Passive legged, multi-segmented, robotic vehicle.

The Passive-legged, Multi-segmented, Robotic Vehicle concept is a simple legged vehicle that is modular and scaleable, and can be sized to fit through confined areas that are slightly larger than the size of the vehicle. A specific goal of this project was to be able to fit through the opening in the fabric of a chain link fence. This terrain agile robotic platform will be composed of multiple segments that are each equipped with appendages (legs) that resemble oars extending from a boat. Motion is achieved by pushing with these legs that can also flex to fold next to the body when passing through a constricted area. Each segment is attached to another segment using an actuated joint. This joint represents the only actuation required for mobility. The major feature of this type of mobility is that the terrain agility advantage of legs can be attained without the complexity of the multiple-actuation normally required for the many joints of an active leg. The minimum number of segments is two, but some concepts require three or more segments. This report discusses several concepts for achieving this type of mobility, their design, and the results obtained for each

Gratitude to God, Self‐Rated Health, and Depressive Symptoms

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/107511/1/jssr12110.pd

Investigating prostate cancer tumour-stroma interactions - clinical and biological insights from an evolutionary game

BACKGROUND: Tumours are made up of a mixed population of different types of cells that include normal structures as well as ones associated with the malignancy, and there are multiple interactions between the malignant cells and the local microenvironment. These intercellular interactions, modulated by the microenvironment, effect tumour progression and represent a largely under appreciated therapeutic target. We use observations of primary tumor biology from prostate cancer to extrapolate a mathematical model: specifically; it has been observed that in prostate cancer three disparate cellular outcomes predominate: (i) the tumour remains well differentiated and clinically indolent - in this case the local stromal cells may act to restrain the growth of the cancer; (ii) early in its genesis the tumour acquires a highly malignant phenotype, growing rapidly and displacing the original stromal population (often referred to as small cell prostate cancer) - these less common aggressive tumours are relatively independent of the local microenvironment; and, (iii) the tumour co-opts the local stroma - taking on a classic stromagenic phenotype where interactions with the local microenvironment are critical to the cancer growth. METHODS: We present an evolutionary game theoretical construct that models the influence of tumour-stroma interactions in driving these outcomes. We consider three characteristic and distinct cellular populations: stromal cells, tumour cells that are self-reliant in terms of microenvironmental factors and tumour cells that depend on the environment for resources but can also co-opt stroma. 
RESULTS: Using evolutionary game theory we explore a number of different scenarios that elucidate the impact of tumour-stromal interactions on the dynamics of prostate cancer growth and progression and how different treatments in the metastatic setting can affect different types of tumors.
CONCLUSIONS: The tumour microenvironment plays a crucial role selecting the traits of the tumour cells that will determine prostate cancer progression. Equally important, treatments like hormone therapy affect the selection of these cancer phenotypes making it very important to understand how they impact prostate cancer’s somatic evolution

From Starburst to Quiescence: Testing AGN feedback in Rapidly Quenching Post-Starburst Galaxies

Post-starbursts are galaxies in transition from the blue cloud to the red sequence. Although they are rare today, integrated over time they may be an important pathway to the red sequence. This work uses SDSS, GALEX, and WISE observations to identify the evolutionary sequence from starbursts to fully quenched post-starbursts in the narrow mass range $\log M(M_\odot) = 10.3-10.7$, and identifies "transiting" post-starbursts which are intermediate between these two populations. In this mass range, $\sim 0.3\%$ of galaxies are starbursts, $\sim 0.1\%$ are quenched post-starbursts, and $\sim 0.5\%$ are the transiting types in between. The transiting post-starbursts have stellar properties that are predicted for fast-quenching starbursts and morphological characteristics that are already typical of early-type galaxies. The AGN fraction, as estimated from optical line ratios, of these post-starbursts is about 3 times higher ($\gtrsim 36 \pm 8 \%$) than that of normal star-forming galaxies of the same mass, but there is a significant delay between the starburst phase and the peak of nuclear optical AGN activity (median age difference of $\gtrsim 200 \pm 100$ Myr), in agreement with previous studies. The time delay is inferred by comparing the broad-band near NUV-to-optical photometry with stellar population synthesis models. We also find that starbursts and post-starbursts are significantly more dust-obscured than normal star-forming galaxies in the same mass range. About $20\%$ of the starbursts and $15\%$ of the transiting post-starbursts can be classified as the "Dust-Obscured Galaxies" (DOGs), while only $0.8\%$ of normal galaxies are DOGs.The time delay between the starburst phase and AGN activity suggests that AGN do not play a primary role in the original quenching of starbursts but may be responsible for quenching later low-level star formation during the post-starburst phase.Comment: 30 pages, 18 figures,accepted to Ap

