Autonomous Driving in Highway Scenarios through Artificial Potential Fields and Model Predictive Control

An approach for automated driving in highway scenarios in the context of a two levels hierarchical architecture is proposed. In particular, we define suitable artificial potential functions (APF) combinations that can effectively handle the most relevant maneuvers of highway driving, such as speed and distance tracking, lane keeping, overtaking and returning. Parameters of the APF functions are dynamically tuned according to the acquired scenario. The defined APF are included in the cost function of a Model Predictive Control (MPC) control problem to generate the path trajectory. A behavioral logic described by a finite state machine (FSM), based on sensor acquired data and suitable dynamic conditions is defined to select the most appropriate maneuver to realize. Extensive simulation tests are introduced to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach

Infrared Thermography for Investigation of Surface Quality in Dry Finish Turning of Ti6Al4V

The machining of titanium alloys always raises issues because of their peculiar chemical and physical characteristics as compared to traditional steel or aluminum alloys. A proper selection of parameters and their monitoring during the cutting operation makes it possible to minimize the surface roughness and cutting force. In this experimental study, infrared thermography was used as a control parameter of the surface roughness of Ti6A4V in dry finish turning. An analysis of variance was carried out to determine the effect of the main cutting parameters (cutting speed and feed rate) on the surface roughness and cutting temperature. In the examined range of the machining parameters, cutting speed and feed were found to have a primary effect on the surface roughness of the machined parts. Cutting speed also significantly affected the temperature of the cutting region, while feed was of second order. Higher cutting speeds and intermediate feed values gave the best surface roughness. A regression analysis defined some models to relate the cutting temperature and surface roughness to the machining parameters. Infrared thermography demonstrated that the cutting temperature could be related to roughness

Stability prediction of early orthopedic treatment in Class III malocclusion: morphologic discriminant analysis

Abstract Background To evaluate morphologic differences between class III malocclusion success and failure treatment subjects in order to identify which variables are more predictive for long-term stability in early orthopedic treatment. In this retrospective study, 31 patients were enrolled from the Department of Orthodontics (Rome Tor Vergata). Inclusion criteria were as follows: white ancestry, class III malocclusion, mixed dentition, cervical stage (CS) 1-2, no pseudo-class III. Pre-treatment radiographic and cast records were collected. Each patient underwent rapid maxillary expansion/facial mask/bite block (RME/FM/BB) orthopedic treatment until correction. At T1 (permanent dentition, CS4), records were recollected. According to treatment stability, relapse group (RG, 19) and success group (SG, 12) were identified. Sagittal and vertical cephalometric and digital cast measurements were performed. Student’s t tests were used for statistically significant differences inter and intra groups. For discriminant analysis, relapse or success status was added to each patient’s T0 data. Results At T0, RG showed larger upper anterior transversal width (p = 0.0266), while at T1 the upper anterior length was shorter than SG (p = 0.0028). Between T1 and T0, both groups showed larger upper anterior and posterior transversal widths. SG had greater upper anterior (p = 0.0066) and posterior (p = 0.449) sagittal length. RG presented larger lower anterior (p = 0.0012) and posterior (p = 0.0002) transversal widths, while there were no differences in SG lower arch. Discriminant analysis provided two predictive variables with an accuracy of 80.6%: upper anterior length and upper posterior length. Conclusion A shorter and wider maxilla could be a predisposing factor for relapse and failure of the early orthopedic treatment of class III malocclusion patients. The absence of mandibular changes could be predictable for treatment success

Stability prediction of early orthopedic treatment in Class III malocclusion: morphologic discriminant analysis

Background To evaluate morphologic differences between class III malocclusion success and failure treatment subjects in order to identify which variables are more predictive for long-term stability in early orthopedic treatment. In this retrospective study, 31 patients were enrolled from the Department of Orthodontics (Rome Tor Vergata). Inclusion criteria were as follows: white ancestry, class III malocclusion, mixed dentition, cervical stage (CS) 1-2, no pseudo-class III. Pre-treatment radiographic and cast records were collected. Each patient underwent rapid maxillary expansion/facial mask/bite block (RME/FM/BB) orthopedic treatment until correction. At T1 (permanent dentition, CS4), records were recollected. According to treatment stability, relapse group (RG, 19) and success group (SG, 12) were identified. Sagittal and vertical cephalometric and digital cast measurements were performed. Student's t tests were used for statistically significant differences inter and intra groups. For discriminant analysis, relapse or success status was added to each patient's T0 data. Results At T0, RG showed larger upper anterior transversal width (p = 0.0266), while at T1 the upper anterior length was shorter than SG (p = 0.0028). Between T1 and T0, both groups showed larger upper anterior and posterior transversal widths. SG had greater upper anterior (p = 0.0066) and posterior (p = 0.449) sagittal length. RG presented larger lower anterior (p = 0.0012) and posterior (p = 0.0002) transversal widths, while there were no differences in SG lower arch. Discriminant analysis provided two predictive variables with an accuracy of 80.6%: upper anterior length and upper posterior length. Conclusion A shorter and wider maxilla could be a predisposing factor for relapse and failure of the early orthopedic treatment of class III malocclusion patients. The absence of mandibular changes could be predictable for treatment success

Quadro citológico vaginal, concentração plasmática de progesterona durante a gestação e medidas fetais em paca (Cuniculus paca Linnaeus, 1766).

