LaMMos - Latching Mechanism based on Motorized-screw for Reconfigurable Robots and Exoskeleton Suits

Reconfigurable robots refer to a category of robots that their components (individual joints and links) can be assembled in multiple configurations and geometries. Most of existing latching mechanisms are based on physical tools such as hooks, cages or magnets, which limit the payload capacity. Therefore, robots re- quire a latching mechanism which can help to reconfigure itself without sacrificing the payload capability. This paper presents a latching mechanism based on the flexible screw attaching principle. In which, actuators are used to move the robot links and joints while connecting them with a motorized-screw and dis- connecting them by unfastening the screw. The brackets used in our mechanism configuration helps to hold maximum force up to 5000N. The LaMMos - Latching Mechanism based on Motorized- screw has been applied to the DeWaLoP - Developing Water Loss Prevention in-pipe robot. It helps the robot to shrink its body to crawl into the pipe with minimum diameter, by recon- figuring the leg positions. And it helps to recover the legs positions to original status once the robot is inside the pipe. Also, LaMMos add stiffness to the robot legs by dynamically integrate them to the structure. Additionally, we present an application of the LaMMos mechanism to exoskeleton suits, for easing the mo- tors from the joints when carrying heavy weights for long periods of time. This mechanism offers many interesting opportunities for robotics research in terms of functionality, pay- load and size.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figure

Inclusão, exclusão e reinclusão: Chironius brazili (Serpentes, Colubridae) no Rio Grande do Sul, sul do Brasil

Although Chironius brazili Hamdan and Fernandes, 2015, was recently described, its occurrence in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, has been discussed for at least three decades. In this work, we evaluate the occurrence of C. brazili in Rio Grande do Sul, presenting three new records, a distribution extension and comments in its available literature records. In the Pampa biome, all records are near areas of Atlantic Forest, in grassywoody steppes with gallery forest, in western Rio Grande do Sul. Our records suggest that C. brazili might occur in the Central Depression of Rio Grande do Sul, Uruguay and adjacent areas to the Western portion of Rio Grande do Sul.Keywords: geographical distribution, gallery forest, Pampa, Southern Brazil.Embora Chironius brazili Hamdan and Fernandes, 2015, tenha sido recentemente descrita, sua ocorrência no Rio Grande do Sul tem sido discutida há, pelo menos, três décadas. Neste trabalho, avaliamos a ocorrência de C. brazili no Rio Grande do Sul, apresentando três novos registros, uma extensão de distribuição e comentários sobre seus registros disponíveis em literatura. No bioma Pampa, todos os registros estão perto de áreas de Mata Atlântica, em estepes gramíneo-lenhosas com mata ciliar, no oeste do Rio Grande do Sul. Nossos registros indicam que C. brazili pode ocorrer na Depressão Central do Rio Grande do Sul, Uruguai e áreas adjacentes à porção ocidental do Rio Grande do Sul.Palavras-chave: distribuição geográfica, floresta de galeria, Pampa, Sul do Brasil

The Fourteenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First Spectroscopic Data from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey and from the second phase of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment

The fourth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) has been in operation since July 2014. This paper describes the second data release from this phase, and the fourteenth from SDSS overall (making this, Data Release Fourteen or DR14). This release makes public data taken by SDSS-IV in its first two years of operation (July 2014-2016). Like all previous SDSS releases, DR14 is cumulative, including the most recent reductions and calibrations of all data taken by SDSS since the first phase began operations in 2000. New in DR14 is the first public release of data from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS); the first data from the second phase of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE-2), including stellar parameter estimates from an innovative data driven machine learning algorithm known as "The Cannon"; and almost twice as many data cubes from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO (MaNGA) survey as were in the previous release (N = 2812 in total). This paper describes the location and format of the publicly available data from SDSS-IV surveys. We provide references to the important technical papers describing how these data have been taken (both targeting and observation details) and processed for scientific use. The SDSS website (www.sdss.org) has been updated for this release, and provides links to data downloads, as well as tutorials and examples of data use. SDSS-IV is planning to continue to collect astronomical data until 2020, and will be followed by SDSS-V.Comment: SDSS-IV collaboration alphabetical author data release paper. DR14 happened on 31st July 2017. 19 pages, 5 figures. Accepted by ApJS on 28th Nov 2017 (this is the "post-print" and "post-proofs" version; minor corrections only from v1, and most of errors found in proofs corrected

In-sample forecasting: A brief review and new algorithms

Statistical methods often distinguish between in-sample and out-of-sample approaches. In particular this is the case when time is involved. Then often time series methods are proposed that extrapolate past patterns into the future via complicated recursion formulas. Standard statistical inference is on the other hand concerned with estimating parameters within the given sample. This review paper is about a statistical methodology, where all parameters are estimated in-sample while producing a forecast out-of-sample without recursion or extrapolation. A new super-simulation algorithm ensures a faster implementation of the simplest and perhaps most important version of in-sample forecasting

Intestinal strongyloidiasis and hyperinfection syndrome

In spite of recent advances with experiments on animal models, strongyloidiasis, an infection caused by the nematode parasite Strongyloides stercoralis, has still been an elusive disease. Though endemic in some developing countries, strongyloidiasis still poses a threat to the developed world. Due to the peculiar but characteristic features of autoinfection, hyperinfection syndrome involving only pulmonary and gastrointestinal systems, and disseminated infection with involvement of other organs, strongyloidiasis needs special attention by the physician, especially one serving patients in areas endemic for strongyloidiasis. Strongyloidiasis can occur without any symptoms, or as a potentially fatal hyperinfection or disseminated infection. Th(2 )cell-mediated immunity, humoral immunity and mucosal immunity have been shown to have protective effects against this parasitic infection especially in animal models. Any factors that suppress these mechanisms (such as intercurrent immune suppression or glucocorticoid therapy) could potentially trigger hyperinfection or disseminated infection which could be fatal. Even with the recent advances in laboratory tests, strongyloidiasis is still difficult to diagnose. But once diagnosed, the disease can be treated effectively with antihelminthic drugs like Ivermectin. This review article summarizes a case of strongyloidiasis and various aspects of strongyloidiasis, with emphasis on epidemiology, life cycle of Strongyloides stercoralis, clinical manifestations of the disease, corticosteroids and strongyloidiasis, diagnostic aspects of the disease, various host defense pathways against strongyloidiasis, and available treatment options