The Simplest Walking Robot: A bipedal robot with one actuator and two rigid bodies

We present the design and experimental results of the first 1-DOF, hip-actuated bipedal robot. While passive dynamic walking is simple by nature, many existing bipeds inspired by this form of walking are complex in control, mechanical design, or both. Our design using only two rigid bodies connected by a single motor aims to enable exploration of walking at smaller sizes where more complex designs cannot be constructed. The walker, "Mugatu", is self-contained and autonomous, open-loop stable over a range of input parameters, able to stop and start from standing, and able to control its heading left and right. We analyze the mechanical design and distill down a set of design rules that enable these behaviors. Experimental evaluations measure speed, energy consumption, and steering

Heterojunction Hybrid Devices from Vapor Phase Grown MoS2_{2}

We investigate a vertically-stacked hybrid photodiode consisting of a thin n-type molybdenum disulfide (MoS$_{2}$) layer transferred onto p-type silicon. The fabrication is scalable as the MoS$_{2}$ is grown by a controlled and tunable vapor phase sulfurization process. The obtained large-scale p-n heterojunction diodes exhibit notable photoconductivity which can be tuned by modifying the thickness of the MoS$_{2}$ layer. The diodes have a broad spectral response due to direct and indirect band transitions of the nanoscale MoS$_{2}$. Further, we observe a blue-shift of the spectral response into the visible range. The results are a significant step towards scalable fabrication of vertical devices from two-dimensional materials and constitute a new paradigm for materials engineering.Comment: 23 pages with 4 figures. This article has been published in Scientific Reports. (26 June 2014, doi:10.1038/srep05458

In Vivo Induction of Tr1 Cells via Mucosal Dendritic Cells and AHR Signaling

Background: Type 1 regulatory T (Tr1) cells, characterized by the secretion of high levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10), play an important role in the regulation of autoimmune diseases and transplantation. However, effective strategies that specifically induce Tr1 cells in vivo are limited. Furthermore, the pathways controlling the induction of these cells in vivo are not well understood. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we report that nasal administration of anti-CD3 antibody induces suppressive Tr1 cells in mice. The in vivo induction of Tr1 cells by nasal anti-CD3 is dependent on IL-27 produced by upper airway resident dendritic cells (DCs), and is controlled by the transcription factors aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and c-Maf. Subsequently, IL-21 acts in an autocrine fashion to expand and maintain the Tr1 cells induced in vivo by nasally administered anti-CD3. Conclusions/Significance: Our findings identify a unique approach to generate Tr1 cells in vivo and provide insights into the mechanisms by which these cells are induced

Wide spectral photoresponse of layered platinum diselenide-based photodiodes

Platinum diselenide (PtSe2) is a group-10 transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) that has unique electronic properties, in particular a semimetal-to-semiconductor transition when going from bulk to monolayer form. We report on vertical hybrid Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) of two-dimensional (2D) PtSe2 thin films on crystalline n-type silicon. The diodes have been fabricated by transferring large-scale layered PtSe2 films, synthesized by thermally assisted conversion of predeposited Pt films at back-end-of-the-line CMOS compatible temperatures, onto SiO2/Si substrates. The diodes exhibit obvious rectifying behavior with a photoresponse under illumination. Spectral response analysis reveals a maximum responsivity of 490 mA/W at photon energies above the Si bandgap and relatively weak responsivity, in the range of 0.1–1.5 mA/W, at photon energies below the Si bandgap. In particular, the photoresponsivity of PtSe2 in infrared allows PtSe2 to be utilized as an absorber of infrared light with tunable sensitivity. The results of our study indicate that PtSe2 is a promising option for the development of infrared absorbers and detectors for optoelectronics applications with low-temperature processing conditions

Perceptions of the osteopathic profession in New York City\u27s Chinese Communities

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge of and barriers to osteopathic medicine in Chinese immigrant communities in New York City (NYC). Design: A cross-sectional study was designed in which a culturally appropriate survey in Chinese and English versions was administered anonymously to measure immigrant perceptions and knowledge of osteopathic medicine. Setting: Data collection occurred in the municipal delineations for the Chinatown neighbourhood within the New York, New York borough of Manhattan. Participants: Community members were selected using convenience sampling from high-density areas to participate. Information gathered from the survey included demographics, education level, healthcare habits and knowledge of the osteopathic profession. Results: 120 surveys were conducted with 68 males and 52 females, with an average age=40. Respondents in the age range of 18-29 years, those with fluent English-language proficiency, and participants with graduate-level education status demonstrated a higher proportion of knowledge of osteopathic manipulative medicine and osteopathic physicians (doctors of osteopathic medicine) among the study variables. Conclusion: Compared with research on the general US population, a general lack of knowledge of osteopathic medicine exists within NYC\u27s Chinese immigrant community. Although this difference may be ascribed to linguistics and ethnosociological factors, greater outreach and education is needed in urban minority communities to make immigrants aware of all healthcare resources available during the current shortage of US primary care physicians

Refractory testicular germ cell tumors are highly sensitive to the second generation DNA methylation inhibitor guadecitabine

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are the most common cancers of young males. A substantial portion of TGCT patients are refractory to cisplatin. There are no effective therapies for these patients, many of whom die from progressive disease. Embryonal carcinoma (EC) are the stem cells of TGCTs. In prior in vitro studies we found that EC cells were highly sensitive to the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, 5-aza deoxycytidine (5-aza). Here, as an initial step in bringing demethylation therapy to the clinic for TGCT patients, we evaluated the effects of the clinically optimized, second generation demethylating agent guadecitabine (SGI-110) on EC cells in an animal model of cisplatin refractory testicular cancer. EC cells were exquisitely sensitive to guadecitabine and the hypersensitivity was dependent on high levels of DNA methyltransferase 3B. Guadecitabine mediated transcriptional reprogramming of EC cells included induction of p53 targets and repression of pluripotency genes. As a single agent, guadecitabine completely abolished progression and induced complete regression of cisplatin resistant EC xenografts even at doses well below those required to impact somatic solid tumors. Low dose guadecitabine also sensitized refractory EC cells to cisplatin in vivo. Genome-wide analysis indicated that in vivo antitumor activity was associated with activation of p53 and immune-related pathways and the antitumor effects of guadecitabine were dependent on p53, a gene rarely mutated in TGCTs. These preclinical findings suggest that guadecitabine alone or in combination with cisplatin is a promising strategy to treat refractory TGCT patients

A virtual reality and retailing literature review: Current focus, underlying themes and future directions

This literature review reveals the current research focus, underlying themes and prominent research gaps in the Virtual Reality (VR) literature. 89 journal articles from the 22 years are thematically analysed in order to non-obvious reveal interconnections and themes, including research focus over time and underlying themes by research discipline. Over half of all papers focus on the need to understand the VR shopping consumer, yet no consensus exists as to what the optimal experience is or how to design effective v-Commerce stores. The most prominent research gaps are related to the unique HCI aspects in v-Commerce that influence shopping behaviours. The impact of this review is establishing the current challenges and future directions for academia in order to make v-Commerce a viable reality. Specifically, future research should focus on develop human factor theory in VR shop design (i.e. social dimension, eye-tracking etc.)