bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Monocular‐SLAM–based navigation for autonomous micro helicopters in GPS‐denied environments
Authors: Weiss Stephan , Scaramuzza Davide , Siegwart Roland 
Published: October 2011

AbstractAutonomous micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) will soon play a major role in tasks such as search and rescue, environment monitoring, surveillance, and inspection. They allow us to easily access environments to which no humans or other vehicles can get access. This reduces the risk for both the people and the environment. For the above applications, it is, however, a requirement that the vehicle is able to navigate without using GPS, or without relying on a preexisting map, or without specific assumptions about the environment. This will allow operations in unstructured, unknown, and GPS‐denied environments. We present a novel solution for the task of autonomous navigation of a micro helicopter through a completely unknown environment by using solely a single camera and inertial sensors onboard. Many existing solutions suffer from the problem of drift in the xy plane or from the dependency on a clean GPS signal. The novelty in the here‐presented approach is to use a monocular simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) framework to stabilize the vehicle in six degrees of freedom. This way, we overcome the problem of both the drift and the GPS dependency. The pose estimated by the visual SLAM algorithm is used in a linear optimal controller that allows us to perform all basic maneuvers such as hovering, set point and trajectory following, vertical takeoff, and landing. All calculations including SLAM and controller are running in real time and online while the helicopter is flying. No offline processing or preprocessing is done. We show real experiments that demonstrate that the vehicle can fly autonomously in an unknown and unstructured environment. To the best of our knowledge, the here‐presented work describes the first aerial vehicle that uses onboard monocular vision as a main sensor to navigate through an unknown GPS‐denied environment and independently of any external artificial aids. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development of leg‐track hybrid locomotion to traverse loose slopes and irregular terrain
Authors: Nagatani Keiji , Kinoshita Hiroaki , Yoshida Kazuya , Tadakuma Kenjiro , Koyanagi Eiji 
Published: October 2011

AbstractA track mechanism has high mobility on irregular terrain and is typically used as a locomotion mechanism for all‐terrain robots. To increase its traversal ability, subtracks (additional actuated tracks that change its mounting angles) are effective, and recently many small‐sized tracked vehicles have used such mechanisms. The performance of track mechanisms is also typically much better than that of wheeled mechanisms on loose soil. However, they sometimes slip while traversing slopes composed of loose soil. To realize high mobility on weak soil, we developed a new locomotion mechanism, referred to as surface‐contact‐type locomotion. It uses a simple legged mechanism that has a wide contact area with the ground so as not to corrupt the contact surface. However, it has the disadvantage of low mobility on irregular terrain. To solve the problem of the above trade‐off, we developed the leg‐track hybrid locomotion mechanism by fusing the two locomotion mechanisms. It consists of three track modules. It mounts six actuators: three motors for standard tracked locomotion, two motors for subtrack motion to change mounting angles, and one motor for simple legged motion. To validate the mechanism, we conducted indoor and outdoor experiments. In this paper, we introduce the simple legged mechanism and discuss its stability, detail the developed leg‐track hybrid mechanism, and report some experimental results. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Shared autonomy system for tracked vehicles on rough terrain based on continuous three‐dimensional terrain scanning
Authors: Okada Yoshito , Nagatani Keiji , Yoshida Kazuya , Tadokoro Satoshi , Yoshida Tomoaki , Koyanagi Eiji 
Published: October 2011

AbstractTracked vehicles are frequently used as search‐and‐rescue robots for exploring disaster areas. To enhance their ability to traverse rough terrain, some of these robots are equipped with swingable subtracks. However, manual control of such subtracks also increases the operator's workload, particularly in teleoperation with limited camera views. To eliminate this trade‐off, we have developed a shared autonomy system using an autonomous controller for subtracks that is based on continuous three‐dimensional terrain scanning. Using this system, the operator has only to specify the direction of travel to the robot, following which the robot traverses rough terrain using autonomously generated subtrack motions. In our system, real‐time terrain slices near the robot are obtained using two or three LIDAR (laser imaging detection and ranging) sensors, and these terrain slices are integrated to generate three‐dimensional terrain information. In this paper, we introduce an autonomous controller for subtracks and validate the reliability of a shared autonomy system on actual rough terrains through experimental results. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The search for asterisks: Compromised statistical tests and flawed theories
Authors: Bettis Richard A. 
Published: October 2011

