Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mechanical design of a compact and dexterous quadruped robot

This manuscript introduced the modularized structural design of a medium sized quadruped robot with desired compact and dexterous mobility. In detail, the ball screw transmission and the four-bar linkages mechanism were adopted to construct the quadruped robot, and then the relationship between the torque of the knee joint and the torque of the motor was modelled and analyzed. Moreover, the mechanical performance of transmission is analyzed, then the practical result indicates that the shank should be configurated to get close as much as possible to the limited position of extension while walking. The loading analysis further showed that the structural strength of each leg is still enough, when adding 200N external force that similar to the whole weight of the robot to one foot. Based on the optimized design, the mechanical prototype was accomplished, and the corresponding control strategy were briefly illustrated. Finally, locomotory planning in typical walking and when the robot falls down were discussed preliminarily.
Atypical Bullous Dermatosis of Childhood with Entropion

may in fact have been related to zinc deficiency, the zinc having been lost with the albumin in the urine or been low in consequence of the cirrhosis. There are now large numbers of thalassaemic patients in certain parts of the UK. Zinc deficiency may therefore be encountered in other patients, perhaps presenting with cutaneous signs. It should be possible to determine whether white bands in the nails are part of the zinc deficiency state. Acknowledgments: I am grateful to Dr Max Friedman and Dr D P Brenton for permission to report this case.
FPGA control of the neutral point clamped quasi-Z-source inverter

The three-level neutral point clamped quasi-Z-source inverter has been proposed recently. Due to its features the neutral point clamped quasi-Z-source inverter is especially suitable for renewable energy sources. This topology requires special control methods and respectively new element basis can be used for control implementation. Current paper describes the control system implemented, based on FPGA for a three-level neutral point clamped quasi-Z-source inverter and the control signals obtained.
Simultaneous mobile robot positioning and LPS self-calibration in a smart space

This paper presents a new algorithm that allows the simultaneous positioning of a mobile robot and the self-calibration of an ultrasonic-based LPS (Local Positioning System). The system integrates the data obtained by the on-board dead reckoning (relative positioning) and the measurements from the beacons that constitute the LPS (absolute positioning), using an H−∞ filter. At the beginning of the process the dead reckoning is used for both, robot localization and LPS auto-calibration and after a predetermined time the system uses the LPS information to correct the positioning obtained with the dead reckoning (that is affected by a cumulative error as the position is calculated integrating the axis velocities in the robot). The formulation of the algorithm and the results obtained with some particular trajectories of the mobile robot in the coverage area of the LPS are presented.
Reappraisal of possible etiologic factors in multiple sclerosis.

IN 1961 a nationwide survey of multiple I sclerosis (MS) in Israel was completed and all patients living in the country on January 1, 1960, were identified.1 The study was designed to obtain information on the frequency of the disease in groups of diverse national origin. Israel was particularly suited for such a study because its population included immigrants from every continent and many different countries. Moreover, the quality of medical care throughout the country was of a high standard. All segments of the population had ready access to the medical facilities and disease did not bar an immigrant from entering the country. Prevalence rates of multiple sclerosis for groups of different countries of origin were calculated and the rates showed wide differences. The distribution of rates showed a gradient of decreasing prevalence toward the equator. Multiple sclerosis was about six times more common among immigrants born in Europe than among immigrants from Afro-Asian countries and native-born Israelis.2 In 1963, an epidemiologic study was conducted in which the patients with multiple sclerosis identified in the survey were compared to matched controls with respect to a large number of factors of possible relevance to the etiology of the disease. It was postulated that the patients would report a different experience than controls with factors of etiologic importance. Furthermore, the availability in Israel of groups with different prevalence rates was expected to enhance opportunities for detecting a gradient in exposure to etiologic factors which might not be apparent if patients and controls were compared in a population of uniform origin. Several factors examined in that study revealed significant differences between patients and controls.3Y5 The present study was designed to explore these factors in greater detail.
Through the Grapevine: Network Effects on the Design of Executive Compensation Contracts

