Biohybrid Robotic Hand to Investigate Tactile Encoding and Sensorimotor Integration.

For people who have experienced a spinal cord injury or an amputation, the recovery of sensation and motor control could be incomplete despite noteworthy advances with invasive neural interfaces. Our objective is to explore the feasibility of a novel biohybrid robotic hand model to investigate aspects of tactile sensation and sensorimotor integration with a pre-clinical research platform. Our new biohybrid model couples an artificial hand with biological neural networks (BNN) cultured in a multichannel microelectrode array (MEA).

Robotically Embodied Biological Neural Networks to Investigate Haptic Restoration with Neuroprosthetic Hands.

Neuroprosthetic limbs reconnect severed neural pathways for control of (and increasingly sensation from) an artificial limb. However, the plastic interaction between robotic and biological components is poorly understood. To gain such insight, we developed a novel noninvasive neuroprosthetic research platform that enables bidirectional electrical communications (action, sensory perception) between a dexterous artificial hand and neuronal cultures living in a multichannel microelectrode array (MEA) chamber.

Shape memory alloy tube actuators inherently enable internal fluidic cooling for a robotic finger under force control.

This paper presents the design, control and evaluation of a novel robotic finger actuated by shape memory alloy (SMA) tubes which intrinsically afford an internal conduit for fluidic cooling. The SMA tubes are thennomechanically programmed to flex the robotic finger when Joule heated. A superelastic SMA plate provides a spring return motion to extend the finger when cooling liquid is pumped through the internal channel of the SMA tube actuators.

Force and Pressure Control of Soft Robotic Actuators.

Soft Robotic Actuators (SRAs) have piqued the interest of researchers in recent years. SRAs are generally constructed of soft elastomers and use air or water as a mean of actuation. Due to the inherent properties of these actuators, they are ideal for HumanRobot Interactions (HRI), exoskeletons for rehabilitation and for grasping delicate objects.

Robotic Finger Force Sensor Fabrication and Evaluation Through a Glove.

This force-feedback approach compares the effect on the sensing ability through a worn glove of the force application of an i-Limb Ultra robotic hand for several experimental scenarios. A Takktile sensor was integrated into a fabricated fingertip to measure the applied force of the i-Limb Ultra. A controller was then designed using MATLAB/Simulink to manipulate the finger motion of the i-Limb to apply force to an external load cell.

Training Reduces Stress in Human-Socialised Wolves to the Same Degree as in Dogs.

The welfare of animals in captivity is of considerable societal concern. A major source of stress, especially for wild animals, is the lack of control over their environment, which includes not being able to avoid contact with human beings. Paradoxically, some studies have shown that interactions with human beings may improve the welfare of wild animals in captivity.

Are dogs able to communicate with their owners about a desirable food in a referential and intentional way?

The ability of dogs to use human communicative signals has been exhaustively studied. However, few studies have focused on the production of communicative signals by dogs. The current study investigated if dogs are able to communicate by using directional signals towards some desirable object in the environment and also if they show an apparent intention to manipulate their owner's behavior in order to receive it.

Malignant transformation of oral epithelial dysplasia: a real-world evaluation of histopathologic grading.

Objective: This study describes the predictive value of oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) grading as an indicator for malignant transformation and progression.

Study Design: The records of an Australian-based pathology laboratory were searched for oral mucosal biopsies with a dysplastic or malignant diagnosis. Examination for an association with progression and malignant transformation without reinterpretation was performed.

Two-item sentence comprehension by a dog (Canis familiaris).

Syntax use by non-human animals remains a controversial issue. We present here evidence that a dog may respond to verbal requests composed of two independent terms, one referring to an object and the other to an action to be performed relative to the object. A female mongrel dog, Sofia, was initially trained to respond to action (point and fetch) and object (ball, key, stick, bottle and bear) terms which were then presented as simultaneous, combinatorial requests (e.

A dog at the keyboard: using arbitrary signs to communicate requests.

As a consequence of domestication, dogs have a special readiness for communication with humans. We here investigate whether a dog might be able to acquire and consistently produce a set of arbitrary signs in her communication with humans, as was demonstrated in "linguistic" individuals of several species. A female mongrel dog was submitted to a training schedule in which, after basic command training and after acquiring the verbal labels of rewarding objects or activities, she learned to ask for such objects or activities by selecting lexigrams and pressing keys on a keyboard.

Female novelty and the courtship behavior of male guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).

In several rodent species, an increase or recovery of sexual behavior can be observed when sexually satiated males are placed in contact with a novel mate. In order to assess the influence of female novelty on the courtship behavior of guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), four adult males were observed during four daily 15-min sessions while interacting with the same pregnant female (same-female sessions). A new female was presented during the fifth session (switched-female session).

Vocal sequential exchanges and intragroup spacing in the Northern Muriqui Brachyteles arachnoides hypoxanthus.

Sequential exchanges of vocalizations (staccatos and neighs) emitted by Northern Muriquis Brachyteles arachnoides hypoxanthus were recorded at the Biological Station of Caratinga, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Staccatos and neighs containing larger proportion of short elements were preferentially produced during short-range exchanges; neighs, produced by a larger number of participants, were typical of long-range exchanges. Staccatos emitted by animals feeding in a dispersed manner contained a larger proportion of tonal elements than those emitted by muriquis feeding in a cohesive manner.