Em 27 pacas (Cuniculus paca Linnaeus, 1766) objetivou-se descrever aos 30, 60 e 90 dias (D) de prenhez diagnosticada por ultrassonografia (US), os tipos celulares do epitélio vaginal em esfregaços vaginais, relatar as condições de abertura da vulva e as características do muco vaginal, determinar a concentração plasmática de progesterona (P4) por radioimunoensaio, e ainda, mensurar por ultrassonografia (US) o diâmetro biparietal (DBP) fetal aos 60 e 90 dias de prenhez. No D30, 40% das amostras exibiram células (com características estrogênicas) superficiais e presença de núcleos nus. Nos D60 e D90, células parabasais, intermediárias, superficiais e naviculares estavam presentes nas mesmas proporções, mas células endocervicais foram descritas em apenas 73,9% e 69% das amostras daqueles dias, respectivamente. No D30 a maior proporção de células naviculares e superficiais diferiu (p < 0,05) em relação aos outros tipos celulares presentes. O muco vaginal apresentou-se cristalino e fluido em 100% e em 70% das fêmeas nos D30 e D60, respectivamente. Observou-se o vestíbulo vaginal aberto em torno de 50% das fêmeas em todos os dias de exames. Valores mínimos detectáveis de P4 foram obtidos em 72% e em 83% das fêmeas, enquanto que as médias das medidas dos DBP foram 1,25 cm (± 0,16) e 2,34 cm (± 0,25) nos D60 e D90, respectivamente. O quadro citológico vaginal nos D30, D60 e D90 e o DBP fornecem elementos que contribuem para diagnóstico de gestação em pacas. A concentração de P4 demonstra a necessidade de maiores estudos da endocrinologia da gestação em pacas

Combining Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment for assessing the clinical efficacy of cholinesterase inhibitors in mild Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study

Current drugs for Alzheimer's Disease (AD), such as cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs), exert only symptomatic activity. Different psychometric tools are needed to assess cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions during pharmacological treatment. In this pilot study, we monitored 33 mild-AD patients treated with ChEIs. Specifically, we evaluated the effects of 6 months (Group 1 = 17 patients) and 9 months (Group 2 = 16 patients) of ChEIs administration on cognition with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), while depressive symptoms were measured with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). After 6 months (Group 1), a significant decrease in MoCA performance was detected. After 9 months (Group 2), a significant decrease in MMSE, MoCA, and FAB performance was observed. ChEIs did not modify depressive symptoms. Overall, our data suggest MoCA is a potentially useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness of ChEIs

Supplement: "Localization and broadband follow-up of the gravitational-wave transient GW150914" (2016, ApJL, 826, L13)

This Supplement provides supporting material for Abbott et al. (2016a). We briefly summarize past electromagnetic (EM) follow-up efforts as well as the organization and policy of the current EM follow-up program. We compare the four probability sky maps produced for the gravitational-wave transient GW150914, and provide additional details of the EM follow-up observations that were performed in the different bands

Many Labs 5:Testing pre-data collection peer review as an intervention to increase replicability

Replication studies in psychological science sometimes fail to reproduce prior findings. If these studies use methods that are unfaithful to the original study or ineffective in eliciting the phenomenon of interest, then a failure to replicate may be a failure of the protocol rather than a challenge to the original finding. Formal pre-data-collection peer review by experts may address shortcomings and increase replicability rates. We selected 10 replication studies from the Reproducibility Project: Psychology (RP:P; Open Science Collaboration, 2015) for which the original authors had expressed concerns about the replication designs before data collection; only one of these studies had yielded a statistically significant effect (p < .05). Commenters suggested that lack of adherence to expert review and low-powered tests were the reasons that most of these RP:P studies failed to replicate the original effects. We revised the replication protocols and received formal peer review prior to conducting new replication studies. We administered the RP:P and revised protocols in multiple laboratories (median number of laboratories per original study = 6.5, range = 3?9; median total sample = 1,279.5, range = 276?3,512) for high-powered tests of each original finding with both protocols. Overall, following the preregistered analysis plan, we found that the revised protocols produced effect sizes similar to those of the RP:P protocols (?r = .002 or .014, depending on analytic approach). The median effect size for the revised protocols (r = .05) was similar to that of the RP:P protocols (r = .04) and the original RP:P replications (r = .11), and smaller than that of the original studies (r = .37). Analysis of the cumulative evidence across the original studies and the corresponding three replication attempts provided very precise estimates of the 10 tested effects and indicated that their effect sizes (median r = .07, range = .00?.15) were 78% smaller, on average, than the original effect sizes (median r = .37, range = .19?.50)

Localization and broadband follow-up of the gravitational-wave transient GW150914

© 2016. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. A gravitational-wave (GW) transient was identified in data recorded by the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors on 2015 September 14. The event, initially designated G184098 and later given the name GW150914, is described in detail elsewhere. By prior arrangement, preliminary estimates of the time, significance, and sky location of the event were shared with 63 teams of observers covering radio, optical, near-infrared, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths with ground- and space-based facilities. In this Letter we describe the low-latency analysis of the GW data and present the sky localization of the first observed compact binary merger. We summarize the follow-up observations reported by 25 teams via private Gamma-ray Coordinates Network circulars, giving an overview of the participating facilities, the GW sky localization coverage, the timeline, and depth of the observations. As this event turned out to be a binary black hole merger, there is little expectation of a detectable electromagnetic (EM) signature. Nevertheless, this first broadband campaign to search for a counterpart of an Advanced LIGO source represents a milestone and highlights the broad capabilities of the transient astronomy community and the observing strategies that have been developed to pursue neutron star binary merger events. Detailed investigations of the EM data and results of the EM follow-up campaign are being disseminated in papers by the individual teams