Effective design of executive compensation contracts involves choosing and weighting performance measures, as well as defining the mix between fixed and incentive-based pay components, with a view to fostering talent retention and goal congruence. The variability in compensation design observed in practice is significantly lower than it would be predicted by contracting theory. This is likely due to indirect constraining pressures, which cannot be completely explained by industry affiliation or peer group membership. I posit that network connections involving corporate boards operate as a conduit for these pressures. Using information disclosed in proxy statements of publicly traded companies, and a vectorial approach to measure compensation similarity, I predict and find that firms that are connected by board interlocks, hiring the same compensation consulting firm, or sharing a blockholder, exhibit a higher degree of similarity in the design of executive compensation contracts than what would be predicted by similarities in organizational characteristics. The relative prominence of the connectors within the respective networks moderates the network effects on the degree of compensation similarity. Finally, I show that the market responds positively to compensation similarity, although it is associated with excess CEO compensation.
Molecular phylogeny of the live-bearing fish genus Poecilia (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae).

Members of the genus Poecilia exhibit extensive morphological, behavioral, and life history variation within and between species. This natural variation, coupled with short generation times and the ease with which members of this genus can be cultured in the lab, have made several species model systems for studying the effects of sexual and natural selection on the evolution of natural populations. Given that there is no clear understanding of the phylogenetic relationships within the genus, these studies have not been put into a historical context, and between-species comparisons have been limited. We sequenced the complete NADH Dehydrogenase Subunit 2 (ND2) mitochondrial gene (1047 bp) in representatives of the major divisions of the genus in order to examine these relationships. The subgeneric groups of Rosen and Bailey (1963) are, for the most part, supported, with some adjustment within the subgenera Poecilia and Pamphorichthys. The morphological distinctness of the groups within Poecilia suggest that the original generic designations be reinstated, but this awaits a more thorough analysis. Two implications from the phylogeny are particularly relevant to sexual selection studies: within the North and Central American mollies, the three species of sailfin mollies form a monophyletic group, and within the subgenus Lebistes, the sister taxon to the guppy, P. reticulata, is most likely the group of species previously designated as Micropoecilia.
Effects of an ankle-foot orthosis on spatiotemporal parameters and energy cost of hemiparetic gait

Objective: To assess the effect of an ankle-foot orthosis on the gait and energy parameters of walking in chronic hemiparetic subjects. Design: With/without group comparison. Setting: Consecutive patients recruited from the gait analysis laboratory of our rehabilitation department. Subjects: A group of nine chronic hemiparetic patients, with the same gait pattern alteration, were evaluated during walking at free speed with and without the use of an orthosis. Outcome measures: Gait analysis and study of energy cost. Results and conclusion: The orthosis significantly improved self-selected speed (15.47 versus 21.39 m/min), stride cycle (2.33 versus 2.08 s), stance (1.83 versus 1.48 s) and double support (1.55 versus 1.16 s) and reduced energy cost (0.76 versus 0.49 ml O2kg/m) of walking without affecting cardiorespiratory response. Moreover, a significant correlation was found between the improvement of double support and the reduction of energy cost.
[Cutaneous thermographic changes in diabetic polyneuropathy].

