Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Classification and Semantic Mapping of Urban Environments

In this paper we address the problem of classifying objects in urban environments based on laser and vision data. We propose a framework based on Conditional Random Fields (CRFs), a flexible modeling tool allowing spatial and temporal correlations between laser returns to be represented. Visual features extracted from color imagery as well as shape features extracted from 2D laser scans are integrated in the estimation process. The paper contains the following novel developments: (1) a probabilistic formulation for the problem of exploiting spatial and temporal dependencies to improve classification; (2) three methods for classification in 2D semantic maps; (3) a novel semi-supervised learning algorithm to train CRFs from partially labeled data; (4) the combination of local classifiers with CRFs to perform feature selection on high-dimensional feature vectors. The system is extensively evaluated on two different datasets acquired in two different cities with different sensors. An accuracy of 91% is achieved on a seven-class problem. The classifier is also applied to the generation of a 3 km long semantic map.
Relação entre o tempo, o tipo e o efeito do ataque no Voleibol masculino juvenil de alto nível competitivo

At present, the role the attack plays in a high level volleyball game and team performance is unquestionable. This sports modality is characterized by fast, precise and powerful attacks that require technical control and the ability to adapt to situational constraints of the game. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the relationship between time and type of attack and the effect of the attack in national junior male volleyball teams. For this purpose, 1191 attack actions of national teams participating in the World Junior Championship were analyzed. The most recurrent effect of attack was the point, and faster and powerful attacks occurred more frequently. The fastest game favored gaining of a point and the powerful attack emerged from the need to overlap the opponent's defensive system.
Mechanisms and treatment of postoperative wound infections in instrumented spinal surgery

Purpose of review Patients undergoing spinal surgery with placement of instrumentation are at an increasing risk of developing a postoperative infection. This review identifies the mechanisms and treatment options for postoperative infections in the spine, and how to achieve a reduced incidence. Recent findings The incidence of postoperative surgical site infection in the thoracolumbar spine continues to be relatively low. Certain patients have, however, been identified as having an increased risk of attracting a postoperative infection despite meticulous technique and advanced antibiotics. Patients with diabetes, obesity and trauma are especially at risk and preoperative and postoperative serum glucose control should be a priority. The primary route for infection is direct inoculation of the open wound during surgery, and strategies to reduce intraoperative contamination have been shown to reduce postoperative wound problems. Surgical site infection with hardware in place should have aggressive open debridement and high volume irrigation. The removal of instrumentation is often not required. Summary Postoperative surgical site infection after spinal surgery can potentially be a devastating outcome after a successful operative intervention. The key in management is prevention and modification of known risk factors as well as aggressive debridements when an infection has been identified.
Experience-based navigation for long-term localisation

This paper is about long-term navigation in environments whose appearance changes over time, suddenly or gradually. We describe, implement and validate an approach which allows us to incrementally learn a model whose complexity varies naturally in accordance with variation of scene appearance. It allows us to leverage the state of the art in pose estimation to build over many runs, a world model of sufficient richness to allow simple localisation despite a large variation in conditions. As our robot repeatedly traverses its workspace, it accumulates distinct visual experiences that in concert, implicitly represent the scene variation: each experience captures a visual mode. When operating in a previously visited area, we continually try to localise in these previous experiences while simultaneously running an independent vision-based pose estimation system. Failure to localise in a sufficient number of prior experiences indicates an insufficient model of the workspace and instigates the laying down of the live image sequence as a new distinct experience. In this way, over time we can capture the typical time-varying appearance of an environment and the number of experiences required tends to a constant. Although we focus on vision as a primary sensor throughout, the ideas we present here are equally applicable to other sensor modalities. We demonstrate our approach working on a road vehicle operating over a 3-month period at different times of day, in different weather and lighting conditions. We present extensive results analysing different aspects of the system and approach, in total processing over 136,000 frames captured from 37 km of driving.
Keyframe-based visual–inertial odometry using nonlinear optimization