AbstractThis paper discusses repeated tests and the resultant reporting of statistical significance when it is actually not present. These errors interact with professional norms such as biases against both replication studies and ‘non‐results’ to undermine the efficacy of our base of empirically tested theory. This raises serious issues for the future of strategic management research. Suggestions are made for dealing with these issues substantively and in terms of professional norms. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Efficacy of Lateral Neck Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Lee Se Kyung , Kim Sung Hoon , Hur Sung Mo , Choe Jun‐Ho , Kim Jung‐Han , Kim Jee Soo 
Published: October 2011

AbstractBackgroundAlthough occult lymph node metastasis to the lateral neck compartment is common in papillary thyroid carcinoma, the incidence and patterns of lateral neck node metastasis in papillary carcinoma are not known. We hypothesized that sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) with radioisotope in the detection of occult lateral neck node metastasis would be useful in characterizing metastasis in papillary carcinoma.MethodsNinety‐four patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma were included from June 2009 to March 2010 for lateral neck SLNB. Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy was obtained after intratumoral injection of a 99mTc‐tin colloid under ultrasound guidance. Total thyroidectomy or lobectomy preceded SLN detection to avoid radioactivity interference with the primary tumor, after which SLNB was performed in the lateral neck nodes. In the cases where metastasis was detected in SLNs upon frozen biopsy, an immediate modified radical neck node dissection was performed.ResultsA total of 174 SLNs were identified in 60 patients (63.8%). The identification rate of the SLNs with isotope increased with time. Sentinel lymph node metastasis was found in 19 patients (31.7%). This clinically occult metastasis was only related to the total number of metastatic LNs in the central compartment. Patient age, gender, tumor size, location, extent of tumor invasion, multiplicity, and presence of thyroiditis were not related to metastasis in the lateral compartment. Detection of lateral neck SLNs upon biopsy with radioisotope was also feasible in level II and contralateral neck.ConclusionsSentinel lymph node biopsy is a useful method for evaluating the occult lateral neck lymph node status in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma, especially in the cases of central neck node metastasis.
Contributions of phonological and verbal working memory to language development in adolescents with fragile X syndrome
Authors: Pierpont Elizabeth I. , Richmond Erica Kesin , Abbeduto Leonard , Kover Sara T. , Brown W. Ted 
Published: October 2011

Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability. Although language delays are frequently observed in FXS, neither the longitudinal course of language development nor its cognitive predictors are well understood. The present study investigated whether phonological and working memory skills are predictive of growth in vocabulary and syntax in individuals with FXS during adolescence. Forty-four individuals with FXS (mean age = 12.61 years) completed assessments of phonological memory (nonword repetition and forward digit recall), verbal working memory (backward digit recall), vocabulary, syntax, and nonverbal cognition. Vocabulary and syntax skills were reassessed at a 2-year follow-up. In a series of analyses that controlled for nonverbal cognitive ability and severity of autism symptoms, the relative contributions of phonological and working memory to language change over time were investigated. These relationships were examined separately for boys and girls. In boys with FXS, phonological memory significantly predicted gains in vocabulary and syntax skills. Further, verbal working memory was uniquely associated with vocabulary gains among boys. In girls with FXS, phonological and working memory skills showed no relationship with language change across the 2-year time period. Our findings indicate that, for adolescent boys with FXS, acquisition of vocabulary and syntax may be constrained by the ability to maintain and manipulate phonological representations online. Implications for the identification and treatment of language disorders in this population are discussed. The present study is the first to identify specific cognitive mechanisms contributing to language growth over time in individuals with FXS.
The impact of home-prepared diets and home oral hygiene on oral health in cats and dogs
Authors: Buckley Catherine , Colyer Alison , Skrzywanek Michal , Jodkowska Katarzyna , Kurski Grzegorz , Gawor Jerzy , Ceregrzyn Michal 
Published: October 2011

