Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generic Neural Locomotion Control Framework for Legged Robots

In this article, we present a generic locomotion control framework for legged robots and a strategy for control policy optimization. The framework is based on neural control and black-box optimization. The neural control combines a central pattern generator (CPG) and a radial basis function (RBF) network to create a CPG-RBF network. The control network acts as a neural basis to produce arbitrary rhythmic trajectories for the joints of robots. The main features of the CPG-RBF network are: 1) it is generic since it can be applied to legged robots with different morphologies; 2) it has few control parameters, resulting in fast learning; 3) it is scalable, both in terms of policy/trajectory complexity and the number of legs that can be controlled using similar trajectories; 4) it does not rely heavily on sensory feedback to generate locomotion and is thus less prone to sensory faults; and 5) once trained, it is simple, minimal, and intuitive to use and analyze. These features will lead to an easy-to-use framework with fast convergence and the ability to encode complex locomotion control policies. In this work, we show that the framework can successfully be applied to three different simulated legged robots with varying morphologies and, even broken joints, to learn locomotion control policies. We also show that after learning, the control policies can also be successfully transferred to a real-world robot without any modifications. We, furthermore, show the scalability of the framework by implementing it as a central controller for all legs of a robot and as a decentralized controller for individual legs and leg pairs. By investigating the correlation between robot morphology and encoding type, we are able to present a strategy for control policy optimization. Finally, we show how sensory feedback can be integrated into the CPG-RBF network to enable online adaptation.
Matrix stimulation in chronic pruritus: A randomized controlled study

Chronic pruritus is one of the main symptoms in dermatology. We investigated a new intervention for chronic pruritus by neurostimulation through matrix electrodes. In this randomized controlled trial, 29 patients with chronic pruritus caused by a variety of dermatological diseases were allocated to an experimental group (EG; n = 14, 4‐Hz neurostimulation of the itching area through matrix electrodes) or the control group (CG; n = 15, placement of matrix electrodes without neurostimulation). Outcome measures were the itching sensation as measured by a Numerical Rating Scale immediately after the intervention and the intermediate effect measured by the average itching sensation on the day before the intervention compared with the average itching sensation on day 1, 2 and 3 after the intervention. Regarding the short‐term effect on itching, the anova showed a significant interaction effect for the 5‐min stimulation with a larger reduction in the EG with a large effect size of d = 1.10. The average reduction in itching intensity was 78.2% for the EG compared with 34.3% for the CG. For the intermediate effect, no significant interaction was found (F = 1.721, P = 0.199). Comparing the itching sensation at day 0 with day 3, the interaction effect showed a statistical trend toward a greater reduction in the EG (F = 3.178, P = 0.086; statistical trend, d = 0.69). This study proved that neurostimulation through matrix electrodes is effective in the short‐term reduction of itching in patients with chronic pruritus caused by dermatological diseases. Additional studies are needed with larger patient pools and covering longer study periods.
First pass success of tracheal intubation using the C-MAC PM videolaryngoscope as first-line device in prehospital cardiac arrest compared with other emergencies

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text BACKGROUND Successful airway management is a priority in the resuscitation of critically ill or traumatised patients. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of achieving maximum first pass success, particularly in prehospital advanced airway management. OBJECTIVE To compare success rates of emergency intubations between patients requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for cardiac arrest (CPR group) and other emergencies (non-CPR group) using the C-MAC PM videolaryngoscope. DESIGN Ongoing analysis of prospective collected prehospital advanced airway management core variables. SETTING Single helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) ‘Christoph 22’, Ulm Military Hospital, Germany, May 2009 to July 2018. PATIENTS We included all 1006 HEMS patients on whom prehospital advanced airway management was performed by board-certified anaesthesiologists on call at HEMS ‘Christoph 22’. INTERVENTIONS The C-MAC PM was used as the first-line device. The initial direct laryngoscopy was carried out using the C-MAC PM without the monitor in sight. After scoring the direct laryngoscopic view according to the Cormack and Lehane grade, the monitor was folded within the sight of the physician and tracheal intubation was performed using the videolaryngoscopic view without removing the blade. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was successful airway management. Secondary outcomes were the patient's position during airway management, necessity for suction, direct and videolaryngoscopic view according to Cormack and Lehane grading, as well as number of attempts needed for successful intubation. RESULTS A patent airway was achieved in all patients including rescue techniques. There was a lower first pass success rate in the CPR group compared with the non-CPR group (84.4 vs. 91.4%, P = 0.01). In the CPR group, direct laryngoscopy resulted more often in a clinically unfavourable (Cormack and Lehane grade 3 or 4) glottic view (CPR vs. non-CPR-group 37.2 vs. 26.7%, P = 0.0071). Using videolaryngoscopy reduced the clinically unfavourable grading to Cormack and Lehane 1 or 2 (P < 0.0001). The odds of achieving first pass success were approximately 12-fold higher with a favourable glottic view than with an unfavourable glottic view (OR 12.6, CI, 6.70 to 23.65). CONCLUSION Airway management in an anaesthesiologist-staffed HEMS is associated with a high first pass success rate but even with skilled providers using the C-MAC PM videolaryngoscope routinely, patients who require CPR offer more difficulties for successful prehospital advanced airway management at the first attempt. TRIAL REGISTRATION German Clinical trials register (drks.de) DRKS00020484
Varied Factors were Associated with Different Types of Self-Care in Heart Failure

