Movement Distance Research Articles

Optimization of the Factory Layout and Production Flow Using Production-Simulation-Based Reinforcement Learning

Poor layout designs in manufacturing facilities severely reduce production efficiency and increase short- and long-term costs. Analyzing and deriving efficient layouts for novel line designs or improvements to existing lines considering both the layout design and logistics flow is crucial. In this study, we performed production simulation in the design phase for factory layout optimization and used reinforcement learning to derive the optimal factory layout. To facilitate factory-wide layout design, we considered the facility layout, logistics movement paths, and the use of automated guided vehicles (AGVs). The reinforcement-learning process for optimizing each component of the layout was implemented in a multilayer manner, and the optimization results were applied to the design production simulation for verification. Moreover, a flexible simulation system was developed. Users can efficiently review and execute alternative scenarios by considering both facility and logistics layouts in the workspace. By emphasizing the redesign and reuse of the simulation model, we achieved layout optimization through an automated process and propose a flexible simulation system that can adapt to various environments through a multilayered modular approach. By adjusting weights and considering various conditions, throughput increased by 0.3%, logistics movement distance was reduced by 3.8%, and the number of AGVs required was reduced by 11%.

Neurotoxic effects of triclosan in adolescent mice: Pyruvate kinase M2 dimer regulated Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 phosphorylation mediated microglia activation and neuroinflammation

Triclosan (TCS), a commonly used antibacterial agent, is associated with various harmful effects on mammalian neurodevelopment, particularly when exposed prenatally. This study investigated the impact of long-term exposure to TCS on the prefrontal cortex development in adolescent mice. We evaluated the motor ability, motor coordination, and anxiety behavior of mice using open field tests (OFT) and elevated cross maze tests (EPM). An increase in movement distance, number of passes through the central area, and open arm retention time was observed in mice treated with TCS. Hematoxylin eosin staining and Nissl staining also showed significant adverse reactions in the brain tissue of TCS-exposed group. TCS induced microglia activation and increased inflammatory factors expression in the prefrontal cortex. TCS also increased the expression of pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), thereby elevating the levels of PKM2 dimer, which entered the nucleus. Treatment with TEPP46 (PKM2 dimer nuclear translocation inhibitor) blocked the expression of inflammatory factors induced by TCS. TCS induced the phosphorylation of nuclear signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in vivo and in vitro, upregulating the levels of inflammatory cytokines. The results also demonstrated the binding of PKM2 to STAT3, which promoted STAT3 phosphorylation at the Tyr705 site, thereby regulating the expression of inflammatory factors. These findings highlight the role of PKM2-regulated STAT3 phosphorylation in TCS-induced behavioral disorders in adolescents and propose a reliable treatment target for TCS.

Three-Dimensional Changes of Condylar Position After Bimaxillary Surgery to Correct Skeletal III Malocclusion: Cone Beam Computed Tomography Voxel-Based Superimposition Analysis

BackgroundThe stability of the condylar position within the first three months after orthognathic surgery in patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion is crucial for subsequent orthodontic treatment. PurposeThe purpose was to compare condylar positional changes three months after bimaxillary surgery to correct skeletal Class III deformities, utilizing the conventional two-dimensional (2D) combined with the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) voxel-based superimposition analysis. Study design, setting, sampleThis retrospective cohort study included skeletal Class III patients undergoing bimaxillary orthognathic surgery at Khon Kaen University, Thailand in 2020. Exclusion criteria were patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms, facial asymmetry prior to the surgery, or surgical complications. Exposure variableThe exposure variable was the timing, both preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. This 3-month postoperative time point was chosen because complete healing of the bimaxillary surgery is expected by then, without any potential influence of condylar changes resulting from subsequent orthodontic treatment. Main outcome variablesThe outcome variable is condylar position measurement, joint space (mm) and axial condylar angle (degrees). CovariatesDemographics (age, sex), and surgical details (direction and amount of movement) were collected as covariates. AnalysesStatistical analysis of condylar positional changes and correlations was performed using paired t-test and linear correlation (P-value < 0.05), respectively. ResultsThe sample included 11 subjects (22 condyles), with a mean age of 24±5.24 years. Both 2D measurements and voxel-based 3D superimposition showed significant changes in condylar position three months after bimaxillary surgery: inferior (0.45±0.26 mm, P < 0.001), posterior (0.46±0.39 mm, P = 0.003), lateral (0.38±0.42 mm, P = 0.01) displacement, and inward rotation (5.21±2.54°, P < 0.001). No significant correlation was found between jaw movement distance and condylar changes. Conclusions and relevanceTo our knowledge, this is the first study to report measures of condylar changes at 3 months, when complete healing of the osteotomies would be expected, using Le Fort I osteotomy for maxillary advancement combined with bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO) for mandibular setback. These changes are small in magnitude and may be of little relevance to patient care.