AIM to demonstrate the effectiveness of the thermography method in assessing and diagnosing peripheral polyneuropathy and risk of developing ulcerative lesions in diabetic patients planting. MATERIAL AND METHODS Study was prospective and included 90 patients of both sexes, aged between 18 and 70 years in the Neurology Clinic of the Rehabilitation Hospital Iaşi from January 2010-January 2011. The study group consists of 60 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes complicated with sensory- motor polyneuropathy. Control group consisted of 30 patients, selected from apparently healthy general population to assess the normal thermographic profile. To register thermic values it was used a thermal infrared camera FLIR A320 type of setting individual emission on the skin areas examined with automatic temperature correction reflected the distance or relative humidity. RESULTS Gender distribution of patients in the study group was predominantly male (63%), the ratio M/F = 1.7/1. Motor conduction velocity in the study group was significantly reduced both the SPE (41 +/- 2.8 m/s) and SPI (40.5 +/- 3.1 m/s). Skin temperature was significantly higher in the control group compared with controls, both legs and the plantar surface (33.70 +/- 0.80; 28 +/- 0.50 t degrees C). CONCLUSIONS Thermographic changes in patients with sensory-motor neuropathy is an early sign in the detection and prevention of risk of injury planting.Thermography can be a useful method for diagnosis and dynamic evaluation of patients with peripheral sensory-motor polyneuropathy.
Reliability estimates for the Minimum Data Set for nursing home resident assessment and care screening (MDS).

The MDS is a core set of items, definitions, and response categories used to assess all of the nation's 1.5 million nursing home residents who reside in facilities participating in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. Further, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has proposed a rule that would require facilities to computerize MDS data and submit it to state and federal agencies, paving the way for a national database. This article describes the process of testing the reliability of the MDS items in 13 nursing homes in five states. The results demonstrate that MDS data gathered in a research effort attain reliabilities that make such data useful. MDS items met a standard for excellent reliability (i.e., intraclass correlation of .7 or higher) in key areas of functional status, such as cognition, ADLs, continence, and diagnoses. Sixty-three percent of the items achieved reliability coefficients of . 6 or higher. Eighty-nine percent of the items in the MDS achieved . 4 or higher.
Electrophysiology of cat association cortical cells in vivo: intrinsic properties and synaptic responses.

1. The intrinsic properties and synaptic responses of association cortical neurons (n = 179) recorded from cat's areas 5 and 7 were studied in vivo. Intracellular recordings were performed under urethane anesthesia. Resting membrane potential (Vm) was -71.7 +/- 1.2 (SE) mV, amplitude of action potential was 83.7 +/- 2.3 mV, and input resistance was 18.4 +/- 1.8 M omega. Cells were identified ortho- and antidromically from lateroposterior and centrolateral thalamic nuclei and from homotopic foci in the contralateral cortex. Physiologically identified neurons were intracellularly stained with Lucifer yellow (LY) and found to be pyramidal-shaped elements (n = 21). 2. We classified the neurons as regular-spiking and intrinsically bursting cells. Regular-spiking cells were further classified as slow- and fast-adapting according to the adaptation of spike frequency during long-lasting depolarizing current pulses. 3. Regular-spiking, slow-adapting neurons had a monophasic afterhyperpolarization (AHP) or a biphasic AHP with fast and medium components (FAHP, mAHP). Slow-adapting behavior was observed in 84% (n = 119) of the regular-spiking cells. 4. Regular-spiking, fast-adapting cells only fired a train of spikes at the beginning of the pulse. Thereafter, the Vm remained as a depolarizing plateau, occasionally triggering some spikes. These neurons had a monophasic AHP and represented 16% (n = 23) of the regular-spiking neurons. 5. Intrinsically bursting neurons (n = 37) were observed in 20% of neocortical cells at depolarized Vm. Their action potential was followed by a marked depolarizing afterpotential (DAP). Rhythmic (4-10 Hz) bursts occurred during long-lasting depolarizing current pulses. 6. Small (3-10 mV), fast (1.5-4 ms), all-or-none depolarizing potentials were triggered by depolarizing current pulses. They are tentatively regarded as dendritic spikes recorded from the soma because their rate of occurrence changed as a function of the Vm and they were eventually blocked by hyperpolarization. 7. Synaptic stimulation of either thalamic or homotopic contralateral cortical areas elicited a sequence of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs). Two components of the EPSP were revealed. At a hyperpolarized Vm, the initial component of the EPSP increased in amplitude, whereas the secondary component was blocked. Repetitive (10 Hz) stimulation of the thalamus or contralateral cortex elicited incremental responses. The augmentation phenomenon was due to an increase in the secondary component of the EPSP. The cortically elicited augmenting responses survived extensive thalamic lesions. A short IPSP and a long-lasting IPSP were evoked by thalamic or cortical stimulation. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Won't get fooled again: An event-related potential study of task and repetition effects on the semantic processing of items without semantics

