect which detects its operator’s arm position. Data from the Kinect is fed through computer and a PIC microcontroller in order to control the motors of the robotic arm. The PIC microcontroller is responsible for generating pulse width modulation that will power the motors. Encoders are used to determine the position of the motors. A PI controller is used as the feedback controller and is implemented also through the PIC microcontroller. Testing was done in order to determine how well the robotic arm is able to follow the operator’s arm position. Through this study the Kinect was shown to be a capable method to control a pseudo-anthropomorphic robotic arm with four degrees of freedom. © 2019, World Academy of Research in Science and Engineering. All rights reserved