90 research outputs found

    Position and motion estimation for visual robot control with planar targets

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    This paper addresses two problems in visually-controlled robots. The first consists of positioning the end-effector of a robot manipulator on a plane of interest by using a monocular vision system. The problem amounts to estimating the transformation between the coordinates of an image point and its three-dimensional location supposing that only the camera intrinsic parameters are known. The second problem consists of positioning the robot end-effector with respect to an object of interest free to move on a plane, and amounts to estimating the camera displacement in a stereo vision system in the presence of motion constraints. For these problems, some solutions are proposed through dedicated optimizations based on decoupling the effects of rotation and translation and based on an a-priori imposition of the degrees of freedom of the system. These solutions are illustrated via simulations and experiments. ©2009 ACA.published_or_final_versionThe 7th Asian Control Conference (ASCC 2009), Hong Kong, China, 27-29 August 2009. In Proceedings of the Asian Control Conference, 2009, p. 372-37

    Urban turism perception and recommendation in Mexico City and Lima

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    Mexico City and Lima both have great cultural and historical value as they developed close to major pre-Columbian civilizations. When comparing their urban attractiveness factors, they present differences and similarities that need to be understood at a theoretical level. The study has practical implications as tourism officials and managers in each of these two cities can draw inspiration from the best practices of the other city. The method is quantitative, and the exploratory factorial analysis technique was used to reduce the variables in a group of factors. The results indicate that the different aspects of the cities? tourism attractiveness can be categorized into four factors: the nucleus, the tourist ecosystem, MICE & shows, and related services. A comparison of the two cities? Kruskal?Wallis test scores shows significant differences in terms of three variables: monuments and historic sites, museums and art galleries, and shops and commercial services

    Osteoclast stimulation factor 1 (Ostf1) KNOCKOUT increases trabecular bone mass in mice

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    Osteoclast stimulation factor 1 (OSTF1) is an SH3-domain containing protein that was initially identified as a factor involved in the indirect activation of osteoclasts. It has been linked to spinal muscular atrophy in humans through its interaction with SMN1, and is one of six genes deleted in a human developmental microdeletion syndrome. To investigate the function of OSTF1, we generated an Ostf1 knockout mouse model, with exons 3 and 4 of Ostf1 replaced by a LacZ orf. Extensive X-Gal staining was performed to examine the developmental and adult expression pattern, followed by phenotyping. We show widespread expression of the gene in the vasculature of most organs and in a number of cell types in adult and embryonic mouse tissues. Furthermore, whilst SHIRPA testing revealed no behavioural defects, we demonstrate increased trabecular mass in the long bones, confirming a role for OSTF1 in bone development

    Mode Of Membrane Interaction And Fusogenic Properties Of A De Novo Transmembrane Model Peptide Depend On The Length Of The Hydrophobic Core

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    Model peptides composed of alanine and leucine residues are often used to mimic single helical transmembrane domains. Many studies have been carried out to determine how they interact with membranes. However, few studies have investigated their lipid-destabilizing effect. We designed three peptides designated KALRs containing a hydrophobic stretch of 14, 18, or 22 alanines/leucines surrounded by charged amino acids. Molecular modeling simulations in an implicit membrane model as well as attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared analyses show that KALR is a good model of a transmembrane helix. However, tryptophan fluorescence and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicate that the extent of binding and insertion into lipids increases with the length of the peptide hydrophobic core. Although binding can be directly correlated to peptide hydrophobicity, we show that insertion of peptides into a membrane is determined by the length of the peptide hydrophobic core. Functional studies were performed by measuring the ability of peptides to induce lipid mixing and leakage of liposomes. The data reveal that whereas KALR14 does not destabilize liposomal membranes, KALR18 and KALR22 induce 40 and 50% of lipid-mixing, and 65 and 80% of leakage, respectively. These results indicate that a transmembrane model peptide can induce liposome fusion in vitro if it is long enough. The reasons for the link between length and fusogenicity are discussed in relation to studies of transmembrane domains of viral fusion proteins. We propose that fusogenicity depends not only on peptide insertion but also on the ability of peptides to destabilize the two leaflets of the liposome membrane
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