Combining visual and inertial measurements has become popular in mobile robotics, since the two sensing modalities offer complementary characteristics that make them the ideal choice for accurate visual–inertial odometry or simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). While historically the problem has been addressed with filtering, advancements in visual estimation suggest that nonlinear optimization offers superior accuracy, while still tractable in complexity thanks to the sparsity of the underlying problem. Taking inspiration from these findings, we formulate a rigorously probabilistic cost function that combines reprojection errors of landmarks and inertial terms. The problem is kept tractable and thus ensuring real-time operation by limiting the optimization to a bounded window of keyframes through marginalization. Keyframes may be spaced in time by arbitrary intervals, while still related by linearized inertial terms. We present evaluation results on complementary datasets recorded with our custom-built stereo visual–inertial hardware that accurately synchronizes accelerometer and gyroscope measurements with imagery. A comparison of both a stereo and monocular version of our algorithm with and without online extrinsics estimation is shown with respect to ground truth. Furthermore, we compare the performance to an implementation of a state-of-the-art stochastic cloning sliding-window filter. This competitive reference implementation performs tightly coupled filtering-based visual–inertial odometry. While our approach declaredly demands more computation, we show its superior performance in terms of accuracy.
Working with incest survivors

SUMMARY The purpose of this paper is to convey more widely the existence of this kind of specialist group in the NHS. We also wish to show some of the advantages and disadvantages in setting up such a group to other professionals who may be considering the possibility of starting an incest-survivors group. The paper describes the group which ran at the Psychiatric Day Hospital at the Whittington Hospital for forty weeks: how we adopted the group structure; some of the problems we faced; and some of the emotional issues generated in therapists and patients. Conclusions are drawn about the usefulness of such a group.
Up-Regulation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2-Dependent Thymidylate Synthase and Thymidine Phosphorylase Contributes to Cisplatin Resistance in Human Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Chemotherapy for advanced human non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) includes platinum-containing compound such as cisplatin in combination with a second- or third-generation cytotoxic agent. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) belongs to antimetabolite chemotherapeutics, and its mechanism of cytotoxicity is involved in the inhibition of thymidylate synthase (TS). TS and thymidine phosphorylase (TP) are key enzymes of the pyrimidine salvage pathway. In this study, we have examined the molecular mechanism of TS and TP in regulating drug sensitivity to cisplatin in NSCLC cell lines. Cisplatin could increase the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 (MKK1/2)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and the protein levels of TS and TP through enhancing the protein stability in A549 and H1975 cells. Blocking ERK1/2 activation by MKK1/2 inhibitor [U0126; 1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(2-aminophenylthio)butadiene)] decreased TS and TP protein levels in both cell lines treated with cisplatin. Depletion of endogenous TS or TP expression by specific small interfering RNA transfection significantly increased cisplatin-induced cell death and growth inhibition. Combined treatment with 5-FU could decrease cisplatin-induced ERK1/2 activation and the induction of TS and TP, which subsequently resulted in synergistic cytotoxic effects. Enforced expression of constitutive active MKK1/2 vectors rescued the protein levels of phospho-ERK1/2, TS, and TP, and the cell viability that were decreased by cisplatin and 5-FU combination. In contrast, U0126 enhanced drug sensitivity to cisplatin and/or 5-FU in lung cancer cells. In conclusion, the up-regulation of ERK1/2-dependent TS and TP can protect human lung cancer cells from cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity.
Real-Time Pathfinding in Multirobot Systems Including Obstacle Avoidance

