Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ReHand - a portable assistive rehabilitation hand exoskeleton

This dissertation presents a synthesis of a novel underactuated exoskeleton (namely ReHand2) thought and designed for a task-oriented rehabilitation and/or for empower the human hand. The first part of this dissertation shows the current context about the robotic rehabilitation with a focus on hand pathologies, which influence the hand capability. The chapter is concluded with the presentation of ReHand2. The second chapter describes the human hand biomechanics. Starting from the definition of human hand anatomy, passing through anthropometric data, to taxonomy on hand grasps and finger constraints, both from static and dynamic point of view. In addition, some information about the hand capability are given. The third chapter analyze the current state of the art in hand exoskeleton for rehabilitation and empower tasks. In particular, the chapter presents exoskeleton technologies, from mechanisms to sensors, passing though transmission and actuators. Finally, the current state of the art in terms of prototype and commercial products is presented. The fourth chapter introduces the concepts of underactuation with the basic explanation and the classical notation used typically in the prosthetic field. In addition, the chapter describe also the most used differential elements in the prosthetic, follow by a statical analysis. Moreover typical transmission tree at inter-finger level as well as the intra- finger underactuation are explained . The fifth chapter presents the prototype called ReHand summarizing the device description and explanation of the working principle. It describes also the kinetostatic analysis for both, inter- and the intra-finger modules. in the last section preliminary results obtained with the exoskeleton are shown and discussed, attention is pointed out on prototype's problems that have carry out at the second version of the device. The sixth chapter describes the evolution of ReHand, describing the kinematics and dynamics behaviors. In particular, for the mathematical description is introduced the notation used in order to analyze and optimize the geometry of the entire device. The introduced model is also implemented in Matlab Simulink environment. Finally, the chapter presents the new features. The seventh chapter describes the test bench and the methodologies used to evaluate the device statical, and dynamical performances. The chapter presents and discuss the experimental results and compare them with simulated one. Finally in the last chapter the conclusion about the ReHand project are proposed as well as the future development. In particular, the idea to test de device in relevant environments. In addition some preliminary considerations about the thumb and the wrist are introduced, exploiting the possibility to modify the entire layout of the device, for instance changing the actuator location
Missing-Data Imputation in Nonstationary Panel Data Models

A linear interpolation (Lerp) approach, utilizing a common stochastic trend, is explored to impute missing values in nonstationary panel data models. The Lerp algorithm is considerably faster and easier to use than the leading methods recommended in the statistics literature. It shows through a set of simulations that the Lerp works well, whereas other existing methods fail to perform properly, when the panel data contain a high degree of missingness and/or a strong correlation across cross-sectional units. As an illustration, the method is applied to study the cost-of-living-index dataset with missing values. The test on the imputed panel data provides the supporting evidence for the U.S. economy convergence that depends on the state physical spatial proximities and the state industrial development similarities.
Measurement of 3-D position and orientation of a robot using ultrasonic waves

A system for measuring the 3-D position and orientation of a robot hand using ultrasonic waves is proposed. The principle is a triangulation using distances between transmitters attached to a robot and receivers placed around the robot's work space. An electric spark discharge which works as a nondirectional point source of ultrasound is used as a transmitter. This system is simple and economical compared with that using laser beams or light-emitting diodes. The accuracy is good because it measures distances directly from the transit time of an ultrasonic pulse. The relationship between the accuracy and the number of receivers is discussed, and the possibilities of automatic tracking of a moving transmitter are examined. <<ETX>>
Telomeres, the loop tying cancer to organismal life‐histories

