Spectral Subtraction of Robot Motion Noise for Improved Event Detection in Tactile Acceleration Signals

New robots for teleoperation and autonomous manipulation are increasingly being equipped with high-bandwidth accelerometers for measuring the transient vibrational cues that occur during con- tact with objects. Unfortunately, the robot\u27s own internal mechanisms often generate significant high-frequency accelerations, which we term ego-vibrations. This paper presents an approach to characterizing and removing these signals from acceleration measurements. We adapt the audio processing technique of spectral subtraction over short time windows to remove the noise that is estimated to occur at the robot\u27s present joint velocities. Implementation for the wrist roll and gripper joints on a Willow Garage PR2 robot demonstrates that spectral subtraction significantly increases signal-to-noise ratio, which should improve vibrotactile event detection in both teleoperation and autonomous robotics

Modelling the impact of school reopening and contact tracing strategies on Covid-19 dynamics in different epidemiologic settings in Brazil

This study was funded by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) [grant number 402834/2020-8]. MEB received a technological and industrial scholarship from CNPq [grant number 315854/2020-0]. LSF received a master's scholarship from Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) [finance code 001]. SP was supported by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) [grant number 2018/24037-4]. AMB received a technological and industrial scholarship from CNPq [grant number 402834/2020-8]. CF was supported by FAPESP [grant numbers 2019/26310-2 and 2017/26770-8]. MQMR received a postdoctoral scholarship from CAPES [grant number 305269/2020-8]. LMS received a technological and industrial scholarship from CNPq [grant number 315866/2020-9]. RSK has been supported by CNPq [grant number 312378/2019-0]. PIP has been supported by CNPq [grant number 313055/2020-3]. JAFD-F has been supported by CNPq productivity fellowship and the National Institutes for Science and Technology in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation (INCT-EEC), supported by MCTIC/CNPq [grant number 465610/2014-5] and Goiás Research Foundation (FAPEG) [grant number 201810267000023]. RAK has been supported by CNPq [grant number 311832/2017-2] and FAPESP [grant number 2016/01343-7]. CMT has been supported by CNPq productivity fellowship and the National Institute for Health Technology Assessment (IATS) [grant number 465518/2014-1].Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Swiftly Computing Center Strings

Hufsky F, Kuchenbecker L, Jahn K, Stoye J, Böcker S. Swiftly Computing Center Strings. BMC Bioinformatics. 2011;12(1): 106

Prospective study of clinician-entered research data in the Emergency Department using an Internet-based system after the HIPAA Privacy Rule

BACKGROUND: Design and test the reliability of a web-based system for multicenter, real-time collection of data in the emergency department (ED), under waiver of authorization, in compliance with HIPAA. METHODS: This was a phase I, two-hospital study of patients undergoing evaluation for possible pulmonary embolism. Data were collected by on-duty clinicians on an HTML data collection form (prospective e-form), populated using either a personal digital assistant (PDA) or personal computer (PC). Data forms were uploaded to a central, offsite server using secure socket protocol transfer. Each form was assigned a unique identifier, and all PHI data were encrypted, but were password-accessible by authorized research personnel to complete a follow-up e-form. RESULTS: From April 15, 2003-April 15 2004, 1022 prospective e-forms and 605 follow-up e-forms were uploaded. Complexities of PDA use compelled clinicians to use PCs in the ED for data entry for most forms. No data were lost and server log query revealed no unauthorized entry. Prospectively obtained PHI data, encrypted upon server upload, were successfully decrypted using password-protected access to allow follow-up without difficulty in 605 cases. Non-PHI data from prospective and follow-up forms were available to the study investigators via standard file transfer protocol. CONCLUSIONS: Data can be accurately collected from on-duty clinicians in the ED using real-time, PC-Internet data entry in compliance with the Privacy Rule. Deidentification-reidentification of PHI was successfully accomplished by a password-protected encryption-deencryption mechanism to permit follow-up by approved research personnel

