ABSTRACT
A bioinspired locomotion system for a quadruped robot is presented. Locomotion is achieved by a spiking neural network (SNN) that acts as a Central Pattern Generator (CPG) producing different locomotion patterns represented by their raster plots. To generate these patterns, the SNN is configured with specific parameters (synaptic weights and topologies), which were estimated by a metaheuristic method based on Christiansen Grammar Evolution (CGE). The system has been implemented and validated on two robot platforms; firstly, we tested our system on a quadruped robot and, secondly, on a hexapod one. In this last one, we simulated the case where two legs of the hexapod were amputated and its locomotion mechanism has been changed. For the quadruped robot, the control is performed by the spiking neural network implemented on an Arduino board with 35% of resource usage. In the hexapod robot, we used Spartan 6 FPGA board with only 3% of resource usage. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed system in both cases.
Subject(s)
Locomotion/physiology , Models, Neurological , Neural Networks, Computer , Robotics/instrumentation , Robotics/methods , Action Potentials/physiology , Artificial Intelligence , Computer Simulation , Humans , Neuronal Plasticity , Neurons/physiologySubject(s)
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell/secondary , Fluorine Radioisotopes , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Lymphatic Metastasis/diagnostic imaging , Multimodal Imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography , Radiopharmaceuticals , Skin Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Aged , Buttocks , Carcinoma, Merkel Cell/diagnostic imaging , Carcinoma, Merkel Cell/pathology , Carcinoma, Merkel Cell/surgery , False Negative Reactions , Female , Humans , Lymph Node Excision , Neoplasm Staging/methods , Remission Induction , Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy , Skin Neoplasms/pathology , Skin Neoplasms/surgery , Whole Body ImagingSubject(s)
Chordoma/diagnostic imaging , Fluorine Radioisotopes , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Multimodal Imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography , Radiopharmaceuticals , Spinal Cord Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Adult , Arachnoid Cysts/complications , Arachnoid Cysts/diagnostic imaging , Biopsy, Fine-Needle , Chordoma/complications , Chordoma/pathology , Coccyx , Humans , Hypothyroidism/complications , Hypothyroidism/diagnostic imaging , Incidental Findings , Male , Neoplasm Invasiveness/diagnostic imaging , Rectum/diagnostic imaging , Sacrococcygeal Region , Sacrum , Spinal Cord Neoplasms/complications , Spinal Cord Neoplasms/pathology , Subarachnoid Space , Urinary Bladder/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of (18)F-FDG PET-CT in the diagnosis of recurrence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with elevated values of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and/or signs of recurrence in the multidetector CT (MDCT), and to demonstrate that good results can be obtained applying the ALARA principles. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 54 patients with suspected CRC, who underwent an (18)F-FDG PET-CT, administering a mean dose of 222 MBq (6 mCi) of (18)F-FDG, from 07/2007 to 01/2011 was carried out. Seven patients were excluded, thus studying 47 (27 males, 20 females, mean age 63 years). Recurrence was confirmed by histopathology study in 14 cases and by clinical evolution in 33. The patients were divided into 4 groups. A: patients with elevation of CEA and suspected recurrence in the MDCT. B: elevation of CEA, without suspicious lesions in the MDCT. C: normal levels of CEA and positive MDCT. D: normal levels of CEA and uncertain MDCT. RESULTS: We found sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and overall accuracy of 91%, 69%, 89%, 75% and 85% respectively. For group A, we found 100% sensitivity, in group B, 75% sensitivity with 100% specificity%, for C, sensitivity was 89% with 71% specificity. Finally, in group D, sensitivity was 100% and specificity 60%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Applying a low dose, the (18)F-FDG PET-CT has high diagnostic performance in patients with suspicion of CRC, approaching in a higher grade the ALARA criteria.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/secondary , Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Liver Neoplasms/secondary , Lung Neoplasms/secondary , Multimodal Imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography , Radiopharmaceuticals , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Adenocarcinoma/blood , Adenocarcinoma/diagnostic imaging , Adenocarcinoma/therapy , Aged , Biomarkers, Tumor/blood , Brain Neoplasms/blood , Brain Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Brain Neoplasms/secondary , Carcinoembryonic Antigen/blood , Chemoradiotherapy , Colorectal Neoplasms/blood , Colorectal Neoplasms/therapy , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/administration & dosage , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/blood , Liver Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Lung Neoplasms/blood , Lung Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Radiopharmaceuticals/administration & dosage , Retrospective Studies , Sensitivity and Specificity , Tomography, Spiral ComputedSubject(s)
Encephalitis/diagnostic imaging , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Positron-Emission Tomography , Radiopharmaceuticals , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Child, Preschool , Disease Progression , Electroencephalography , Encephalitis/complications , Encephalitis/diagnosis , Encephalitis/surgery , Female , Hemispherectomy , Humans , Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Paresis/etiology , Status Epilepticus/drug therapy , Status Epilepticus/etiology , Status Epilepticus/surgerySubject(s)