Recent developments in telomere and cancer evolutionary ecology demonstrate a very complex relationship between the need of tissue repair and controlling the emergence of abnormally proliferating cells. The trade‐off is balanced by natural and sexual selection and mediated via both intrinsic and environmental factors. Here, we explore the effects of telomere‐cancer dynamics on life history traits and strategies as well as on the cumulative effects of genetic and environmental factors. We show that telomere‐cancer dynamics constitute an incredibly complex and multifaceted process. From research to date, it appears that the relationship between telomere length and cancer risk is likely nonlinear with good evidence that both (too) long and (too) short telomeres can be associated with increased cancer risk. The ability and propensity of organisms to respond to the interplay of telomere dynamics and oncogenic processes, depends on the combination of its tissue environments, life history strategies, environmental challenges (i.e., extreme climatic conditions), pressure by predators and pollution, as well as its evolutionary history. Consequently, precise interpretation of telomere‐cancer dynamics requires integrative and multidisciplinary approaches. Finally, incorporating information on telomere dynamics and the expression of tumour suppressor genes and oncogenes could potentially provide the synergistic overview that could lay the foundations to study telomere‐cancer dynamics at ecosystem levels.
Neurocognitive and radiological changes after cranial radiation therapy in humans and rodents: a systematic review

Abstract Background Radiation-induced brain injury is a common long-term side effect for brain cancer survivors, leading to a reduced quality of life. Although there is growing research pertaining to this topic, the relationship between cognitive and radiologically detected lesions of radiation-induced brain injury in humans remains unclear. Furthermore, clinically translatable similarities between rodent models and human findings are also undefined. The objective of this review is to then identify the current evidence of radiation-induced brain injury in humans and to compare these findings to current rodent models of radiation-induced brain injury. Methods This review includes an examination of the current literature on cognitive and radiological characteristics of radiation-induced brain injury in humans and rodents. A thorough search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus to identify studies that performed cognitive assessments and magnetic resonance imaging techniques on either humans or rodents after cranial radiation therapy. A qualitative synthesis of the data is herein reported. Results A total of 153 studies pertaining to cognitively or radiologically detected radiation injury of the brain are included in this systematic review; 106 studies provided data on humans while 47 studies provided data on rodents. Cognitive deficits in humans manifest across multiple domains after brain irradiation. Radiological evidence in humans highlight various neuroimaging-detectable changes post-irradiation. It is unclear, however, whether these findings reflect ground truth or research interests. Additionally, rodent models do not comprehensively reproduce characteristics of cognitive and radiological injury currently identified in humans. Conclusion This systematic review demonstrates that associations between and within cognitive and radiological radiation-induced brain injuries often rely on the type of assessment. Well-designed studies that evaluate the spectrum of potential injury are required for a precise understanding of not only the clinical significance of radiation-induced brain injury in humans, but also how to replicate injury development in pre-clinical models.
A Model Comparison Method In Digital Inspection Of Railway Track Wear

Railway track condition has its importance in relation to the driving safety and transport capacity of railways, and its inspection is a crucial task for railway maintenance. Rail wear directly influences wheel-rail contact and the life of rail tracks, so precise and effective inspection of railway wear is a continuous demand. In this paper, a comparison method between point clouds from a structured lightscanner and CAD models of the rail is proposed for railway track wear measurement. With the segmentation algorithm based on Euclidean clustering and random sample consensus (RANSAC), the wheel-rail and non-wheel-rail contact profile are extracted for the alignment. Comparing the measured data and CAD model, random points sampling from CAD models is conducted to generate enough points for the data alignment. In the coarse registration, the curvature of the rail profile is utilized for the point feature histogram (PFH) generation. In the fine registration, the points on non-wheel-rail contact profiles are utilized in the ICP algorithm. To verify the effectiveness of the model comparison, the analysis from software Geomagic Qualify is referenced. It proves that the model comparison method can provide the fundamental support for railway track wear evaluation.
V-ATPase is a universal regulator of LC3-associated phagocytosis and non-canonical autophagy

Hooper et al. report on the role and regulation of V-ATPase in the activation of non-canonical autophagy, including LC3-associated phagocytosis. They reveal new insights into how V-ATPase V0-V1 engagement recruits the autophagy protein ATG16L1 to direct the conjugation of ATG8 to single membranes.
Deterrence in cyberspace: different domain, different rules

Overview In a society that’s now reliant on cyberspace for everyday life, and when everything from cars, electricity grids and dams to weapons systems is connected to a network, the potential effects of malicious or aggressive actions in cyberspace warrant some justified concern. This paper examines the application of deterrence concepts to cyberspace, discusses cybersecurity implications for broader deterrence frameworks, and makes policy recommendations to enhance cybersecurity and strengthen broader deterrence postures.
A Light‐Hole Germanium Quantum Well on Silicon