The paper describes an approach to the solution of the find path problem, including obstacle avoidance in multirobot systems. The design of multirobot systems requires an overall approach where not only parts of the structure, including the hierarchy are considered, but a complete concept, including the dynamics of the robots, has to be developed. In this paper the structure of these systems is based on the nonlinear con trol approach. The method for real-time pathfinding itself uses a systematic design procedure for multirobot systems, which includes the hierarchical coordinator. This hierarchical coordinator is designed for real-time collision avoidance, where the collision avoidance strategy is based on an analyti cally described avoidance trajectory that serves for collision detection as well as avoidance. The efficiency of the new approach for real-time pathfinding is demonstrated by several cases of practical interest, such as collision avoidance between three robots, interaction of three stationary robots and a stationary obstacle, as well as interaction of mobile robots and moving obstacles, including obstacles of variable size and different shapes.
Fusion of Multisensor Data

This paper treats two parts of the methodology of the fusion of multisensor data: conceptual and applied. In the concep tual part, we treat several basic questions including the fu sionability of various kinds of signals derived from the differ ent sets of raw data associated with separate sensor systems. We require that each derived signal has stand-alone signifi cance. We also derive some general results pertaining to the desirability of augmenting the set of measurements. In the applied part, the general methodology established above is employed in a problem in robotic acquisition involving the determination of the geometry (i.e., the elevation function) of an object resting upon a flat surface. In the model, two types of measurements are assumed: (1) a single acoustical pulse- echo scattering measurement in which the incident wave propagates downward, and (2) a set of optical measurements involving a downward-looking TV camera imaging the object under sequentially pulsed light sources. In the second type, the raw image data are assumed to be preprocessed according to the principles ofphotometric stereo. The two types of mea sured data were combined in accordance with the general concepts discussed in Part I of the paper. A computational example using synthetic data is presented and discussed.
Counselling Skills in Occupational Therapy: A Grounded Theory Approach to Explain their Use within Mental Health in New Zealand

There is much confusion in the occupational therapy literature surrounding the use of counselling and counselling skills in the profession and debate about whether they have a role in occupational therapy. This study used the qualitative research method of grounded theory to explore how counselling skills are used in occupational therapy in the area of mental health. The data were collected via a four-phase study involving nine occupational therapists to ascertain their views on the use of counselling skills in mental health. The emerging theory revealed that even though occupational therapists sometimes say that they use ‘counselling skills’, they usually keep a focus on occupation.
Sigma-1 Receptor Antagonism Restores Injury-Induced Decrease of Voltage-Gated Ca2+ Current in Sensory Neurons

Sigma-1 receptor (σ1R), an endoplasmic reticulum–chaperone protein, can modulate painful response after peripheral nerve injury. We have demonstrated that voltage-gated calcium current is inhibited in axotomized sensory neurons. We examined whether σ1R contributes to the sensory dysfunction of voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) after peripheral nerve injury through electrophysiological approach in dissociated rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Animals received either skin incision (Control) or spinal nerve ligation (SNL). Both σ1R agonists, (+)pentazocine (PTZ) and DTG [1,3-di-(2-tolyl)guanidine], dose dependently inhibited calcium current (ICa) with Ba2+ as charge carrier in control sensory neurons. The inhibitory effect of σ1R agonists on ICa was blocked by σ1R antagonist, BD1063 (1-[2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)ethyl]-4-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride) or BD1047 (N-[2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)ethyl]-N-methyl-2-(dimethylamino)ethylamine dihydrobromide). PTZ and DTG showed similar effect on ICa in axotomized fifth DRG neurons (SNL L5). Both PTZ and DTG shifted the voltage-dependent activation and steady-state inactivation of VGCC to the left and accelerated VGCC inactivation rate in both Control and axotomized L5 SNL DRG neurons. The σ1R antagonist, BD1063 (10 μM), increases ICa in SNL L5 neurons but had no effect on Control and noninjured fourth lumbar neurons in SNL rats. Together, the findings suggest that activation of σR1 decreases ICa in sensory neurons and may play a pivotal role in pain generation.
Effects of a nineteenth century below-knee amputation and prosthesis on femoral morphology

