AutoRef: Towards Real-Robot Soccer Complete Automated Refereeing

Preparing for robot soccer competitions by empirically evaluating different possible game strategies has been rather limited in leagues using real robots. Such limitation comes from factors related to the difficulty of extensively experimenting with games with real robots, such as their inevitable wear and tear and their usual limited number. RoboCup real robot teams have therefore developed simulation environments to enable experimentation. However, in order to run complete games in such simulation environments, an automated referee is needed. In this paper, we present AutoRef, as a contribution towards a complete automated referee for the RoboCup Small-Size League (SSL). We have developed and used AutoRef in an SSL simulation to run full games to evaluate different strategies, as we illustrate and show results. AutoRef is designed as a finite-state machine that transitions between the states of the game being either on or required to stop. AutoRef purposefully only uses the same visual and game information provided in SSL games with physical robots, which it uses to compute the features needed by the rules and to make decisions to transition between its states. Due to this real input to AutoRef, we have partially applied it to games of the physical robots. As AutoRef does not include all the rules of the real SSL games, we currently view it as an aid to human referees of SSL games, and discuss the challenges in automating several specific SSL game rules. AutoRef could be extended to other RoboCup real soccer leagues if a combined view of the game field, ball, and players is available.</p

Workload measurement in a communication application operated through a P300-based brain-computer interface

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Mechanics and dynamics of X-chromosome pairing at X inactivation

At the onset of X-chromosome inactivation, the vital process whereby female mammalian cells equalize X products with respect to males, the X chromosomes are colocalized along their Xic (X-inactivation center) regions. The mechanism inducing recognition and pairing of the X’s remains, though, elusive. Starting from recent discoveries on the molecular factors and on the DNA sequences (the so-called "pairing sites") involved, we dissect the mechanical basis of Xic colocalization by using a statistical physics model. We show that soluble DNA-specific binding molecules, such as those experimentally identified, can be indeed sufficient to induce the spontaneous colocalization of the homologous chromosomes but only when their concentration, or chemical affinity, rises above a threshold value as a consequence of a thermodynamic phase transition. We derive the likelihood of pairing and its probability distribution. Chromosome dynamics has two stages: an initial independent Brownian diffusion followed, after a characteristic time scale, by recognition and pairing. Finally, we investigate the effects of DNA deletion/insertions in the region of pairing sites and compare model predictions to available experimental data

Percutaneous Large-Bore Pulmonary Thrombectomy with the FlowTriever Device: Initial Experience in Intermediate-High and High-Risk Patients

Objectives: This retrospective cohort study investigates outcomes of patients with intermediate-high and high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) who were treated with transfemoral mechanical thrombectomy (MT) using the large-bore Inari FlowTriever aspiration catheter system. Material and Methods: Twenty-seven patients (mean age 56.1 +/- 15.3 years) treated with MT for PE between 04/2021 and 11/2021 were reviewed. Risk stratification was performed according to European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines. Clinical and hemodynamic characteristics before and after the procedure were compared with the paired Student's t test, and duration of hospital stay was analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier estimator. Procedure-related adverse advents were assessed. Results: Of 27 patients treated, 18 were classified as high risk. Mean right-to-left ventricular ratio on baseline CT was 1.7 +/- 0.6. After MT, a statistically significant reduction in mean pulmonary artery pressures from 35.9 +/- 9.6 to 26.1 +/- 9.0 mmHg (p = 0.002) and heart rates from 109.4 +/- 22.5 to 82.8 +/- 13.8 beats per minute (p < 0.001) was achieved. Two patients died of prolonged cardiogenic shock. Three patients died of post-interventional complications of which a paradoxical embolism can be considered related to MT. One patient needed short cardiopulmonary resuscitation during the procedure due to clot displacement. Patients with PE as primary driver of clinical instability had a median intensive care unit (ICU) stay of 2 days (0.5-3.5 days). Patients who developed PE as a complication of an underlying medical condition spent 11 days (9.5-12.5 days) in the ICU. Conclusion: In this small study population of predominantly high-risk PE patients, large-bore MT without adjunctive thrombolysis was feasible with an acceptable procedure-related complication rate

Following the Formation of Synaptonemal Complex Formation in Wheat and Barley by High-Resolution Microscopy

International audienceWheat and barley have large genomes of 15 Gb and 5.1 Gb, respectively, which is much larger than the human genome (3.3 Gb). The release of their respective genomes has been a tremendous advance the understanding of the genome organization and the ability for deeper functional analysis in particular meiosis. Meiosis is the cell division required during sexual reproduction. One major event of meiosis is called recombination, or the formation of crossing over, a tight link between homologous chromosomes, ensuring gene exchange and faithful chromosome segregation. Recombination is a major driver of genetic diversity but in these large genome crops, the vast majority of these events is constrained at the end of their chromosomes. It is estimated that in barley, about 30% of the genes are located within the poor recombining centromeric regions, making important traits, such as resistance to pest and disease for example, difficult to access. Increasing recombination in these crops has the potential to speed up breeding program and requires a good understand of the meiotic mechanism. However, most research on recombination in plant has been carried in Arabidopsis thaliana which despite many of the advantages it brings for plant research, has a small genome and more spread out of recombination compare to barley or wheat. Advance in microscopy and cytological procedures have emerged in the last few years, allowing to follow meiotic events in these crops. This protocol provides the steps required for cytological preparation of barley and wheat pollen mother cells for light microscopy, highlighting some of the differences between the two cereals

ELENA, a preliminary cost and feasibility study

To produce dense pbar beams at very low energies (100-200 keV), a small decelerator ring could be built and installed between the existing AD ring and the experimental area. Phase-space blowup during deceleration would be compensated by electron cooling in order to obtain final emittances comparable to the 5MeV beam presently delivered by the AD. This report describes preliminary machine parameters and layout of ELENA and also gives an approximate estimate of cost and manpower needs

Principles of meiotic chromosome assembly revealed in S. cerevisiae

During meiotic prophase, chromosomes organise into a series of chromatin loops emanating from a proteinaceous axis, but the mechanisms of assembly remain unclear. Here we use Saccharomyces cerevisiae to explore how this elaborate three-dimensional chromosome organisation is linked to genomic sequence. As cells enter meiosis, we observe that strong cohesin-dependent grid-like Hi-C interaction patterns emerge, reminiscent of mammalian interphase organisation, but with distinct regulation. Meiotic patterns agree with simulations of loop extrusion with growth limited by barriers, in which a heterogeneous population of expanding loops develop along the chromosome. Importantly, CTCF, the factor that imposes similar features in mammalian interphase, is absent in S. cerevisiae, suggesting alternative mechanisms of barrier formation. While grid-like interactions emerge independently of meiotic chromosome synapsis, synapsis itself generates additional compaction that matures differentially according to telomere proximity and chromosome size. Collectively, our results elucidate fundamental principles of chromosome assembly and demonstrate the essential role of cohesin within this evolutionarily conserved process