Poor self-care is prevalent in patients with heart failure and adversely affects heart failure symptoms, hospitalization, and mortality. Adherence rates to different types of self-care vary in patients with heart failure. The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with medication adherence, dietary sodium adherence, and symptom management in patients with heart failure. Data were collected using questionnaires, Medication Electronic Monitoring System, and 24-hour urine sodium output (N = 94). In logistic regression analysis, social support, education level, and race were associated with medication adherence (p = .002). Gender, race, perceived control, and depressive symptoms were associated with dietary sodium adherence (p = .030). Gender, education level, and depressive symptoms were associated with symptom management (p = .006). Different factors were associated with each type of self-care. Thus, clinicians need to manage each type of self-care by considering factors associated with it.
Surface plasmon resonance application in prostate cancer biomarker research

Prostate cancer (PCa) diagnostics can be effectively addressed using sensor-based approaches. Proper selection of biomarkers to be included in biosensors for accurate detection becomes the need of the hour. Such biosensor and biochip technologies enable fast and efficient determination of proteins and provide a remarkable insight into the changes in the protein structure, such as aberrant glycosylation, which can increase the performance, sensitivity and specificity of clinic assays. However, for a thorough comprehension of such complex protein modifications, it is crucial to understand their biospecific interactions. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR), one of the most rapidly developing techniques for measuring real-time quantitative binding affinities and kinetics of the interactions of antigens and antibodies, was chosen as an appropriate tool for this purpose. Herein, experiments on the interactions of antibodies specific against different epitopes of free and complexed prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a prominent PCa biomarker, are presented with two main aims: (i) to continue as lectin glycoprofiling studies and; (ii) to be used in microfluidic immunoassay-based platforms for point-of-care devices. Various PSA-specific antibodies were covalently immobilized on the biochip surface via amine coupling, and free or complexed PSA was injected into the dual-flow channels of the SPR device. Kinetic parameters and affinity constants of these interactions, as well as cross-reactivities of the used antibodies were determined. The sandwich assay for PSA determination was developed employing both primary and secondary anti-PSA antibodies. Sensitivity of the assay was 3.63 nM−1, the detection limit was 0.27 nM and the SPR biosensor response towards free PSA was linear up to 25 nM. All these findings are essential for proper design of a selective, sensitive, and highly reliable biosensor for PCa diagnosis as a lab-on-chip device.
Association between fish intake and glioma risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives We investigated the association between the consumption of fresh and processed fish and glioma risk using a meta-analysis approach. Methods We selected and analyzed observational studies that discussed the relationships between fresh and processed fish intake on glioma risk from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the SinoMed and Wanfang databases from inception to 31 March 2020. Studies were selected according to pre-established eligibility criteria and data were extracted separately by two researchers. A meta-analysis was conducted based on a random-effects model to provide pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Eight studies considered the relationship between fish intake (seven fresh and seven processed fish) and glioma risk and were included in this meta-analysis. The OR effect size for fresh fish intake and glioma risk was 0.72 (95%CI 0.53–0.97) and the overall OR effect size for processed fish intake and glioma risk was 1.88 (95%CI 1.06–3.34). Conclusion Dietary intake of fresh fish may reduce the risk of glioma, but consumption of processed fish may increase the risk of glioma. This study had some limitations, and further studies are therefore required to clarify the associations between fish intake and glioma risk.
Elucidating the G″ overshoot in soft materials with a yield transition via a time-resolved experimental strain decomposition