Access to the lower limbs from a historically-identified nineteenth century below-knee amputee who had worn a hardwood ectoprosthesis for an extended time prior to death provides a natural experiment for investigating the morphological and histological effects of the resulting altered mechanical environment. Osteometry (measuring total bone size), cross-sectional geometry (bending and axial rigidity) and histology (bone turnover rate) are assessed. A reduction in size and geometric strength, along with an increase in cortical bone turnover, indicate that the midshaft and distal regions from the affected femur were partially shielded from functional strain. Structural compliance of the prosthesis, probably originating from design and material of manufacture, to some degree preserved the mechanical and morphological integrity of the proximal subtrochanteric region. The results of this case study are consistent with contemporary theory in skeletal biomechanics, for example, Frost's Mechanostat, which suggests that insufficient functional strain promotes intracortical remodelling and endosteal expansion.
Vincristine: A new treatment option for Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome

Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS) is characterized by a rapidly enlarging hemangioma, thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and consumption coagulopathy as a result of platelet and red blood cell trapping and activation of clotting system within the vasculature of hemangioma. This syndrome is shown to be associated with kaposiform hemangioendotheliomas or tufted hemangioma.
Comparisons of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Anandamide on a Battery of Cognition-Related Behavior in Nonhuman Primates

The primary psychoactive ingredient of marijuana, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), has medicinal value but also produces unwanted deleterious effects on cognitive function, promoting the search for improved cannabinergic therapeutics. The present studies used a battery of touchscreen procedures in squirrel monkeys to compare the effects of different types of cannabinergic drugs on several measures of performance including learning (repeated acquisition), cognitive flexibility (discrimination reversal), short-term memory (delayed matching-to-sample), attention (psychomotor vigilance), and motivation (progressive ratio). Drugs studied included the cannabinoid agonist Δ9-THC, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor cyclohexylcarbamic acid 3-carbamoylbiphenyl-3-yl ester (URB597), and endocannabinoid anandamide and its stable synthetic analog methanandamide [(R)-(+)-arachidonyl-1′-hydroxy-2′-propylamide]. The effects of Δ9-THC and anandamide after treatment with the cannabinoid receptor type 1 inverse agonist/antagonist rimonabant [5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-4-methyl-N-(piperidin-1-yl)-1Hpyrazole-3-carboxamide] and the FAAH inhibitor URB597, respectively, also were examined. The results showed the following: 1) Δ9-THC produced dose-related impairments of discrimination-based cognitive behavior with potency that varied across tasks (discriminative capability < learning < flexibility < short-term memory); 2) anandamide alone and URB597 alone were without effect on all endpoints; 3) anandamide following URB597 pretreatment and methanandamide had negligible effects on discriminative capability, learning, and reversal, but following large doses affected delayed matching-to-sample performance in some subjects; 4) all drugs, except anandamide and URB597, disrupted attention; and 5) progressive ratio breakpoints were generally unaffected by all drugs tested, suggesting little to no effect on motivation. Taken together, these data indicate that metabolically stable forms of anandamide may have lesser adverse effects on cognitive functions than Δ9-THC, possibly offering a therapeutic advantage in clinical settings.
Encenicline, an α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Partial Agonist, Reduces Immune Cell Infiltration in the Colon and Improves Experimental Colitis in Mice