Novel physiological analysis using blood flow velocity for colonic polyps: Pilot study.

Real-time visualization of red blood cell flow inside subepithelial microvessels is performed with magnifying endoscopy. However, microvascular blood flow velocity in the colorectum has not been investigated. Here, we aimed to evaluate the blood flow velocity of microvessels of colonic polyps and to compare it with that of surrounding mucosa. We examined 50 lesions, including 30 adenomas (ADs) and 20 hyperplastic polyps (HPs). Blood flow velocities of lesions and their surrounding mucosa were evaluated using magnifying blue laser imaging (BLI) prior to endoscopic resection. Calculation of mean blood flow velocities was based on mean movement distance of one tagged red blood cell using split video images of magnifying BLI. Mean microvascular blood flow velocity was significantly lower in ADs (1.65±0.66 mm/sec; range 0.46-2.90) than in HPs (2.83±1.10 mm/sec; 1.07-4.50) or the surrounding mucosa (3.73±1.11 mm/sec; 1.80-6.20; P <0.001). The blood flow velocity rate compared with the surrounding mucosa was significantly lower in ADs (0.41±0.16; 0.10-0.82) than in HPs (0.89±0.25; 0.46-1.51; P <0.001). We found that mean microvascular blood flow velocity was significantly lower in ADs than in HPs and the surrounding non-neoplastic mucosa. These findings indicate that a novel dynamic approach with microvascular blood flow velocity using magnifying endoscopy may be useful in assessing physiological differences between ADs and HPs.

Mechanism of Dabugan Decoction in treatment of generalized anxiety disorder based on network pharmacology and experimental verification

This study aims to explore the mechanism of Dabugan Decoction in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder(GAD) based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments. Network pharmacology and molecular docking technology were used to obtain the possible targets and related signaling pathways of Dabugan Decoction in the treatment of GAD. The GAD rat model was established, and the corresponding drugs were given by gavage after randomization. After 28 days of continuous intervention, the anxiety state of rats was detected, and the pathological changes of the hippocampus were detected in each group. ELISA and Western blot were used to detect the protein expression levels of related molecules. A total of 65 drug compounds in Dabugan Decoction were obtained, involving 403 targets of action, 7 398 disease targets of GAD, and 279 common targets of &quot;drug-disease&quot;. The key nodes in the protein-protein interaction(PPI) network were Akt1, TNF, IL-6, TP53, IL-1β, etc. Function analysis of Gene Ontology(GO) and enrichment analysis of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) showed that the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway was the most important pathway. The results of molecular docking showed that the core components of the drug had good binding activity with the corresponding key targets. Animal experiments showed that Dabugan Decoction could effectively improve the anxiety behavior of rats and increase the open arm end movement distance and total distance of rats in the elevated cross labyrinth, the number and stay time of entering the open box, and the time(%) and the number of entering the center of the open field. At the same time, HE staining and Nicil staining showed that the number of hippocampal nerve cells in rats increased, and they were closely arranged. The damage to the cell body was improved, and there was an increase in Nissl substances in the cells. The expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in rat hippocampus decreased, and the expression of TP53, p-Akt1, and p-PI3K increased. The mechanism may be related to the activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and the inhibition of inflammatory response. Dabugan Decoction can play a good therapeutic and regulatory role in GAD, reflecting the overall effect of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) compound and the characteristics of multiple targets and multiple pathways. At the same time, it is preliminarily discussed that the state of GAD may be improved by Dabugan Decoction via-activating PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and inhibiting inflammatory response and anti-apoptosis, thus providing experimental data support for the clinical application of Dabugan Decoction.