Significance The yielding transition in soft materials manifests macroscopically as a reversible transition from solid-like deformation to liquid-like flow under sufficiently large loading or deformation. Despite the ubiquity of materials that exhibit yielding, an understanding of the transition has remained elusive due to experimental limitations of the simple rheological tests typically used to study it. We present here a more thorough understanding of yielding, obtained via an iterative test protocol and analysis that allow for the separation of solid-like and liquid-like behaviors in the response of these materials. We show that yielding is a gradual transition, occurring to an increased extent as the deformation increases. Materials that exhibit yielding behavior are used in many applications, from spreadable foods and cosmetics to direct write three-dimensional printing inks and filled rubbers. Their key design feature is the ability to transition behaviorally from solid to fluid under sufficient load or deformation. Despite its widespread applications, little is known about the dynamics of yielding in real processes, as the nonequilibrium nature of the transition impedes understanding. We demonstrate an iteratively punctuated rheological protocol that combines strain-controlled oscillatory shear with stress-controlled recovery tests. This technique provides an experimental decomposition of recoverable and unrecoverable strains, allowing for solid-like and fluid-like contributions to a yield stress material’s behavior to be separated in a time-resolved manner. Using this protocol, we investigate the overshoot in loss modulus seen in materials that yield. We show that this phenomenon is caused by the transition from primarily solid-like, viscoelastic dissipation in the linear regime to primarily fluid-like, plastic flow at larger amplitudes. We compare and contrast this with a viscoelastic liquid with no yielding behavior, where the contribution to energy dissipation from viscous flow dominates over the entire range of amplitudes tested.
Adverse remodeling in atrial fibrillation following isolated aortic valve replacement surgery

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia with adverse clinical outcomes. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) is one of the most frequently performed cardiac surgeries, although there is scarce evidence on arrhythmic outcomes. We aimed to evaluate AF during the first year post- isolated aortic valve replacement surgery and its clinical, analytical, and echocardiographic predictors. Methods: Severe aortic stenosis patients with no prior atrial fibrillation submitted to isolated aortic valve replacement surgery were included in our study, of which 316 remained in sinus rhythm and 24 developed AF. We performed logistic regression searching for AF predictors and a longitudinal comparison between pre and post-operative echocardiographic data. Results: Postoperative AF (POAF), diabetes, and follow-up indexed Left Atrium Diameter (iLAD) were significantly higher in the group of patients developing AF. POAF and iLAD were independent AF predictors at follow-up. No differences between groups were found regarding baseline and follow-up echocardiographic data except for indexed Left Ventricle End-diastolic Diameter (LVED), which failed to decrease after surgery in the AF group. Conclusions: POAF and iLAD independently predicted AF at 1 year following isolated AVR surgery in aortic stenosis patients with no AF history. iLVED did not decrease significantly at follow-up in AF patients, possibly reflecting adverse ventricular remodeling.
Comparative evaluation and quantitative analysis of loop-mediated isothermal amplification indicators.

Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) as a diagnostic tool is rapidly gaining recognition and maturity. Among various advantages over traditional PCR, the ability to visually detect amplification by the incorporation of colorimetric indicators is one of its most unique features. There is an overwhelmingly variety of LAMP indicators in the literature, yet a comprehensive comparative study is lacking. This study evaluates the use of hydroxynaphthol blue, phenol red, calcein, leucocrystal violet, malachite green, and a fluorescent dye for visual detection. A method for objective quantitative analysis using ImageJ is described that is readily implemented in standard and microfluidic workflows. The work here also includes the largest inter-reader variability study involving twenty-four participants to evaluate these indicators. We found inaccuracies in visual assessment as bias and/or individual-based perception can exist, solidifying the need for objective analysis. There was not an 'universal' indicator, although considerations in sample preparation, storage, and applicability are discussed in length.
Use of Mist-Nets for Recapturing Radio-Equipped Blue Grouse

A mist-net was used as a mobile unit to recapture radio-instrumented blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus). Two men positioned the net, while a third flushed grouse toward it. Five female blue grouse and their entire broods, chicks of six other broods, one incubating and one broodless female, and one adult male ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) were captured. The method enabled the recapture of specific, instrumented grouse. During 1966-67 forest grouse-pesticide studies in Montana, noose-poles (Zwickel and Bendell 1967) were effective to initially capture blue grouse for telemetry instrumentation. Additional methods became necessary to recapture specific, instrumented grouse for postspray examination and for transmitter retrieval or replacement. This paper describes the use of mist-nets to recapture instrumented grouse. R. Pillmore of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided valuable advice and K. Sumanik, R. Wallestad, and N. Martin provided field assistance. MATERIALS AND METHODS A 4-ply, 4-inch mesh, black nylon net designed for ducks and large shore birds was employed. It has four shelves, measures 10 x 60 ft and is quite visible. The net was stretched between two telescoping fiberglass fishing poles that were hand held. The top and bottom shelf strings were secured to the tip and bottom section of the pole with adhesive tape. The loops on the other three shelf strings were slipped onto the poles but not secured. One man located the instrumented bird 1A contribution from Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project No. W-91-R, Montana, and Research Contract 14-16-0008-713, with the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, U. S. Department of the Interior. by telemetry and then directed the other two men to position the net. Since blue grouse normally flush downhill, the net was positioned 10-30 yards below the grouse. Grouse were then approached from uphill until flushed. Grouse that moved prior to flushing required re-positioning of the net. Although several multiple catches were made, grouse were usually captured singly. Only 3 to 5 minutes were required to set up or take down the net which was wrapped around the collapsed poles when not in use. The mist-net was purchased from the Bleitz Wildlife Foundation, Hollywood, California, at a cost of $10.00. Telescoping fiberglass poles of 12-ft length are available at sporting goods and hardware stores at a cost of about $5.00 each.
Nearly one third of adults in the ‘healthy’ BMI range are at early cardiometabolic risk according to their waist-to-height ratio