A growing body of evidence suggests that semantic access is obligatory. Several studies have demonstrated that brain activity associated with semantic processing, measured in the N400 component of the event-related brain potential (ERP), is elicited even by meaningless, orthographically illegal strings, suggesting that semantic access is not gated by lexicality. However, the downstream consequences of that activity vary by item type, exemplified by the typical finding that N400 activity is reduced by repetition for words and pronounceable nonwords but not for illegal strings. We propose that this lack of repetition effect for illegal strings is caused not by lack of contact with semantics, but by the unrefined nature of that contact under conditions in which illegal strings can be readily categorised as task-irrelevant. To test this, we collected ERPs from participants performing a modified Lexical Decision Task, in which the presence of orthographically illegal acronyms rendered meaningless illegal strings more difficult lures than normal. Confirming our hypothesis, under these conditions illegal strings elicited robust N400 repetition effects, quantitatively and qualitatively similar to those elicited by words, pseudowords, and acronyms.
The natural history of adrenal function in autoimmune patients with adrenal autoantibodies.

Adrenal autoantibodies (AA) were found in 23 of 2571 (0.9%) patients with organ-specific autoimmune diseases, in one of 632 first-degree relatives of insulin-dependent diabetic patients, and in none of 375 normal controls. In AA-positive subjects the prevalence of human leucocyte antigens (HLA)-A1, -B8 and -DR3 was significantly higher with respect to the general population. Two groups were followed (15 subjects persistently positive for AA and 51 negative subjects) for a mean period of 3.2 years. Yearly tests were made for AA and adrenal function. Of the 15 subjects persistently positive for AA, six developed Addison's disease after a period varying from 6 months to 10 years. Of the 51 subjects initially negative, two became positive during follow-up, and one of these developed Addison's disease 15 months later. In contrast, all the remaining 49 persistently negative subjects maintained normal adrenal function tests. Overall, of the 17 positive subjects, seven (41%) developed Addison's disease, three (18%) showed various degrees of subclinical adrenocortical failure and the remaining seven maintained normal glandular function. In the positive patients the yearly incidence of detriment in adrenal function was 19%. Patients who developed Addison's disease showed significant association with HLA-B8 phenotype. The development from normal adrenocortical function to overt Addison's disease seemed to progress through four distinct stages of functional impairment: increased plasma renin activity with normal/low aldosterone (stage 1), low cortisol response after i.v. administration of ACTH (stage 2), increased ACTH (stage 3), and low basal cortisol (stage 4). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Return to Sender ? Technological ‘ Merit ’ and the Reinvigoration of Novelty and Inventive Step-Analyzing Inventor Incentives to File for ‘ Quality Patents ’ in a Structural Equation Model

In the context of the ongoing reinvigoration debate for novelty and nonobviousness (inventive step) I empirically test the fundamental assumption that the private values of patents were correlated with objective technological quality in the past. To do so I suggest an original test to disentangle the impact of (objective) technological quality – as defined by patent offices and requested by nonobviousness requirements – on private patent value. The theoretical links between the private values of patents, technological invention quality, incentives to oppose patents before the European Patent Office (EPO), and observable patent characteristics are translated into a structural discrete choice equation model. Applying the model to polymer patent data between 1978 and 1990, the findings of this paper confirm the assumption that for the chosen sample, objective technological quality enhances a patent’s private value. At the same time, the results refine the understanding of how patent-based measures such as forward and backward citations are correlated with a patent’s commercial value.
Overexpression of neurotrophin‐3 enhances the mechanical response properties of slowly adapting type 1 afferents and myelinated nociceptors