Fossil microbialites of the Ja?ba Formation, Bambu? Group, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Microbialites are carbonatic deposits, whose genesis is organosedimentary, deposited by benthic microbial mats. Microbialites are the most common fossils in rocks of the Proterozoic, worldwide and in Brazil. They exhibit morphological diversity since the oldest Archean forms, and are fundamental in studies concerning the biota and environmental aspects of past times, allowing better comprehension of biological and carbonate biosedimentary evolution through time. Microbial laminites and thrombolites of the Ja?ba Formation, upper Bambu? Group, are described. Thrombolites show columnar and irregular shape, centimetric size, and are locally coalescent. Laminites, overlying the thrombolitic strata, display smooth, wavy, and crenulate synoptic relief. Five microfabrics and microfossils of two distinct morphologies, coccoidal and filamentous, were identified. Microfabrics may be of biogenic or abiogenic origin, representing different processes involved in the formation of microbialites. Thus, microbialites and microfossils of the Ja?ba Formation show potential to better understand the producer biota in the context of the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition, probable age of this unit, and an important moment of profound changes in biosphere, due to the diversification of metazoans.Os microbialitos s?o dep?sitos carbon?ticos cuja origem ? organossedimentar, depositados por esteiras microbianas bent?nicas. Microbialitos s?o os f?sseis mais comuns encontrados no Brasil e no mundo em rochas do Proterozoico. Apresentam diversidade morfol?gica desde as formas mais antigas, datadas do Arqueano, e s?o fundamentais nos estudos da paleobiota e aspectos ambientais pret?ritos, permitindo o melhor entendimento da evolu??o biol?gica e biossedimentar carbon?tica ao longo do tempo geol?gico. Neste trabalho s?o descritos laminitos e tromb?litos da Forma??o Ja?ba, na por??o superior do Grupo Bambu?. Os tromb?litos encontrados apresentam formas colunares e irregulares, centim?tricas e pontualmente coalescentes. J? os laminitos microbiais, sobrejacentes aos tromb?litos, apresentam lamina??es com relevo sin?ptico entre plano, ondulado e crenulado. Cinco microtexturas e microf?sseis de duas morfologias distintas, cocoides e filamentosos, foram identificados. As microtexturas s?o de origem biog?nica e abiog?nica, e representam os diferentes processos de forma??o dos microbialitos. Dessa forma, os microbialitos e microf?sseis encontrados na Forma??o Ja?ba apresentam potencial para melhor compreender a paleobiota produtora no contexto da transi??o Ediacarano?Cambriano, prov?vel idade desta unidade, um momento importante de mudan?as profundas na biosfera, devido ? diversifica??o dos metazo?rios

Global Pharmacovigilance for Antiretroviral Drugs: Overcoming Contrasting Priorities

Jur Strobos and colleagues describe the deliberations of a recent multi-stakeholder meeting discussing the creation of a sustainable global pharmacovigilance system for antiretroviral drugs that would be applicable in resource limited settings

Secular Trends in Nosocomial Bloodstream Infections: Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Increase the Total Burden of Infection

In this international study, we demonstrate that increasing rates of nosocomial bloodstream infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria do not replace infections caused by antibiotic-susceptible bacteria, but occur in addition to these infections, thereby increasing the total burden of diseas

Travelling Ultrasonic Wave Enhances Keyclick Sensation

International audienceA realistic keyclick sensation is a serious challenge for haptic feedback since vibrotactile rendering faces the limitation of the absence of contact force as experienced on physical buttons. It has been shown that creating a keyclick sensation is possible with stepwise ultrasonic friction modulation. However, the intensity of the sensation is limited by the impedance of the fingertip and by the absence of a lateral force component external to the finger. In our study, we compare this technique to rendering with an ultrasonic travelling wave, which exerts a lateral force on the fingertip. For both techniques, participants were asked to report the detection (or not) of a keyclick during a forced choice one interval procedure. In experiment 1, participants could press the surface as many time as they wanted for a given trial. In experiment 2, they were constrained to press only once. The results show a lower perceptual threshold for travelling waves. Moreover, participants pressed less times per trial and exerted smaller normal force on the surface. The subjective quality of the sensation was found similar for both techniques. In general, haptic feedback based on travelling ultrasonic waves is promising for applications without lateral motion of the finger