The quiet quantum environment of holes in solid‐state devices is at the core of increasingly reliable architectures for quantum processors and memories. However, due to the lack of scalable materials to properly tailor the valence band character and its energy offsets, the precise engineering of light‐hole (LH) states remains a serious obstacle toward coherent optical photon–spin interfaces needed for a direct mapping of the quantum information encoded in photon flying qubits to stationary spin processors. Herein, to alleviate this long‐standing limitation, an all‐group‐IV low‐dimensional system is demonstrated, consisting of a highly tensile strained germanium quantum well grown on silicon allowing new degrees of freedom to control and manipulate the hole states. Wafer‐level, high bi‐isotropic in‐plane tensile strain (<1%) is achieved using strain‐engineered, metastable germanium–tin alloyed buffer layers yielding quantum wells with LH ground state, high g‐factor anisotropy, and a tunable splitting of the hole sub‐bands. The epitaxial heterostructures display sharp interfaces with sub‐nanometer broadening and show room‐temperature excitonic transitions that are modulated and extended to the mid‐wave infrared by controlling strain and thickness. This ability to engineer quantum structures with LH selective confinement and controllable optical response enables manufacturable silicon‐compatible platforms relevant to integrated quantum communication and sensing technologies.
Using standard-length compactors to implant short humeral stems in total shoulder arthroplasty: A cadaver study of humeral stem alignment

Background Short-stem implants in shoulder arthroplasty were recently developed and reported clinical outcomes are good. However, radiological analysis often reveals humeral stem misalignment in the frontal plane, along with high filling ratios that can lead to proximal bone remodeling under stress shielding. The aim of this cadaveric study was to test whether using compactors for standard-length (> 100 mm) stems to implant short (< 100 mm) stems reduces the risk of stem misalignment without compromising in terms of a higher filling ratio. Methods In a cadaveric study, twenty short stems were implanted using instrumentation for standard-length stems. Alignment and filling ratios were evaluated on anteroposterior radiographs for both the compactors and the stems. The angular deviations (α) from the humeral axis of the compactors and the short stems were measured. Misalignment was defined as |α| > 5°. Metaphyseal and diaphyseal filling ratios were calculated and defined as either high (≥ 0.7) or low (< 0.7). Results The median angular deviations of the compactors and the short stems were respectively 1.6° (range, 0.03 to 5.9°) and 1.3° (range, 0.3 to 9.6°). Nineteen of the 20 compactors (95%) and 17/20 short stems (85%) were correctly aligned. The proportions of correctly aligned compactors and stems were not significantly different (95% CI, −0.33 to 0.11; Z-test of proportions p = .60), and the respective angular deviations were significantly correlated (Spearman ρ = .60, p = 0.006). The diaphyseal and metaphyseal filling ratios of the compactors and the stems were all low. Conclusions In this series of 20 implants in cadavers, the narrow short humeral stems implanted with compactors for standard-length stems were correctly aligned with the humeral axis. This approach may be a way to achieve both correct frontal alignment and low filling ratios.
The integrated defense system: optimizing defense against predators, pathogens and poisons.

Insects, like other animals, have evolved defense responses to protect against predators, pathogens and poisons (i.e. toxins). This paper provides evidence that these three defense responses (i.e. fight-or-flight, immune and detoxification responses) function together as part of an Integrated Defense System (IDS) in insects. The defense responses against predators, pathogens and poisons are deeply intertwined. They share organs, resources and signaling molecules. By connecting defense responses into an Integrated Defense System, animals gain flexibility and resilience. Resources can be redirected across fight-or-flight, immune and detoxification defenses to optimize an individual's response to the current challenges facing it. At the same time, the IDS reconfigures defense responses that are losing access to resources, allowing them to maintain as much function as possible despite decreased resource availability. An IDS perspective provides an adaptive explanation for paradoxical phenomena such as stress-induced immunosuppression, and the observation that exposure to a single challenge typically leads to an increase in the expression of genes for all 3 defense responses. Further exploration of the IDS will require more studies examining how defense responses to a range of stressors are interconnected in a variety of species. Such studies should target pollinators and agricultural pests. These studies will be critical for predicting how insects will respond to multiple stressors, such as simultaneous anthropogenic threats, e.g. climate change and pesticides.
Giga Graph Cities: Their Buckets, Buildings, Waves, and Fragments