Constitutive overexpression of neurotrophin‐3 (NT3) in murine skin results in an increased number of sensory neurons within the dorsal root ganglia, an increase of myelinated axons in cutaneous nerves, hyperinnervation of the skin, and an increased number of Merkel cells found in flank skin. Here we used a saphenous skin/nerve preparation to determine if these anatomical changes affect the functional response characteristics of cutaneous sensory neurons. Overexpression of NT3 significantly increased the responses of slowly adapting type 1 (SA1) low‐threshold mechanoreceptors and Aδ high‐threshold mechanoreceptors to suprathreshold mechanical stimulation. It also resulted in significantly faster conduction velocities of SA1 fibers. In contrast to earlier findings in flank skin, no differences were noted in the numbers of Merkel cells in the touch domes in hindlimb skin of NT3‐overexpressing mice. In addition, the number of dermal Merkel cells, located around hair follicles on the dorsum of the foot, was reduced by 55%. The increase in mechanical sensitivity was found to correlate with significant increases in the expression of acid‐sensing ion channels (ASIC) 1 and 3. Additional experiments using intracellular recordings and staining procedures confirmed that at least some cutaneous myelinated nociceptors and SA1 mechanoreceptors stained positively for both trkC and ASIC3. These results indicate that cutaneous NT3 overexpression alters the response properties of specific cutaneous sensory neurons, and that these changes may be due to the modulation of putative mechanosensitive ion channels.
Skin and subcutaneous blood flows of very low birth weight infants during the first 3 postnatal days

Objective. To determine whether skin and subcutaneous blood flow measurements using a novel laser Doppler flow meter are useful for evaluating the cardiovascular status of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants during the early postnatal period. Methods. In eight VLBW infants and eight non-VLBW infants born at Tokyo University Hospital between May 2007 and April 2008, forehead and lower limb skin blood flows were measured continuously for 72 h. Data were averaged every 8 h, and the t-test was used for analysis. Results. In VLBW infants, forehead blood flow started to increase from the start of measurement to 32 h (16.6 ± 3.9 ml/min vs. 24.1 ± 2.1 ml/min; p = 0.002 compared with 8 h) and remained constant thereafter. Lower limb blood flow increased rapidly after 24 h (22.2 ± 5.5 ml/min vs. 29.5 ± 5.0 ml/min; p = 0.002 compared with 8 h) and continued increasing thereafter. In contrast, blood flows remained constant in non-VLBW infants. Conclusions. The results showed that skin and subcutaneous perfusion in VLBW infants increased spontaneously at around 24 h. Differences in blood flow changes between VLBW and non-VLBW infants demonstrate that these parameters successfully identified physiological changes in tissue perfusion in VLBW infants.
Adrenomedullin regulates the speed of oviductal fluid flow in cattle

Unidirectional flow of oviductal fluid from the ovarian to uterine side of the ampulla plays a significant role in successful pregnancy, and is produced by ciliary beating. Various systems regulate ciliary beating, such as paracrine, autocrine, and endocrine. We hypothesized that Adrenomedullin (ADM)—a peptide hormone that acts via its receptors, which are complexes of Calcitonin receptor‐like receptor (CRLR) and Receptor activity‐modifying protein (RAMP) 2 or 3 — promotes oviductal fluid flow in the ampulla of bovine oviducts. First, we examined the expression of ADM, CRLR, RAMP2, and RAMP3 mRNAs in isolated epithelial cells throughout the estrous cycle, and the localization of ADM receptor protein constituents in the ampulla. RAMP2 expression was significantly higher in the follicular phase. Furthermore, RAMP2 protein was detected only in ciliated cells, whereas CRLR and RAMP3 were detected in all epithelial cells. The effects of ADM and an ADM antagonist on fluid‐flow speed were examined using microbeads in ampullary tissue. ADM antagonist decreased bead transport speed, and this decrease was reversed by ADM. In addition, ADM recovered the bead transport speed that decreased in the absence of calcium. Overall, our results suggest that ADM contributes to the regulation of oviductal fluid flow in ampulla.