Long-distance calls in Neotropical primates.

Long-distance calls are widespread among primates. Several studies concentrate on such calls in just one or in few species, while few studies have treated more general trends within the order. The common features that usually characterize these vocalizations are related to long-distance propagation of sounds.

Isolation induced changes in Guinea Pig Cavia porcellus pup distress whistles.

Guinea Pig Cavia porcellus pups emit high-pitched distress whistles when separated from their mother. In order to assess the influence of the duration of a brief isolation period on whistle acoustic structure, we recorded the distress whistles of six 8-day old pups separated for 15 min from their group in a novel environment and compared the mean values of the first and last 30 whistle notes. Acoustic analysis revealed, throughout the session, a significant decrease in whistle duration, an increase in mean frequency and a tendency for a decrease in number of harmonics in the first part of the note.

Predicting the HER2 status of breast cancer from basic histopathology data: an analysis of 1500 breast cancers as part of the HER2000 International Study.

The tests that are currently available for the measurement of overexpression of the human epidermal growth factor-2 (HER2) in breast cancer have shown considerable problems in accuracy and interlaboratory reproducibility. Although these problems are partly alleviated by the use of validated, standardised 'kits', there may be considerable cost involved in their use. Prior to testing it may therefore be an advantage to be able to predict from basic pathology data whether a cancer is likely to overexpress HER2.

An analysis of travel costs on transport of load and nest building in golden hamster.

We investigated the effects of travel costs on transporting nest material and nest-building activity in golden hamsters. Nest-deprived animals were submitted to run alleys 30, 90 and 180 cm long to access a source containing paper strips as nest material (Experiment 1) or were submitted to the same travel costs in 24-h experimental sessions (Experiment 2). We noted that increased travel costs were related to a decreased number of trips to the source, larger amounts (cm(2)) of nest material transported per trip (although total loads also decreased in longer alleys), longer intervals between trips, and increased time spent at the source and in nest building activity.

Malignant lymphomas in Papua New Guinea: an immunohistological study of 125 cases.

A total of 179 cases of lymphoma, both nodal and extranodal, recorded in the Papua New Guinea Tumor Registry were reviewed and classified by the updated Kiel classification. Fifteen (8.4%) were Hodgkin's disease, 39 (21.

Primary osteogenic sarcoma of the kidney.

Primary renal osteogenic sarcoma is a rare tumour which requires differentiation from osteoid formation in sarcomatoid variants of renal cell carcinoma. The diagnosis in this case was suggested pre-operatively by marked elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase in the absence of bone disease. The poor prognosis is emphasized.

Cell Suspensions from Collagenase Digestion of Bone Marrow Trephine Biopsy Specimens-its Use in Lymphoma.

Collagenase digestion allows cells to be released into suspension from bone marrow tissue. Discrete abnormal populations of lymphoid cells can be identified by cell morphology and immunological phenotyping techniques. Viable cells are also available for chromosomal analysis.

Effects of reward and familiarity of reward agent on spontaneous play in preschoolers: a field study.

A field experiment was conducted with preschool children to test the effect of rewards on a familiar, spontaneous play activity, in conditions as close as possible to the children's natural school context, and to examine the role of familiarity of the person who administered rewards. In three experimental conditions, children were rewarded either by their own teacher or by an unknown adult for playing with toys at the school playground and stayed with either the teacher or the unknown adult in the remaining part of reward sessions. Spontaneous play was significantly reduced by the reward relative to baseline levels and recovered after a 3-wk.

Cell suspensions from collagenase digestion of bone marrow trephine biopsy specimens.

A technique for the extraction of cells from bone marrow trephine core biopsy specimens using collagenase digestion was assessed in 39 cases (33 diagnostic and six normal). Diagnostically useful numbers of cells were extracted from all marrows. Morphological assessment of cytocentrifuge preparations of these cells gave a correct diagnosis in 23 (60%) of cases compared with 27 (70%) for the corresponding aspirated marrow smears.

Spontaneous rupture of the liver associated with amyloidosis.

Fatal spontaneous rupture of the liver is described in a 46-year-old women with hepatic amyloidosis diagnosed premortem by liver biopsy. An autopsy revealed systemic amyloidosis, with no evidence of an underlying chronic inflammatory condition, infection, or immunocyte dyscrasia. By computerized search, this is only the third reported case of spontaneous rupture of the liver complicating amyloidosis.

Are conditioned stimuli determinants of oriented exploratory behavior in the rat?

To test Bindra and Palfai's hypothesis about enhancing and inhibitory motivational effects of a conditioned stimulus on exploratory behavior, rats in a first experiment were submitted to pairings of a tone with (a) water, (b) intermittent deliveries of water after a period of constant pairing. In a control condition, the tone was presented alone. The tone was subsequently presented during oriented exploration of a novel stimulus, in the conditioning context.

Cross-modal generalization of habituation in the rat.

Novel stimuli were presented in a runway where rats run for food. Subjects in a pre-exposure condition (n = 6) were exposed to visual and auditory stimulation and then to an olfactory stimulus; subjects not preexposed (n = 6) only received the olfactory stimulus. Reaction to the odor was lower in pre-exposed subjects.