Aeacus: The Design and Realization of an Ant-Like Robotic Platform

A large volume of recyclable material is inescapably placed in landfills, despite modern recycling efforts. In order to create an effective way of recovering such material, we have designed and manufactured an ant-like robot with the potential to do so. The robot is equipped with the capacity to navigate through the uneven terrain of a trash heap with the ability to lift objects greater than its own weight. The robot is also designed with the intent of becoming part of a swarm to more effectively work over a large area, mimicking an ant colony

A Family of Nonlinear Fourth Order Equations of Gradient Flow Type

Global existence and long-time behavior of solutions to a family of nonlinear fourth order evolution equations on $R^d$ are studied. These equations constitute gradient flows for the perturbed information functionals $F[u] = 1/(2\alpha) \int | D (u^\alpha) |^2 dx + \lambda/2 \int |x|^2 u dx$ with respect to the $L^2$-Wasserstein metric. The value of $\alpha$ ranges from $\alpha=1/2$, corresponding to a simplified quantum drift diffusion model, to $\alpha=1$, corresponding to a thin film type equation.Comment: 33 pages, no figure

New Structural and Functional Contexts of the Dx[DN]xDG Linear Motif: Insights into Evolution of Calcium-Binding Proteins

Binding of calcium ions (Ca2+) to proteins can have profound effects on their structure and function. Common roles of calcium binding include structure stabilization and regulation of activity. It is known that diverse families – EF-hands being one of at least twelve – use a Dx[DN]xDG linear motif to bind calcium in near-identical fashion. Here, four novel structural contexts for the motif are described. Existing experimental data for one of them, a thermophilic archaeal subtilisin, demonstrate for the first time a role for Dx[DN]xDG-bound calcium in protein folding. An integrin-like embedding of the motif in the blade of a β-propeller fold – here named the calcium blade – is discovered in structures of bacterial and fungal proteins. Furthermore, sensitive database searches suggest a common origin for the calcium blade in β-propeller structures of different sizes and a pan-kingdom distribution of these proteins. Factors favouring the multiple convergent evolution of the motif appear to include its general Asp-richness, the regular spacing of the Asp residues and the fact that change of Asp into Gly and vice versa can occur though a single nucleotide change. Among the known structural contexts for the Dx[DN]xDG motif, only the calcium blade and the EF-hand are currently found intracellularly in large numbers, perhaps because the higher extracellular concentration of Ca2+ allows for easier fixing of newly evolved motifs that have acquired useful functions. The analysis presented here will inform ongoing efforts toward prediction of similar calcium-binding motifs from sequence information alone

The impact of surgical delay on resectability of colorectal cancer: An international prospective cohort study

AIM: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to explore the impact of surgical delays on cancer resectability. This study aimed to compare resectability for colorectal cancer patients undergoing delayed versus non-delayed surgery. METHODS: This was an international prospective cohort study of consecutive colorectal cancer patients with a decision for curative surgery (January-April 2020). Surgical delay was defined as an operation taking place more than 4 weeks after treatment decision, in a patient who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. A subgroup analysis explored the effects of delay in elective patients only. The impact of longer delays was explored in a sensitivity analysis. The primary outcome was complete resection, defined as curative resection with an R0 margin. RESULTS: Overall, 5453 patients from 304 hospitals in 47 countries were included, of whom 6.6% (358/5453) did not receive their planned operation. Of the 4304 operated patients without neoadjuvant therapy, 40.5% (1744/4304) were delayed beyond 4 weeks. Delayed patients were more likely to be older, men, more comorbid, have higher body mass index and have rectal cancer and early stage disease. Delayed patients had higher unadjusted rates of complete resection (93.7% vs. 91.9%, P = 0.032) and lower rates of emergency surgery (4.5% vs. 22.5%, P < 0.001). After adjustment, delay was not associated with a lower rate of complete resection (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.90-1.55, P = 0.224), which was consistent in elective patients only (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69-1.27, P = 0.672). Longer delays were not associated with poorer outcomes. CONCLUSION: One in 15 colorectal cancer patients did not receive their planned operation during the first wave of COVID-19. Surgical delay did not appear to compromise resectability, raising the hypothesis that any reduction in long-term survival attributable to delays is likely to be due to micro-metastatic disease

FROHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN

Titre uniforme : [Stille Nacht]Titre uniforme : [Stille Nacht]Comprend : GLOCKENGELAUT - STILLE NACHT, HEILIGE NACHT / GRUBER - MOHR ; Gemischter Chor, Bläser, Orgel und Glockengelaüte dir. Walter LUTZE - ES IST EIN ROS' ENTSPRUNGEN / Berliner Mottenchor und Glockenlaüte ; Berthold Schwarz, orgel ; dir. Günther ARNDT - CHRISTLIED ("Heilige Nacht") / REICHARDT ; Chor der St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale, Berlin dir. Karl FORSTER - MARIAE WIEGENLIED / REGER - MACK ; Regensburger Domspatzen dir. Domkapellmeister Th. SCUREMS - SCHLAF, WOHL, DU HIMMELSKNABE DU / SCHUBART ; Bielefelder Kinderchor dir. Friedrich OBERSCHELP - O DU FROHLICHE / Gemischter Chor, Bläser, Orgel und Glockengelaüte dir. Walter LUTZE - IHR KINDERLEIN KOMMET / Rias-Knabenchor ; Berthold SCHWARZ, orgue dir. Günther ARNDT - O TANNENBAUM, O TANNENBAUM / Rias-Knabenchor ; Berthold SCHWARZ, orgue dir. Günther ARNDT - SUSSER DIE GLOCKEN NIE KLINGEN / le Berliner Motettenchor und Glockengelaüte - Berthold SCHWARZ, orgue dir. Günther ARNDT - LEISE RIESELT DER SCHNEE / FLIESS ; Bielefelder Kinderchor dir. Friedrich OBERSCHELP - VOM HIMMEL HOCH, DA KOMM' ICH HER / LUTHER - PRAETORIUS ; Groses Orchester, orgel und chor dir. Walter LUTZE - IN DULCI JUBILO / Chor der St Hëdwigs-Kathedral, Berlin dir. Karl FORSTER - AM WEIHNACHTSBAUM DIE LICHTER BRENNEN / Berthold SCHWARTZ, orgel - EINE MUH, EINE MAH / LINDEMANN - ALFREDO ; Tenor-solo, Kinderchor mit Kling-Klang Orchester dir. Hans - SCHLAFE, MEIN PRINZCHEN, SCHLAF EIN / EBEL ; Regensburger Domspatzen dir. Dompapellmeister Th. SCHREMSBnF-Partenariats, Collection sonore - BelieveContient une table des matière