Graph Cities are the 3-D visual representations of partitions of a graph edge set into maximal connected subgraphs, each of which is called a fixed point of degree peeling. Each such connected subgraph is visually represented as a Building. A polylog bucketization of the size distribution of the subgraphs represented by the buildings generates a 2-D position for each bucket. The Delaunay triangulation of the bucket building locations determines the street network. We illustrate Graph Cities for the Friendster social network (1.8 billion edges), a co-occurrence keywords network derived from the Internet Movie Database (115 million edges), and a patent citation network (16.5 million edges). Up to 2 billion edges, all the elements of their corresponding Graph Cities are built in a few minutes (excluding I/O time). Our ultimate goal is to provide tools to build humanly interpretable descriptions of any graph, without being constrained by the graph size.
Efficacy and safety/tolerability of antipsychotics in the treatment of adult patients with major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Antipsychotics are widely used in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), but there has been no comprehensive meta-analytic assessment that examined their use as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy. Methods A systematic review and a meta-analysis were conducted on randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) that reported on the efficacy and safety/tolerability of antipsychotics for the treatment of adults with MDD. Data of both monotherapy and adjunctive antipsychotic use were extracted, but analyzed separately using a random-effects model. Co-primary outcomes were study-defined-treatment response and intolerability-related discontinuation. We also illustrated the risk/benefit balance of antipsychotics for MDD, using two-dimensional graphs representing the primary efficacy and safety/tolerability outcome. Secondary outcomes included psychopathology, remission, all-cause-discontinuation, inefficacy-related discontinuation, and adverse events. Results Forty-five RCTs with 12 724 patients were included in the analysis. In monotherapy (studies = 13, n = 4375), amisulpride [1.99 (1.55–2.55)], sulpiride [1.50 (1.03–2.17)], and quetiapine [1.48 (1.23–1.78)] were significantly superior to placebo regarding treatment response. However, intolerability-related discontinuations were significantly higher compared to placebo with amisulpride and quetiapine. In adjunctive therapy (studies = 32, n = 8349), ziprasidone [1.80 (1.07–3.04)], risperidone [1.59 (1.19–2.14)], aripiprazole [1.54 (1.35–1.76)], brexpiprazole [1.41 (1.21–1.66)], cariprazine [1.27 (1.07–1.52)], and quetiapine [1.23 (1.08–1.41)] were significantly superior to placebo regarding treatment response. However, of these antipsychotics that were superior to placebo, only risperidone was equivalent to placebo regarding discontinuation due to intolerability, while the other antipsychotics were inferior. Conclusion Results suggest that there are significant differences regarding the risk/benefit ratio among antipsychotics for MDD, which should inform clinical care.
Effects of Vest and Sled Resisted Sprint Training on Sprint Performance in Young Soccer Players: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract Fernández-Galván, LM, Casado, A, García-Ramos, A, and Haff, GG. Effects of vest and sled resisted sprint training on sprint performance in young soccer players: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res 36(7): 2023–2034, 2022—The aim of the meta-analysis was to determine the effect of resisted sprint training (RST) on sprint performance in young (<20 years) soccer players and to analyze whether the training equipment (sled or vest) and magnitude of the resistive load (above or below 20% of body mass [BM]) influences the long-term adaptations in sprint performance. Resisted sprint training reduced the acceleration phase time [standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.41], with greater reduction in sprint time occurring in response to applying resistance with a vest (SMD = −0.70) when compared with a sled (SMD = −0.27). Similar reductions were determined for resistive loads <20% (SMD = −0.55) and ≥20% of BM (SMD = −0.31). Full sprint time showed a small reduction after RST (SMD = −0.36), regardless of the training equipment (sled: SMD = −0.44; vest: SMD = −0.26) and resistive load (<20% of BM: SMD = −0.40 ≥ 20% of BM: SMD = −0.21). There was a small and nonsignificant reduction in the maximum-velocity phase after RST (SMD = −0.25), which was comparable when the training was performed with vest (SMD = −0.34) or sled (SMD = −0.22). No significant differences in the changes of the acceleration phase time (SMD = 0.05) or full sprint time (SMD = 0.08) were observed between the experimental (sled or vest RST) and control groups (only soccer or unresisted sprint training). In conclusion, RST is effective to improve sprint performance in young soccer players, but the improvements are not superior to unresisted sprint training.
Autosomal dominantly inherited myopathy likely caused by the TNNT1 variant p.(Asp65Ala)