A global disorder of imprinting in the human female germ line

Imprinted genes are expressed differently depending on whether they are carried by a chromosome of maternal or paternal origin. Correct imprinting is established by germline-specific modifications; failure of this process underlies several inherited human syndromes. All these imprinting control defects are cis-acting, disrupting establishment or maintenance of allele-specific epigenetic modifications across one contiguous segment of the genome. In contrast, we report here an inherited global imprinting defect. This recessive maternal-effect mutation disrupts the specification of imprints at multiple, non-contiguous loci, with the result that genes normally carrying a maternal methylation imprint assume a paternal epigenetic pattern on the maternal allele. The resulting conception is phenotypically indistinguishable from an androgenetic complete hydatidiform mole, in which abnormal extra-embryonic tissue proliferates while development of the embryo is absent or nearly so. This disorder offers a genetic route to the identification of trans-acting oocyte factors that mediate maternal imprint establishment

Informal Caregiving for Diabetes and Diabetic Complications Among Elderly Americans

Objectives: Little is known regarding the amount of time spent by unpaid caregivers providing help to elderly individuals for disabilities associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). We sought to obtain nationally representative estimates of the time, and associated cost, of informal caregiving provided to the elderly with diabetes, and to determine the complications of DM that contribute most significantly to the subsequent need for informal care. Methods: We estimated multivariable regression models using data from the 1993 Asset and Health Dynamics (AHEAD) Study, a nationally representative survey of people aged 70 or older (N=7,443), to determine the weekly hours of informal caregiving and imputed cost of caregiver time for community-dwelling elderly with and without a diagnosis of DM. Results: Those without DM received an average of 6.1 hours per week of informal care, those with DM taking no medications received 10.5 hours, those with DM taking oral medications received 10.1 hours, and those with DM taking insulin received 14.4 hours of care (P

Diet selection in the Coyote Canis latrans

The Coyote (Canis latrans) is one of the most studied species in North America with at least 445 papers on its diet alone. While this research has yielded excellent reviews of what coyotes eat, it has been inadequate to draw deeper conclusions because no synthesis to date has considered prey availability. We accounted for prey availability by investigating the prey selection of coyotes across its distribution using the traditional Jacobs’ index method, as well as the new iterative preference averaging (IPA) method on scats and biomass. We found that coyotes selected for Dall’s Sheep (Ovis dalli), White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus), and California Vole (Microtus californicus), which yielded a predator-to-preferred prey mass ratio of 1:2. We also found that coyotes avoided preying on other small mammals, including carnivorans and arboreal species. There was strong concordance between the traditional and IPA method on scats, but this pattern was weakened when biomass was considered. General linear models revealed that coyotes preferred to prey upon larger species that were riskier to hunt, reflecting their ability to hunt in groups, and were least likely to hunt solitary species. Coyotes increasingly selected Mule Deer (O. hemionus) and Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) at higher latitudes, whereas Black-tailed Jackrabbit (L. californicus) were increasingly selected toward the tropics. Mule Deer were increasingly selected at higher coyote densities, while Black-tailed Jackrabbit were increasingly avoided at higher coyote densities. Coyote predation could constrain the realized niche of prey species at the distributional limits of the predator through their increased efficiency of predation reflected in increased prey selection values. These results are integral to improved understandings of Coyote ecology and can inform predictive analyses allowing for spatial variation, which ultimately will lead to better understandings about the ecological role of the coyote across different ecosystems

C-reactive protein and neutrophil count laboratory test requests from primary care:what is the demand and would substitution by point of care technology be viable?

Aims: C-reactive protein (CRP) and neutrophil count (NC) are important diagnostic indicators of inflammation. Point-of-care (POC) technologies for these markers are available but rarely used in community settings in the UK. To inform the potential for POC tests, it is necessary to understand the demand for testing. We aimed to describe the frequency of CRP and NC test requests from primary care to central laboratory services, describe variability between practices and assess the relationship between the tests.Methods: We described the number of patients with either or both laboratory tests, and the volume of testing per individual and per practice, in a retrospective cohort of all adults in general practices in Oxfordshire, 2014–2016.Results: 372 017 CRP and 776 581 NC tests in 160 883 and 275 093 patients, respectively, were requested from 69 practices. CRP was tested mainly in combination with NC, while the latter was more often tested alone. The median (IQR) of CRP and NC tests/person tested was 1 (1–2) and 2 (1–3), respectively. The median (IQR) tests/ practice/week was 36 (22–52) and 72 (50–108), and per 1000 persons registered/practice/week was 4 (3–5) and 8 (7–9), respectively. The median (IQR) CRP and NC concentrations were 2.7 (0.9–7.9)mg/dL and 4.1 (3.1–5.5)×109/L, respectively.Conclusions: The high demand for CRP and NC testing in the community, and the range of results falling within the reportable range for current POC technologies highlight the opportunity for laboratory testing to be supplemented by POC testing in general practice

Cometary Dust in the Debris Disks of HD 31648 and HD 163296: Two ``Baby'' beta Pics

The debris disks surrounding the pre-main sequence stars HD 31648 and HD 163296 were observed spectroscopically between 3 and 14 microns. Both possess a silicate emission feature at 10 microns which resembles that of the star beta Pictoris and those observed in solar system comets. The structure of the band is consistent with a mixture of olivine and pyroxene material, plus an underlying continuum of unspecified origin. The similarity in both size and structure of the silicate band suggests that the material in these systems had a processing history similar to that in our own solar system prior to the time that the grains were incorporated into comets.Comment: 17 pages, AASTeX, 5 eps figures, accepted for publication in Ap.