The α7 pentamer nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are a target in transduction of anti-inflammatory signals from the central nervous system to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory action of the novel α7 nAChR partial agonist encenicline and to determine the mechanism underlying its activity. Anti-inflammatory activity of encenicline was evaluated using trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)- and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced models of colitis. Macroscopic score, ulcer score, colon length and thickness, as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were recorded. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to measure the infiltration of immune cells in the colon. Furthermore, we employed flow cytometry to determine the effect of encenicline on frequencies of FoxP3+ and interleukin (IL)-17A+ T cells in the mouse colon. Encenicline attenuated TNBS- and DSS-induced colitis in mice via α7 nAChRs, as indicated by significantly reduced macroscopic parameters and MPO activity. Treatment with encenicline significantly reduced the infiltration of macrophages, neutrophils, and B cells in the colon of TNBS-treated animals, as indicated by IHC. In the TNBS model encenicline reduced the frequency of FoxP3+ IL-17A+ T cells in the colon. In the DSS-model treatment encenicline increased the frequency of FoxP3+ T cells and reduced IL-17A+ T cells. Stimulation of α7 nAChR with partial agonist encenicline alleviates colitis via alteration of the number and/or activation status of the immune cells in the gut, emphasizing a potential role of α7 nAChRs as a target for anticolitic drugs.
Comparative Characterization of Hepatic Distribution and mRNA Reduction of Antisense Oligonucleotides Conjugated with Triantennary N-Acetyl Galactosamine and Lipophilic Ligands Targeting Apolipoprotein B

Triantennary N-acetyl galactosamine (GalNAc, GN3) and lipophilic ligands such as cholesterol and α-tocopherol conjugations dramatically improve the distribution and efficacy of second-generation antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) in the whole liver. To characterize ligands for delivery to liver cells based on pharmacokinetics and efficacy, we used a locked nucleic acid gapmer of ASO targeting apolipoprotein B as a model compound and evaluated the amount of ASO and apolipoprotein B mRNA in the whole liver, hepatocytes, and nonparenchymal (NP) cells as well as plasma total cholesterol after administration of ASO conjugated with these ligands to mice. Compared with unconjugated ASO, GN3 conjugation increased the amount (7-fold) and efficacy (more than 10-fold) of ASO in hepatocytes only and showed higher efficacy than the increased rate of the amount of ASO. On the other hand, lipophilic ligand conjugations led to increased delivery (3- to 5-fold) and efficacy (5-fold) of ASO to both hepatocytes and NP cells. GN3 and lipophilic ligand conjugations increased the area under the curve of ASOs and the pharmacodynamic duration but did not change the half-life in hepatocytes and NP cells compared with unconjugated ASO. In the liver, the phosphodiester bond between ASO and these ligands was promptly cleaved to liberate unconjugated ASO. These ligand conjugations reduced plasma total cholesterol compared with unconjugated ASO, although these ASOs were well tolerated with no elevation in plasma transaminases. These findings could facilitate ligand selection tailored to liver cells expressed in disease-related genes and could contribute to the discovery and development of RNA interference–based therapy.
Comparison of the β-Adrenergic Receptor Antagonists Landiolol and Esmolol: Receptor Selectivity, Partial Agonism, and Pharmacochaperoning Actions

Blockage of β1-adrenergic receptors is one of the most effective treatments in cardiovascular medicine. Esmolol was introduced some three decades ago as a short-acting β1-selective antagonist. Landiolol is a more recent addition. Here we compared the two compounds for their selectivity for β1-adrenergic receptors over β2-adrenergic receptors, partial agonistic activity, signaling bias, and pharmacochaperoning action by using human embryonic kidney (HEK)293 cell lines, which heterologously express each human receptor subtype. The affinity of landiolol for β1-adrenergic receptors and β2-adrenergic receptors was higher and lower than that of esmolol, respectively, resulting in an improved selectivity (216-fold versus 30-fold). The principal metabolite of landiolol (M1) was also β1-selective, but its affinity was very low. Both landiolol and esmolol caused a very modest rise in cAMP levels but a robust increase in the phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinases 1 and 2, indicating that the two drugs exerted partial agonist activity with a signaling bias. If cells were incubated for ≥24 hours in the presence of ≥1 μM esmolol, the levels of β1-adrenergic—but not of β2-adrenergic—receptors increased. This effect was contingent on export of the β1-receptor from endoplasmic reticulum and was not seen in the presence of landiolol. On the basis of these observations, we conclude that landiolol offers the advantage of: 1) improved selectivity and 2) the absence of pharmacochaperoning activity, which sensitizes cells to rebound effects upon drug discontinuation.