Nemaline myopathies (NEMs) are genetically and clinically heterogenous. Biallelic or monoallelic variants in TNNT1, encoding slow skeletal troponin T1 (TnT1), cause NEM. We report a 2‐year‐old patient and his mother carrying the heterozygous TNNT1 variant c.194A>C/p.(Asp65Ala) that occurred de novo in the mother. Both had muscle hypotrophy and muscle weakness. Muscle pathology in the proband's mother revealed slow twitch type 1 fiber hypotrophy and fast twitch type 2 fiber hypertrophy that was confirmed by a reduced ratio of slow skeletal myosin to fast skeletal myosin type 2a. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting data demonstrated increased levels of high‐molecular‐weight TnT1 isoforms in skeletal muscle of the proband's mother that were also observed in some controls. In an overexpression system, complex formation of TnT1‐D65A with tropomyosin 3 (TPM3) was enhanced. The previously reported TnT1‐E104V and TnT1‐L96P mutants showed reduced or no co‐immunoprecipitation with TPM3. Our studies support pathogenicity of the TNNT1 p.(Asp65Ala) variant.
Cardiac glycosides stimulate endocytosis of GLUT1 via intracellular Na+,K+‐ATPase α3‐isoform in human cancer cells

Glucose transporter GLUT1 plays a primary role in the glucose metabolism of cancer cells. Here, we found that cardiac glycosides (CGs) such as ouabain, oleandrin, and digoxin, which are Na+,K+‐ATPase inhibitors, decreased the GLUT1 expression in the plasma membrane of human cancer cells (liver cancer HepG2, colon cancer HT‐29, gastric cancer MKN45, and oral cancer KB cells). The effective concentration of ouabain was lower than that for inhibiting the activity of Na+,K+‐ATPase α1‐isoform (α1NaK) in the plasma membrane. The CGs also inhibited [3H]2‐deoxy‐ d‐glucose uptake, lactate secretion, and proliferation of the cancer cells. In intracellular vesicles of human cancer cells, Na+,K+‐ATPase α3‐isoform (α3NaK) is abnormally expressed. Here, a low concentration of ouabain inhibited the activity of α3NaK. Knockdown of α3NaK significantly inhibited the ouabain‐decreased GLUT1 expression in HepG2 cells, while the α1NaK knockdown did not. Consistent with the results in human cancer cells, CGs had no effect on GLUT1 expression in rat liver cancer dRLh‐84 cells where α3NaK was not endogenously expressed. Interestingly, CGs decreased GLUT expression in the dRLh‐84 cells exogenously expressing α3NaK. In HepG2 cells, α3NaK was found to be colocalized with TPC1, a Ca2+‐releasing channel activated by nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP). The CGs‐decreased GLUT1 expression was significantly inhibited by a Ca2+ chelator, a Ca2+‐ATPase inhibitor, and a NAADP antagonist. The GLUT1 decrease was also attenuated by inhibitors of dynamin and phosphatidylinositol‐3 kinases (PI3Ks). In conclusion, the binding of CGs to intracellular α3NaK elicits the NAADP‐mediated Ca2+ mobilization followed by the dynamin‐dependent GLUT1 endocytosis in human cancer cells.