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recently acknowledged the potential value of waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) as a proxy for central adipose tissue and a marker for ‘early health risk’ and calls for further studies ]. We used recent data (2016) from the Health Survey for England (HSE) to explore the impact of WHtR in adults in the ‘healthy’ BMI range i.e. BMI between 18.5 and 25kg/m. We compared levels of three risk factors: HbA1c, TC:HDL ratio, and systolic blood pressure (SBP), according to WHtR. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, waist circumference) were taken by trained nurses. Waist circumference (WC) was measured at the midpoint between the lower rib and the upper margin of the iliac crest. Data were weighted to account for unequal selection and non-response to the nurse visit. Differences in risk factors were tested using GLM adjusted for age, sex and BMI. The percentage of adults in the ‘healthy’ BMI range, but with WHtR >=0.5, was 31 % (males 36 %, females 27 %). Compared with adults who had WHtR < 0.5, these people were significantly older, (mean 54 vs. 37yr) heavier (67 vs. 64kg), shorter (167 vs. 170cm), had higher BMI (23.7 vs. 22.0 kg/m) and were more likely to be male (52 % vs 43 %) (all P < 0.001). Most importantly, levels of the three risk factors were significantly higher in those with a high WHtR (Table). Results were the same for both sexes (data not shown). After adjustment for age, sex and BMI in fully adjusted models with interactions, differences in the three cardiometabolic risk factors remained statistically significant: (HbA1c + 1.2mmol/ml; TC:HDL ratio + 0.5; SBP + 3.4mmHg).
Objective shade matching, communication, and reproduction by combining dental photography and numeric shade quantification.

OBJECTIVE The subject of this case report is the application of a newly developed workflow for objective shade communication sans visual shade assessment or the use of shade guides. CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS Clinical complications stemming from issues relating to esthetic integration can present a burden on the restorative team, often resulting in strenuous relationships among its members. The faithful imitation of the optical appearance of dental hard tissues with direct- and indirect restorations has been at the center of interest in a great number of publications from the realm of esthetic dentistry over the past 40 years. The present report describes a new approach to objective shade communication, by transcending the role of dental photography from its purely descriptive purpose to the level of quantification, thus abandoning the use of the established shading regimes and replacing them with a patient personal shade recipe based on the CIELAB color space instead. CONCLUSIONS Objective shade communication is possible with the eLAB system by combining numeric shade quantification with dental photography. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The eLAB system presents a viable alternative to the traditional approach to shade communication and shade matching in dentistry.
Do antioxidants improve serum sex hormones and total motile sperm count in idiopathic infertile men?

OBJECTIVE Reactive oxygen species reduce the male sex hormone levels and disrupt the hormonal balance that regulates male reproductive functions. They disrupt spermatozoa and other testicular cells. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of antioxidant treatment on serum gonadal hormones and sperm parameters in men with idiopathic infertility. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 100 idiopathic infertile men aged 23-46 years were included in the study. Control group and antioxidant treatment group consisted of 50 men each. Patients in the treatment group received oral antioxidant supplement once a day. The antioxidant supplement content included L-carnitine, L-arginine, vitamin E, vitamin C, coenzyme Q, glutathione, beta-carotene, magnesium, vitamin B12, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin D3, folic acid, and selenium. Reproductive hormones and sperm parameters were compared between the groups at 6 months after starting the antioxidant therapy. RESULTS No significant differences were observed in the patient age (p=0.861), partner age (p=0.081), total motile sperm count (TMSC) (p=0.324), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (p=0.557), luteinizing hormone (LH) (p=0.235), and total testosterone levels (p=0.851) at baseline between the treatment and control groups. Although the mean TMSC did not increase significantly, the mean FSH (p=0.008), LH (p=0.008), and total testosterone (p=0.006) levels significantly increased from baseline to post-treatment in the treatment group. However, no significant differences from baseline to post-treatment were observed in TMSC (p=0.486), FSH (p=0.712), LH (p=0.696), and total testosterone levels (p=0.546) in the control group. CONCLUSION The research draws attention to the alternate treatment approaches in infertile men. Antioxidant treatment can increase the serum sex hormone levels.