Many factors influence the oral health status of cats and dogs. The present study aimed to elucidate the influence of feeding home-prepared (HP) foodv.commercial pet food on oral health parameters in these animals and to investigate the effect of home oral hygiene on oral health. The study surveyed 17 184 dogs and 6371 cats visiting over 700 Polish veterinary surgeries in 2006–7 during a Pet Smile activity organised by the Polish Small Animal Veterinary Association. All animals underwent conscious examinations to assess dental deposits, size of mandibular lymph nodes and gingival health. An oral health index (OHI) ranging from 0 to 8 was calculated for each animal by combining examination scores, where 0 indicates good oral health and 8 indicates poorest oral health. Information was collected on age, diet and home oral hygiene regimens. There was a significant effect of diet on the OHI (P < 0·001) whereby feeding the HP diet increased the probability of an oral health problem in both cats and dogs. There was a significant beneficial effect of feeding only commercial pet food compared with the HP diet when at least part of the diet was composed of dry pet food. Daily tooth brushing or the offering of daily dental treats were both effective in significantly reducing the OHI in both cats and dogs compared with those receiving sporadic or no home oral hygiene. Feeding only a dry diet was beneficial for oral health in cats and dogs. Tooth brushing and the offering of dental treats were very effective in maintaining oral health, provided they were practised daily.
Genetic differences in the serum proteome of horses, donkeys and mules are detectable by protein profiling
Authors: Henze Andrea , Aumer Franziska , Grabner Arthur , Raila Jens , Schweigert Florian J. 
Published: October 2011

Although horses and donkeys belong to the same genus, their genetic characteristics probably result in specific proteomes and post-translational modifications (PTM) of proteins. Since PTM can alter protein properties, specific PTM may contribute to species-specific characteristics. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyse differences in serum protein profiles of horses and donkeys as well as mules, which combine the genetic backgrounds of both species. Additionally, changes in PTM of the protein transthyretin (TTR) were analysed. Serum protein profiles of each species (five animals per species) were determined using strong anion exchanger ProteinChips® (Bio-Rad, Munich, Germany) in combination with surface-enhanced laser desorption ionisation-time of flight MS. The PTM of TTR were analysed subsequently by immunoprecipitation in combination with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time of flight MS. Protein profiling revealed species-specific differences in the proteome, with some protein peaks present in all three species as well as protein peaks that were unique for donkeys and mules, horses and mules or for horses alone. The molecular weight of TTR of horses and donkeys differed by 30 Da, and both species revealed several modified forms of TTR besides the native form. The mass spectra of mules represented a merging of TTR spectra of horses and donkeys. In summary, the present study indicated that there are substantial differences in the proteome of horses and donkeys. Additionally, the results probably indicate that the proteome of mules reveal a higher similarity to donkeys than to horses.
Postprandial glucose and insulin profiles following a glucose-loaded meal in cats and dogs
Authors: Hewson-Hughes Adrian K. , Gilham Matthew S. , Upton Sarah , Colyer Alison , Butterwick Richard , Miller Andrew T. 
Published: October 2011

Data from intravenous (i.v.) glucose tolerance tests suggest that glucose clearance from the blood is slower in cats than in dogs. Since different physiological pathways are activated following oral administration compared with i.v. administration, we investigated the profiles of plasma glucose and insulin in cats and dogs following ingestion of a test meal with or without glucose. Adult male and female cats and dogs were fed either a high-protein (HP) test meal (15 g/kg body weight; ten cats and eleven dogs) or a HP+glucose test meal (13 g/kg body-weight HP diet+2 g/kg body-weightd-glucose; seven cats and thirteen dogs) following a 24 h fast. Marked differences in plasma glucose and insulin profiles were observed in cats and dogs following ingestion of the glucose-loaded meal. In cats, mean plasma glucose concentration reached a peak at 120 min (10·2, 95 % CI 9·7, 10·8 mmol/l) and returned to baseline by 240 min, but no statistically significant change in plasma insulin concentration was observed. In dogs, mean plasma glucose concentration reached a peak at 60 min (6·3, 95 % CI 5·9, 6·7 mmol/l) and returned to baseline by 90 min, while plasma insulin concentration was significantly higher than pre-meal values from 30 to 120 min following the glucose-loaded meal. These results indicate that cats are not as efficient as dogs at rapidly decreasing high blood glucose levels and are consistent with a known metabolic adaptation of cats, namely a lack of glucokinase, which is important for both insulin secretion and glucose uptake from the blood.
Plasma oestrogen changes in adult male cats after orchiectomy, body-weight gain and low-dosage oestradiol administration
Authors: Backus Robert 
Published: October 2011

The physiological relevance of oestradiol (E2) on post-orchiectomy (OX) food intake control was evaluated in six adult, male, domestic, short-hair cats. Jugular venous plasma E2 and oestrone (E1) concentrations were determined weekly before OX and immediately after OX in a cross-over trial of two 3-week periods in which E2 (0·5 μg) or vehicle (0·1 ml/kg) was subcutaneously injected daily and blood was sampled 4 h later. Plasma E1 and E2 concentrations before OX were 32 (se 8·3) and 4·3 (se 1·0) pg/ml, respectively. Following OX, plasma concentrations of E2 were decreased (P = 0·04) while those of E1 were unchanged. Injections of E2 increased (P = 0·02) plasma E2 towards pre-OX concentrations. In a second cross-over trial, plasma E1 and E2 were determined weekly during the last 3 weeks of two 8-week periods in which food was continuously presented or restricted to 110 % of pre-OX amounts. Continuous food presentation compared with restricted food presentation resulted in greater body weight (6·4 (se 0·4) v. 5·4 (se 0·4) kg, P = 0·02) and body fat percentage (29 (se 3) v. 23 (se 2) %, P = 0·09) but no significant changes were observed in plasma E1 and E2 concentrations. Hence, circulating E2 appears to be reduced by OX, while it is not significantly changed by body-fat gain. The amount of E2 injected after OX was not supraphysiological; it restored plasma E2 to pre-OX concentrations and reduced food intake in five of the six cats by a mean of 14 (se 3) %.
Effect of dietary water intake on urinary output, specific gravity and relative supersaturation for calcium oxalate and struvite in the cat
Authors: Buckley Catherine M. F. , Hawthorne Amanda , Colyer Alison , Stevenson Abigail E. 
Published: October 2011

It has been reported that daily fluid intake influences urinary dilution, and consequently the risk of urolithiasis in human subjects and dogs. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of dietary moisture on urinary parameters in healthy adult cats by comparing nutritionally standardised diets, varying only in moisture content. A total of six cats were fed a complete dry food (6·3 % moisture) hydrated to 25·4, 53·2 and 73·3 % moisture for 3 weeks in a randomised block cross-over design. Urinary specific gravity (SG), urine volume, water drunk and total fluid intake were measured daily; relative supersaturation (RSS) for calcium oxalate (CaOx) and struvite was calculated using the SUPERSAT computer program. Cats fed the 73·3 % moisture diet produced urine with a significantly lower SG (P < 0·001) compared with diets containing 53·2 % moisture or lower. Mean RSS for CaOx was approaching the undersaturated zone (1·14 (sem0·21);P = 0·001) for cats fed the diet with 73·3 % moisture and significantly lower than the 6·3 % moisture diet (CaOx RSS 2·29 (sem 0·21)). The effect of diet on struvite RSS was less clear, with no significant difference between treatment groups. Total fluid intake was significantly increased (P < 0·001) in the 73·3 % moisture diet (144·7 (sem 5·2) ml, or 30 ml/kg body weight per d) compared with the 6·3 % (103·4 (sem 5·3) ml), 25·4 % (98·6 (sem 5·3) ml) and 53·3 % (104·7 (sem 5·3) ml) moisture diets, despite voluntary water intake decreasing as dietary moisture intake increased. Cats fed the 73·3 % moisture diet had a higher total daily fluid intake resulting in a more dilute urine with a lower risk of CaOx when compared with the lower-moisture diets.
Cross-sectional study to investigate the association between vitamin D status and cutaneous mast cell tumours in Labrador retrievers
Authors: Wakshlag Joseph J. , Rassnick Kenneth M. , Malone Erin K. , Struble Angela M. , Vachhani Priyanka , Trump Donald L. , Tian Lili 
Published: October 2011