Cumulative live birth rates in low-prognosis women

STUDY QUESTION: Do cumulative live birth rates (CLBRs) over multiple IVF/ICSI cycles confirm the low prognosis in women stratified according to the POSEIDON criteria? SUMMARY ANSWER: The CLBR of low-prognosis women is ~56% over 18 months of IVF/ICSI treatment and varies between the POSEIDON groups, which is primarily attributable to the impact of female age. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: The POSEIDON group recently proposed a new stratification for low-prognosis women in IVF/ICSI treatment, with the aim to define more homogenous populations for clinical trials and stimulate a patient-tailored therapeutic approach. These new criteria combine qualitative and quantitative parameters to create four groups of low-prognosis women with supposedly similar biologic characteristics. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This study analyzed the data of a Dutch multicenter observational cohort study including 551 low-prognosis women, aged <44 years, who initiated IVF/ICSI treatment between 2011 and 2014 and were treated with a fixed FSH dose of 150 IU/day in the first treatment cycle. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Low-prognosis women were categorized into one of the POSEIDON groups based on their age (younger or older than 35 years), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level (above or below 0.96 ng/ml), and the ovarian response (poor or suboptimal) in their first cycle of standard stimulation. The primary outcome was the CLBR over multiple complete IVF/ICSI cycles, including all subsequent fresh and frozen-thawed embryo transfers, within 18 months of treatment. Cumulative incidence curves were obtained using an optimistic and a conservative analytic approach. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The CLBR of the low-prognosis women was on average ~56% over 18 months of IVF/ICSI treatment. Younger unexpected poor (n = 38) and suboptimal (n = 179) responders had a CLBR of ~65% and ~68%, respectively, and younger expected poor responders (n = 65) had a CLBR of ~59%. The CLBR of older unexpected poor (n = 41) and suboptimal responders (n = 102) was ~42% and ~54%, respectively, and of older expected poor responders (n = 126) ~39%. For comparison, the CLBR of younger (n = 164) and older (n = 78) normal responders with an adequate ovarian reserve was ~72% and ~58% over 18 months of treatment, respectively. No large differences were observed in the number of fresh treatment cycles between the POSEIDON groups, with an average of two fresh cycles per woman within 18 months of follow-up. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Small numbers in some (sub)groups reduced the precision of the estimates. However, our findings provide the first relevant indication of the CLBR of low-prognosis women in the POSEIDON groups. Small FSH dose adjustments between cycles were allowed, inducing therapeutic disparity. Yet, this is in accordance with current daily practice and increases the generalizability of our findings. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The CLBRs vary between the POSEIDON groups. This heterogeneity is primarily determined by a woman's age, reflecting the importance of oocyte quality. In younger women, current IVF/ICSI treatment reaches relatively high CLBR over multiple complete cycles, despite reduced quantitative parameters. In older women, the CLBR remains relatively low over multiple complete cycles, due to the co-occurring decline in quantitative and qualitative parameters. As no effective interventions exist to counteract this decline, clinical management currently relies on proper counselling. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): No external funds were obtained for this study. J.A.L. is supported by a Research Fellowship grant and received an unrestricted personal grant from Merck BV. S.C.O., T.C.v.T., and H.L.T. received an unrestricted personal grant from Merck BV. C.B.L. received research grants from Merck, Ferring, and Guerbet. K.F. received unrestricted research grants from Merck Serono, Ferring, and GoodLife. She also received fees for lectures and consultancy from Ferring and GoodLife. A.H. declares that the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Groningen received an unrestricted research grant from Ferring Pharmaceuticals BV, the Netherlands. J.S.E.L. has received unrestricted research grants from Ferring, Zon-MW, and The Dutch Heart Association. He also received travel grants and consultancy fees from Danone, Euroscreen, Ferring, AnshLabs, and Titus Healthcare. B.W.J.M. is supported by an National Health and Medical Research Council Practitioner Fellowship (GNT1082548) and reports consultancy work for ObsEva, Merck, and Guerbet. He also received a research grant from Merck BV and travel support from Guerbet. F.J.M.B. received monetary compensation as a member of the external advisory board for Merck Serono (the Netherlands) and Ferring Pharmaceuticals BV (the Netherlands) for advisory work for Gedeon Richter (Belgium) and Roche Diagnostics on automated AMH assay development, and for a research cooperation with Ansh Labs (USA). All other authors have nothing to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable