Definizione, acquisizione sperimentale ed elaborazione di traiettorie di riferimento della mano umana per la sintesi di architetture protesiche di arto superiore

This paper reports an essential part of a wider research activity, which entails the development of a procedure for the Determination of the Optimal Prosthesis Architecture (DOPA) for a given upper limb amputee. A fundamental algorithm of the DOPA procedure performs the kinematic analysis of several prosthetic arm models (also with less than the six degrees of freedom normally required to correctly execute a generic manipulation task). The algorithm must simulate the execution of important daily living activities performed by a prosthesis and thus it requires reference trajectories of the hand. By means of experimental analysis, 59 trajectories of the hand of an able-bodied subject were acquired to identify a modality to correctly perform the corresponding tasks. This paper illustrates in detail the stages of task analysis, experimental acquisition and data processing in order to define the required reference trajectories. The obtained reference trajectories are a temporal succession of the hand pose (position and orientation). A customized algorithm automatically selects the most relevant poses to be considered for the definition of the reference trajectory. The hand pose is reported in the Cartesian Space by means of Natural Coordinates. In order to correctly execute a given task the pose error admitted for the end-effector of the different architectures is associated to each trajectory. In particular, the critical problem to express the orientation error is solved by means of the use of Spherical Rotation Coordinates

Patients’ self-perception of dentofacial attractiveness before and after exposure to facial photographs

open4noObjective: To determine whether exposure to pretreatment photographs of themselves influenced patients’ self-perception of dentofacial attractiveness and willingness to undergo treatment. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 subjects of white ancestry aged 18 years or older (Study Group) and 100 sex- and age-matched controls (Control Group) were selected. Photographs of the frontal view of the face and the profile view of the face, both at rest and while smiling, were taken of each participant. Only Study Group subjects were given a printed copy of their own images to be examined at home between the initial observation (T0) and a set date an average of 30 days later (T1). Each of the 200 subjects in the study completed a questionnaire at T0 and T1 exploring happiness regarding their smiles and their facial profiles, as well as willingness to undergo treatment. Results: At T1 in the Study Group, 50% of subjects responded with a lower opinion of their facial profiles than at T0; 11% and 45% were willing to undergo more comprehensive procedures to change the appearance of their smiles and profiles, respectively. No statistically significant change was seen in questionnaire answers between T0 and T1 for the Control Group. Conclusion: Laypeople generally are not aware of their facial profiles. Pretreatment photograph exposure can increase profile self-awareness, an important factor in reducing the discrepancy between orthodontists’ and patients’ visual emphasis on dentofacial esthetics.openGiulio Alessandri Bonetti; Andrea Alberti; Claudio Sartini; Serena Incerti ParentiGiulio Alessandri Bonetti; Andrea Alberti; Claudio Sartini; Serena Incerti Parent

New spatial mechanisms for the kinematic analysis of the tibiotalar joint

In virtually unloaded conditions, the tibiotalar (ankle) joint behaves as a single degree-of-freedom system, and two fibres within the calcaneal-fibular and tibio-calcaneal ligaments remain nearly isometric throughout the flexion arc. A relevant theoretical model also showed that three articular surfaces and two ligaments act together as a mechanism to control the passive kinematics. Two equivalent spatial parallel mechanisms were formulated, with ligament fibres assumed isometric and articulating surfaces assumed rigid, either as three sphere-plane contacts, or as a single spherical pair. Predicted and measured motion in three specimens compared fairly well. Important enhancement of this previous work is here presented, with more accurate experimental data, more anatomical model surfaces, and a more robust mathematical model

Improved models of upper-level wind for several astronomical observatories

An understanding of wind speed and direction as a function of height are critical to the proper modeling of atmospheric turbulence. We have used radiosonde data from launch sites near significant astronomical observatories and created mean profiles of wind speed and direction and have also computed Richardson number profiles. Using data from the last 30 years, we extend the 1977 Greenwood wind profile to include parameters that show seasonal variations and differences in location. The added information from our models is useful for the design of adaptive optics systems and other imaging systems. Our analysis of the Richardson number suggests that persistent turbulent layers may be inferred when low values are present in our long term averaged data. Knowledge of the presence of these layers may help with planning for adaptive optics and laser communications.Comment: 21 pages, 15 Figures, 8 table