Epidemiological data indicate that low serum vitamin D concentrations are associated with an increased risk of a variety of human tumours. Cutaneous mast cell tumours (MCT) occur more frequently in dogs than in any other species. Canine MCT express the vitamin D receptor, and vitamin D derivatives have in vitro and in vivo anti-tumour activity. We sought to examine the association between vitamin D serum level and MCT in Labrador retrievers, a dog breed predisposed to MCT development. To examine this association, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) concentrations were examined in eighty-seven Labrador retrievers, including thirty-three with MCT and fifty-four unaffected controls. The relationship between cases and controls and 25(OH)D3 level, age and body condition score were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. Potential differences in vitamin D oral intake, calculated on the basis of a dietary questionnaire, were also evaluated between groups. Mean 25(OH)D3 concentration (104 (sd 30) nmol/l) in dogs with MCT was significantly lower than that of unaffected dogs (120 (sd 35) nmol/l; P = 0·027). The mean calculated vitamin D intake per kg body weight in Labrador retrievers with MCT was not statistically different from that of unaffected Labrador retrievers (0·38 (sd 0·25) and 0·31 (sd 0·22) μg/kg body weight, respectively; P = 0·13). These findings suggest that low levels of 25(OH)D3 might be a risk factor for MCT in Labrador retrievers. Prospective cohort studies are warranted.
Birth weight and postnatal growth of pure-bred kittens
Authors: Moik Katja , Kienzle Ellen 
Published: October 2011

Data on body weight of pure-bred kittens (Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat, Birman, Persian, Siamese/Oriental Shorthair Cat) from birth (n 245) to 12 weeks of age (n 135) were obtained from breeders. Absolute birth weight (in g) was higher in larger breeds than in smaller breeds, whereas relative birth weight (in % of mature female weight) tended to be higher in smaller breeds (Maine Coon 115 g, 2·3 %; Norwegian Forest Cat 106 g, 2·7 %; Birman 97 g, 2·8 %; Siamese 92 g, 2·8 %; Persian 82 g, 3·2 %). Relative birth weight was lower than that described in the literature for colony cats. Relative litter weight was highest in Norwegian Forest Cats (14·6 (sd 1·8) %; n 10) and lowest in Birmans (8·8 (sd 3·1) %, n 7; P < 0·05); the other breeds were in-between (11·9 (sd 2·0) %; n 19). Absolute growth was faster in larger breeds than in smaller breeds. In relation to expected mature weight, there was good agreement with data from colony cats but no clear-cut effect of breed size. There appeared to be a trend to an earlier onset of sexual dimorphism in larger breeds.
Effects on nutrient intake of a family-based intervention to promote increased consumption of low-fat starchy foods through education, cooking skills and personalised goal setting: the Family Food and Health Project
Authors: Curtis Peter J. , Adamson Ashley J. , Mathers John C. 
Published: October 2011

Reducing the prevalence of fat-rich, energy-dense diets is a public health priority. The present parallel-designed randomised study compared three interventions aimed to increase intakes of low-fat starchy foods and to reduce fat intakes among 589 individuals from 169 families in the Family Food and Health Project (FFHP). Intervention A was education only, intervention B provided ‘cook and eat’ sessions only, whereas intervention C included personalised goal setting, ‘cook and eat’ and education. Diet was assessed at baseline (T0) and at 3 months (T1), 6 months (T2) and 18 months (T3) post-intervention. Retention rates were 75 % atT1, 63 % atT2and 40 % atT3. ANCOVA (baseline intake as covariate) was assessed between intervention differences atT1,T2andT3. AtT1, individuals in intervention C consumed less fat (P = 0·02) and more total carbohydrate (P = 0·001), starch (P = 0·04) vitamin C (P = 0·002) and NSP (P = 0·01) than those in intervention A. Whereas similar dietary intakes were reported across interventions atT2, participants in intervention C had less energy-dense diets that contained more NSP and vitamin C atT3than intervention A (P < 0·0001,P = 0·002 andP = 0·01, respectively). Across all intervention groups, the more socially deprived participants in the FFHP (n119) consumed less fat (P = 0·01) and more total carbohydrate (P = 0·02) atT2than the least socially deprived (n240). These data demonstrate the importance of personalised goal setting to translate knowledge and practical cooking skills into healthier food choices, suggesting that low-fat starchy food-focused interventions may be effective in reducing fat intake.