Absence of Monotony and Strain Effects on Referees' Physical Performance During International Basketball Federation World Cup Basketball Competition.

The study aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of physical performance indicators and assess the levels of performance monotony and strain experienced by basketball referees. The study involved the participation of 12 basketball referees (mean age: 40.0 [4.9]y) affiliated with the International Basketball Federation. The investigation was carried out throughout 2 density tournaments, wherein the maximum heart rate, average heart rate, performance monotony, and performance strain were documented for 3 variables. The findings indicated significant variations in the mean heart rate, maximum heart rate, total distance monotony, total distance strain, the total number of sprints monotony, the total number of sprints strain, calories monotony, and calories strain (P < .05). Decreasing the density of elite-level basketball competitions has been observed to reduce the monotony and strain experienced by referees. However, this action does not increase motion distance or speed zones. The environmental stressors experienced by senior-level athletes (World Cup) differ from those encountered by younger athletes (World Cup Under 19). Further investigation is required to ascertain the potential effects of competition monotony and strain on decision-making processes and the overall quality of refereeing.

Clinical implications of amathematical-geometrical model to predict changes in the anterior arch dimension.

Anterior arch length (AL) and the alterations in its dimension following incisor movements were shown to be predictable for an individual patient using amathematical-geometrical model based on athird-degree parabola. Although the model has been validated previously, it is hard to apply in daily orthodontic routine. Thus, the aim of this study was to modify the model using different approaches to allow its establishment in daily routine. This retrospective study was based on astudy collective, which was described previously and consisted of 50randomly chosen dental casts and lateral cephalograms taken before (T0) and after (T1) orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances. AJAVA computer program (Oracle, Austin, TX, USA) was developed to predict AL changes following therapeutic changes of arch width, depth or incisor inclination/position, taking the type of tooth movement into account. Performing exemplary AL calculations with the computer program, general rules and nomograms were set up, followed by multiple linear regression analyses to establish easy-to-use regression equations. The JAVA computer program is available for download. Sagittal changes showed more effect on AL than transverse modifications. Protruding incisors increased AL, but also reduced overbite. The extent of alteration in AL depended on the initial depth, width, incisor inclination, tooth movement type and distance between the incisal edge and the centre of rotation. The computer program precisely predicts individual changes in AL but is time-consuming. The presented regression equations and nomograms, considering metric variables, are easier to apply clinically and the differences compared to the AL calculated by the computer program are negligible.

Intergenerational effects of low-dose graphene oxide exposure during pregnancy and lactation on mouse neurobehavior, reproduction and development

Graphene oxide (GO), a promising biomedical nanomaterial, has attracted increasing attention regarding its potential hazards to environment and health. However, data on its multigenerational toxicity in mammals are scarce, especially regarding GO exposure during pregnancy and lactation. In this study, we investigated the effects of low-dose (0.01–1 mg/L) GO exposure during pregnancy and lactation on reproduction, development and neurobehavior in mice through a multigenerational approach. There were no significant differences in the duration of pregnancy, litter size or survival index of the offspring between the maternal mice treated with GO and those in the control group. However, a significantly altered sex ratio was observed in F1 mice exposed to 0.01 mg/L GO. Additionally, alterations in anxiety state and decreased swimming velocity were observed in maternal mice treated with 0.01 and 1 mg/L GO. The effects of GO on neurobehavior seemed to be intensified in F1 mice, as evidenced by increased stress sensitivity, altered anxiety, decreased learning and memory, and inhibited AChE activity. Although some neurobehaviors returned to normal in F2 mice, anxiety-like behavior, increased antioxidant levels and an atrophic liver were observed in the GO 1 group. Furthermore, increases in the movement velocity and distance of F2 mice were observed in GO 0.01 group. These findings provide valuable data for evaluating the transgenerational risks associated with GO exposure among mammals.

