Event-based visual guidance inspired by honeybees in a 3D tapered tunnel

International audience— In view of neuro-ethological findings on honeybees and our previously developed vision-based autopilot, in-silico experiments were performed in which a " simulated bee " was make to travel along a doubly tapering tunnel including for the first time event-based controllers. The " simulated bee " was equipped with: • a minimalistic compound eye comprising 10 local motion sensors measuring the optic flow magnitude, • two optic flow regulators updating the control signals whenever specific optic flow criteria changed, • and three event-based controllers taking into account the error signals, each one in charge of its own translational dynamics. A MORSE/Blender based simulator-engine delivered what each of 20 " simulated photoreceptors " saw in the tunnel lined with high resolution natural 2D images. The " simulated bee " managed to travel safely along the doubly tapering tunnel without requiring any speed or distance measurements, using only a Gibsonian point of view, by: • concomitantly adjusting the side thrust, vertical lift and forward thrust whenever a change was detected on the optic flow-based signal errors, • avoiding collisions with the surface of the doubly tapering tunnel and decreasing or increasing its speed, depending on the clutter rate perceived by motion sensors

Разработка и исследование асинхронного электропривода с наблюдателем состояния

Выпускная квалификационная работа 109 с., 35 рис., 18 табл., 47 источников, 5 прил. Объектом исследования является дискретная математическая модель наблюдателя состояния полного порядка асинхронного двигателя. Цель работы – Разработка и исследование асинхронного электропривода с наблюдателем состояния В процессе исследования проводилось имитационное моделирование разработанной дискретной математической модели асинхронного двигателя и разработанной дискретной математической модели наблюдателя состояния полного порядкаFinal qualifying work 109 p., 35 fig., 18 tab., 47 sources, 5 adj. The object of research is a discrete mathematical model of the observer status of full order of the induction motor. Objective - Development and research of the asynchronous electric drive with observer status The study was conducted simulations developed discrete mathematical model of the induction motor and the developed mathematical model of discrete observer of full order stat

IPEM Topical Report: an international IPEM survey of MRI use for external beam radiotherapy treatment planning

Introduction/Background: Despite growing interest in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), integration in external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) treatment planning uptake varies globally. In order to understand the current international landscape of MRI in EBRT a survey has been performed in 11 countries. This work reports on differences and common themes identified. Methods: A multi-disciplinary Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine working party modified a survey previously used in the UK to understand current practice using MRI for EBRT treatment planning, investigate how MRI is currently used and managed as well as identify knowledge gaps. It was distributed electronically within 11 countries: Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, the UK and the USA. Results: The survey response rate within the USA was <1% and hence these results omitted from the analysis. In the other 10 countries the survey had a median response rate of 77% per country. Direct MRI access, defined as either having a dedicated MRI scanner for radiotherapy (RT) or access to a radiology MRI scanner, varied between countries. France, Italy and the UK reported the lowest direct MRI access rates and all other countries reported direct access in ≥82% of centres. Whilst ≥83% of centres in Denmark and Sweden reported having dedicated MRI scanners for EBRT, all other countries reported ≤29%. Anatomical sites receiving MRI for EBRT varied between countries with brain, prostate, head and neck being most common. Commissioning and QA of image registration and MRI scanners varied greatly, as did MRI sequences performed, staffing models and training given to different staff groups. The lack of financial reimbursement for MR was a consistent barrier for MRI implementation for RT for all countries and MR access was a reported important barrier for all countries except Sweden and Denmark. Conclusion: No country has a comprehensive approach for MR in EBRT adoption and financial barriers are present worldwide. Variations between countries in practice, equipment, staffing models, training, QA and MRI sequences have been identified, and are likely to be due to differences in funding as well as a lack of consensus or guidelines in the literature. Access to dedicated MR for EBRT is limited in all but Sweden and Denmark, but in all countries there are financial challenges with ongoing per patient costs. Despite these challenges, significant interest exists in increasing MR guided EBRT planning over the next 5 years

Liquid Chromatography Electron Capture Dissociation Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-ECD-MS/MS) versus Liquid Chromatography Collision-induced Dissociation Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-CID-MS/MS) for the Identification of Proteins

Electron capture dissociation (ECD) offers many advantages over the more traditional fragmentation techniques for the analysis of peptides and proteins, although the question remains: How suitable is ECD for incorporation within proteomic strategies for the identification of proteins? Here, we compare LC-ECD-MS/MS and LC-CID-MS/MS as techniques for the identification of proteins.Experiments were performed on a hybrid linear ion trap–Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Replicate analyses of a six-protein (bovine serum albumin, apo-transferrin,lysozyme, cytochrome c, alcohol dehydrogenase, and β-galactosidase) tryptic digest were performed and the results analyzed on the basis of overall protein sequence coverage and sequence tag lengths within individual peptides. The results show that although protein coverage was lower for LC-ECDMS/MS than for LC-CID-MS/MS, LC-ECD-MS/MS resulted in longer peptide sequence tags,providing greater confidence in protein assignment