3-Iodobenzylguanidine , Abdominal Fat/diagnostic imaging , Adipose Tissue, Brown/diagnostic imaging , Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Iodine Radioisotopes , Neoplasms, Multiple Primary/diagnostic imaging , Pheochromocytoma/diagnostic imaging , 3-Iodobenzylguanidine/pharmacokinetics , Adipose Tissue, Brown/physiopathology , Adolescent , Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/metabolism , Catecholamines/metabolism , False Positive Reactions , Humans , Iodine Radioisotopes/pharmacokinetics , Male , Neck/diagnostic imaging , Neoplasms, Multiple Primary/metabolism , Pheochromocytoma/metabolism , Radionuclide Imaging , Sympathetic Nervous System/physiopathology , Tissue DistributionSubject(s)
Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis/diagnostic imaging , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Fluorine Radioisotopes , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Multimodal Imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography , Radiopharmaceuticals , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis/complications , Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis/drug therapy , Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis/metabolism , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Brain/metabolism , Child, Preschool , Diagnosis, Differential , Dystonia/etiology , Electroencephalography , Encephalomyelitis/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Hypnotics and Sedatives/therapeutic use , Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/therapeutic use , Levodopa/therapeutic use , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Methylprednisolone/therapeutic use , Psychomotor Agitation/etiologySubject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/diagnostic imaging , Colonic Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Melanoma/diagnostic imaging , Neoplasms, Second Primary/diagnostic imaging , Nose Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Adenocarcinoma/surgery , Colectomy , Colonic Neoplasms/surgery , Colonoscopy , Female , Fluorine Radioisotopes , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Incidental Findings , Melanoma/surgery , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/diagnostic imaging , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/surgery , Neoplasms, Second Primary/surgery , Nose Neoplasms/surgery , RadiopharmaceuticalsABSTRACT
The assessment of water treatment facilities for their efficiency using alternate indicators is of paramount importance. Current methods for assessing efficiency are limited by the specific characteristics of the microorganisms, such as their different sensitivities to disinfectants. A pilot study was carried out to compare different treatment scenarios for the future upgrade of the Sergio Cuevas Water Treatment plant (the largest in the Caribbean) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The treatment units under investigation included a coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation unit, dual-media filters, micro-filtration units, intermediate ozone injection and contact columns as well as a biological filtration unit. The plant was challenged at different stages of treatment with Bacillus subtilis spores and MS2 coliphages in an attempt to test them as possible alternate indicators of treatment plant performance. These organisms were chosen because of their resistance to disinfection and desiccation, their low analysis costs and ease of detection. The removal of spores and coliphages by each treatment unit tested was calculated by seeding a known concentration (5-7 log10) of spores and coliphages and following the removal or disinfection rates. The seeded indicators were detected using traditional culture techniques. Ballasted clarification was shown to be highly efficient at removing 99.1% (approximately 3 log10) of the spores and 85.1% (approximately 0.86 log10) of MS2. Ozone treatment inactivated 80.37% (approximately 1.4 log10) spores and 99.95% (approximately 3.07 log10) coliphages. The coliphage inactivation rate obtained confirmed data obtained by previous studies indicating that MS2 was less resistant to ozonation than B subtilis spores. The membrane technology had the best efficiency in terms of physical removal of spores achieving over 99.9% (> 3 log10) removal. Coliphage removal mechanisms remain to be determined and will be a future focus of the study. Preliminary results indicate that aerobic spores and coliphages may be useful as indicators to determine the efficiency of different drinking water treatment technologies.
Subject(s)
Bacillus subtilis/virology , Levivirus , Water Microbiology , Water Purification , Water Supply , Environmental Monitoring/methods , Filtration , Flocculation , Membranes, ArtificialABSTRACT
Se presenta la experiencias de 137 canalizaciones venosas por puncion subclavia en 70 pacientes, indicados en alimentacion parenteral, insuficiencia renal cronica en hemodialisis e inclusive en pacientes ventilados o con broncopatias bilaterales. No se observaron complicaciones mayores que en estadisticas con casos mas seleccionados (un caso de sepsis por cateter). Se comparan detalles tecnicos de permanencia y contraindicaciones con las de otros autores. Se enfatiza la necesidad de una tecnica precisa y mantenimiento cuidadoso de los cateteres sumados a un entrenamiento adecuado para evitar complicaciones
Subject(s)
Child , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Humans , Male , Female , Catheterization , Subclavian VeinABSTRACT
Se presenta la experiencias de 137 canalizaciones venosas por puncion subclavia en 70 pacientes, indicados en alimentacion parenteral, insuficiencia renal cronica en hemodialisis e inclusive en pacientes ventilados o con broncopatias bilaterales. No se observaron complicaciones mayores que en estadisticas con casos mas seleccionados (un caso de sepsis por cateter). Se comparan detalles tecnicos de permanencia y contraindicaciones con las de otros autores. Se enfatiza la necesidad de una tecnica precisa y mantenimiento cuidadoso de los cateteres sumados a un entrenamiento adecuado para evitar complicaciones