The significance of cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using time-SLIP MRI

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) affects approximately 3% of the global population. Recent studies have drawn attention to abnormalities in the dynamics of the CSF as potential contributors. This research aims to employ the Time-Spatial Labeling Inversion Pulse (Time-SLIP) MRI to assess and analyze cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics in AIS patients. 101 AIS patients underwent Time-SLIP MRI. Images were taken at the mid-cervical and craniocervical junction regions. The sum of the maximum movement distances of CSF on the ventral and dorsal sides of the spinal canal within a single timeframe was defined and measured as Travel Distance (TD). Correlations between TD, age, Cobb angle, and Risser grade were analyzed. TD comparisons were made across Lenke classifications. TD for all patients was a weak correlation with the Cobb angle (r = − 0.16). Comparing TD between Lenke type 1 and 5, type 5 patients display significantly shorter TD (p < 0.05). In Risser5 patients with Lenke type 5 showed a significant negative correlation between Cobb angle and TD (r = − 0.44). Lenke type 5 patients had significantly shorter CSF TD compared to type1, correlating with worsening Cobb angles. Further analysis and exploration are required to understand the mechanism of onset and progression.

Shy and Bold Fish Have the Same Preference for Light Color Selection.

Personality, which matters for animal welfare, demonstrates behavioral differences. Light is one of the most important factors in aquaculture. However, how fish personality affects light color selection is unclear. In this study, we tested the personality of yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco juveniles and then quantified the selective behaviors of different personalities under six light colors: violet (410-420 nm), yellow (580-590 nm), green (550-560 nm), red (620-630 nm), blue (470-480 nm), and white. The results showed that juveniles preferred the yellow and green light over the other colors of light, probably due to different reasons. The average cumulative dwell time in yellow (32.81 ± 5.22%), green (21.81 ± 3.58%), and red (26.36 ± 4.89%) lights was significantly longer than the other light colors, and the average visit frequency in green light (32.00 ± 4.93%) was the most. Juveniles had the longest total moved distance in green light. Moreover, the results demonstrated that shy and bold individuals had the same preference for the green light. Bold individuals could find the preferred light colors rapidly and make quick decisions for light color selection. After identifying the preferred light colors, bold individuals reduced the frequency of exploration. This study provides a theoretical basis for the welfare of juvenile yellow catfish in aquaculture.

Mechanisms of Peitu Yimu acupuncture in repairing intestinal mucosal barrier by regulating CRF/CRFR1 pathway in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome rats.

To investigate the effect of Peitu Yimu(strengthening spleen and soothing liver) acupuncture on intestinal mucosal barrier function and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)/CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) pathway in rats with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), so as to explore its underlying mechanism in alleviating IBS-D. Forty female SD rats were randomly divided into blank, model, electroacupuncture (EA), and agonist groups, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, rats in the other groups were given folium sennae infusion by gavage combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress to establish IBS-D model. Rats in the EA group received acupuncture at "Tianshu"(ST25) and EA at "Zusanli"(ST36) and "Taichong"(LR3) (2 Hz/15 Hz) on one side for 20 min, with the side chosen alternately every other day, for 14 days after modeling. Rats in the agonist group received acupuncture 30 min after intravenous injection of CRFR1 agonist urocortin, with the same manipulation method and time as the EA group. Before and after intervention, visceral pain threshold and stool Bristol scores were measured. Elevated plus maze test and open field test were used to detect anxiety and depression like behavior of rats. ELISA was used to detect the contents of CRF and CRFR1 in rats serum. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the positive expressions of CRF, CRFR1, zonula occludens protein 1(ZO-1), occlusal protein(Occludin), and closure protein 1 (Claudin-1) in colon tissue. Compared with the blank group, the visceral pain threshold, open arm time percentage (OT%), total distance of movement in the open field test, and positive expression of ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-1 in colon were decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), while Bristol stool scores, serum CRF and CRFR1 contents, and positive expressions of CRF and CRFR1 in colon were increased (P<0.01) in the model group. After intervention and compared with the model group, the visceral pain threshold, OT%, total distance of movement in the open field test, and positive expressions of ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-1 in colon were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), while Bristol stool scores, serum CRF and CRFR1 contents, and positive expressions of CRF and CRFR1 in colon were decreased (P<0.01) in the EA group；the Bristol stool scores, serum CRF content, and CRF positive expression in colon were significantly decreased in the agonist group (P<0.01). Peitu Yimu acupuncture can significantly improve visceral hypersensitivity and anxiety-depression state in IBS-D rats. Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of CRF/CRFR1 pathway and restoration of intestinal tight junction protein expressions.