Diabetes and reactivity of isolated human saphenous vein

Helical strips of saphenous veins from diabetic ( n =8) and non-diabetic ( n = 18) humans were studied in vivo for their responsiveness to several vasoactive agents. Following application of passive force (˜20·0 mN), venous strips from non-diabetic humans often developed spontaneous phasic contractile activity (12 out of 18 patients; 2–5 contractions/min). These intrinsic changes in force were seen in venous strips from only one diabetic patient. The phasic contractions were not altered by treatment with phentolamine, whereas the calcium channel blocker, D-600, and calcium-free solution (1·0 mM EGTA) inhibited the phasic contractions. Saphenous veins from diabetic patients developed less maximal, active tension in response to norepinephrine than those from non-diabetic patients. Contractile responses to serotonin, angiotensin II, and elevated potassium concentration in saphenous veins from diabetic patients were not different from those in veins from non-diabetic patients. These observations demonstrate attenuated development of active tension in response to alpha-adrenergic receptor activation and reduced spontaneous contractile activity in venous smooth muscle from diabetic patients.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74640/1/j.1475-097X.1984.tb00136.x.pd

Absence of thrombospondin-2 causes age-related dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: The progressive shift from a young to an aged heart is characterized by alterations in the cardiac matrix. The present study investigated whether the matricellular protein thrombospondin-2 (TSP-2) may affect cardiac dimensions and function with physiological aging of the heart. METHODS AND RESULTS: TSP-2 knockout (KO) and wild-type mice were followed up to an age of 60 weeks. Survival rate, cardiac function, and morphology did not differ at a young age in TSP-2 KO compared with wild-type mice. However, >55% of the TSP-2 KO mice died between 24 and 60 weeks of age, whereas <10% of the wild-type mice died. In the absence of TSP-2, older mice displayed a severe dilated cardiomyopathy with impaired systolic function, increased cardiac dilatation, and fibrosis. Ultrastructural analysis revealed progressive myocyte stress and death, accompanied by an inflammatory response and replacement fibrosis, in aging TSP-2 KO animals, whereas capillary or coronary morphology or density was not affected. Importantly, adeno-associated virus-9 gene-mediated transfer of TSP-2 in 7-week-old TSP-2 KO mice normalized their survival and prevented dilated cardiomyopathy. In TSP-2 KO animals, age-related cardiomyopathy was accompanied by increased matrix metalloproteinase-2 and decreased tissue transglutaminase-2 activity, together with impaired collagen cross-linking. At the cardiomyocyte level, TSP-2 deficiency in vivo and its knockdown in vitro decreased the activation of the Akt survival pathway in cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSIONS: TSP-2 expression in the heart protects against age-dependent dilated cardiomyopath

Safety and Immunogenicity of the PRAME Cancer Immunotherapeutic in Patients with Resected Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase I Dose Escalation Study

International audience; INTRODUCTION:Adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy is standard treatment for surgically resected stage II to IIIA NSCLC, but the relapse rate is high. The preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME) tumor antigen is expressed in two-thirds of NSCLC and offers an attractive target for antigen-specific immunization. A phase I dose escalation study assessed the safety and immunogenicity of a PRAME immunotherapeutic consisting of recombinant PRAME plus proprietary immunostimulant AS15 in patients with surgically resected NSCLC (NCT01159964).METHODS:Patients with PRAME-positive resected stage IB to IIIA NSCLC were enrolled in three consecutive cohorts to receive up to 13 injections of PRAME immunotherapeutic (recombinant PRAME protein dose of 20 μg, 100 μg, or 500 μg, with a fixed dose of AS15). Adverse events, predefined dose-limiting toxicity, and the anti-PRAME humoral response (measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were coprimary end points. Anti-PRAME cellular responses were assessed.RESULTS:A total of 60 patients were treated (18 received 20 μg of PRAME, 18 received 100 μg of PRAME, and 24 received 500 μg of PRAME). No dose-limiting toxicity was reported. Adverse events considered by the investigator to be causally related to treatment were grade 1 or 2, and most were injection site reactions or fever. All patients had detectable anti-PRAME antibodies after four immunizations. The percentages of patients with PRAME-specific CD4-positive T cells were higher at the dose of 500 μg compared with lower doses. No predefined CD8-positive T-cell responses were detected.CONCLUSION:The PRAME immunotherapeutic had an acceptable safety profile. All patients had anti-PRAME humoral responses that were not dose related, and 80% of those treated at the highest dose showed a cellular immune response. The dose of 500 μg was selected. However, further development was stopped after negative results with a similar immunotherapeutic in patients with NSCLC