use of the electronic nose on products of cinta senese pigs

The use of a quartz microbalance based (QMB) electronic nose for feed traceability of fresh and cured fat of Cinta Senese pigs has been evaluated. Thirty-three pigs were fed different feeding during fattening: "three months chestnut" (3-CH), "1 month chestnut" (1-CH) "fed commercial feedstuff" (0-CH). Fresh fat and cured lard of each animal were analysed. Overall data set was analysed by factorial analysis to test if the instruments allowed a satisfactory pattern separation among groups. Afterwards, on the three factors generated by factorial analysis, a GLM procedure was applied to estimate effects such as: feeding type, operative temperature, day of analysis, order within day, layer of the subcutaneous fat. The results showed a clear separation according to feeding regimen in fresh fat only, especially between 1-CH and 0-CH, but also a strong effect of the other sources of variability. Concerning this, the date of analysis had a significant effect on each factor generated by factorial analysis that invalidated the discrimination obtained

Electron density in the quiet solar coronal transition region from SoHO/SUMER measurements of S VI line radiance and opacity

Context: The sharp temperature and density gradients in the coronal transition region are a challenge for models and observations. Aims: We set out to get linearly- and quadratically-weighted average electron densities in the region emitting the S VI lines, using the observed opacity and the emission measure of these lines. Methods: We analyze SoHO/SUMER spectroscopic observations of the S VI lines, using the center-to-limb variations and radiance ratios to derive the opacity. We also use the Emission Measure derived from radiance at disk center. Results: We get an opacity at S VI line center of the order of 0.05. The resulting average electron density is 2.4 10^16 m^-3 at T = 2 10^5 K. This value is higher than the values obtained from radiance measurements. Conversely, taking a classical value for the density leads to a too high value of the thickness of the emitting layer. Conclusions: The pressure derived from the Emission Measure method compares well with previous determinations and implies a low opacity of 5 10^-3 to 10^-2. The fact that a direct derivation leads to a much higher opacity remains unexplained, despite tentative modeling of observational biases. Further measurements need to be done, and more realistic models of the transition region need to be used.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figure

Geomorphology of the seafloor north east of the Maltese Islands, Central Mediterranean

This paper presents a geomorphological map of the seafloor north east of the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean) at a scale of 1:50,000. The map was compiled following the integration, analysis and interpretation of several high-resolution seafloor bathymetry datasets. Several structural features, coastal and marine landforms and anthropogenic features have been mapped. Most of the mapped submerged landforms–including fluvial, gravity-induced and karst landforms–appear to have been formed during the sea-level lowstand of the last glacial cycle. The map provides valuable insights on the submerged landscape of the Maltese Islands and its evolution since the Last Glacial Maximum

The IkB kinase inhibitor nuclear factor-kB essential modulator–binding domain peptide for inhibition of balloon injury-induced neointimal formation

Objective—The activation of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) is a crucial step in the arterial wall’s response to injury. The identification and characterization of the NF-kB essential modulator– binding domain (NBD) peptide, which can block the activation of the IkB kinase complex, have provided an opportunity to selectively abrogate the inflammation-induced activation of NF-kB. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the NBD peptide on neointimal formation.<br></br> Methods and Results—In the rat carotid artery balloon angioplasty model, local treatment with the NBD peptide (300 microg/site) significantly reduced the number of proliferating cells at day 7 (by 40%; P<0.01) and reduced injury-induced neointimal formation (by 50%; P<0.001) at day 14. These effects were associated with a significant reduction of NF-kB activation and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 expression in the carotid arteries of rats treated with the peptide. In addition, the NBD peptide (0.01 to 1 micromol/L) reduced rat smooth muscle cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Similar results were observed in apolipoprotein E-/-, mice in which the NBD peptide (150 microg/site) reduced wire-induced neointimal formation at day 28 (by 47%; P<0.01).<br></br> Conclusion—The NBD peptide reduces neointimal formation and smooth muscle cell proliferation/migration, both effects associated with the inhibition of NF-kB activation

'White knuckle care work' : violence, gender and new public management in the voluntary sector

Drawing on comparative data from Canada and Scotland, this article explores reasons why violence is tolerated in non-profit care settings. This article will provide insights into how workers' orientations to work, the desire to care and the intrinsic rewards from working in a non-profit context interact with the organization of work and managerially constructed workplace norms and cultures (Burawoy, 1979) to offset the tensions in an environment characterized by scarce resources and poor working conditions. This article will also outline how the same environment of scarce resources causes strains in management's efforts to establish such cultures. Working with highly excluded service users with problems that do not respond to easy interventions, workers find themselves working at the edge of their endurance, hanging on by their fingernails, and beginning to participate in various forms of resistance; suggesting that even among the most highly committed, 'white knuckle care' may be unsustainable