Usulan Perancangan Tata Letak Fasilitas Produksi Dengan Metode BLOCPLAN Untuk Meningkatkan Produktivitas CV. Madu Apiari Mutiara

CV. Madu Apiari Mutiara is a company that operates in the field of derivative honey products such as pure honey, candy, soap, and health products such as propolis and other derivative products which have various shapes and compositions. This condition makes it necessary to have the most efficient spatial layout of work areas and production facilities in order to increase work morale and work productivity in terms of the layout of production facilities. The method used to solve this problem is the BLOCPLAN method. This method can solve facility layout problems in CV Madu Apiari Mutiara production houses with the level of close relationship, area requirements, taking into account the distance of material movement and final layout. The area on CV. Madu Apiari Mutiara is 100 m2, the total area requirement is 70.48 m2. There are 3 alternative layouts in the BLOCPLAN method, the proposed layout chosen is based on the R-Score value which is close to 1, namely the 2nd layout with a material movement distance efficiency of 8.1 meters or 20.9%.

Efficacy of a Novel Respiratory Motion Reduction Block in Reducing Motion Artifact on Myocardial Perfusion Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography.

Motion artifacts caused by heart motion during myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can compromise image quality and diagnostic accuracy. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the novel respiratory motion reduction block (RRB) device in reducing motion artifacts by compressing the hypochondrium and improving SPECT image quality. In total, 91 patients who underwent myocardial perfusion SPECT with 99mTc-sestamibi were retrospectively analyzed. Patients (n = 28) who underwent SPECT without the RRB were included in the control group, and those (n = 63) who underwent SPECT with the RRB were in the RRB group. The distance of heart motion during dynamic acquisition was measured, and projection data were assessed for patient motion and motion artifacts. Patient motion was classified into various levels, and motion artifacts on SPECT images were visually examined. The distances of heart motion without and with the RRB were 15.4 ± 5.3 and 7.5 ± 2.3, respectively. Compared with the control group, the RRB group had a lower frequency of heart motion based on the projection data, particularly in terms of creep and shift motion. The RRB group had a significantly lower incidence of motion artifacts on SPECT images than the control group. The RRB substantially reduced specific types of motion, such as shift and creep, and had a low influence on bounce motion. However, it could effectively suppress respiratory-induced heart motion and reduce motion artifacts on myocardial perfusion SPECT, thereby emphasizing its potential for improving image quality.

Investigation on the effects of an elliptical wall on the dynamic behaviors of a bubble restricted by two parallel plates

The present paper investigates the dynamic behaviors of a bubble restricted by two parallel plates near an elliptical wall. The typical experimental phenomena of the bubble are recorded employing the high-speed photography and a theoretical Kelvin impulse model is established. The impacts of the spatial position and the curvature of the wall on the bubble collapse behaviors are quantitatively investigated through the theoretical model and verified against the experimental results. The Kelvin impulse intensity and the direction during the bubble collapse process are compared and discussed for different elliptical-shaped walls. The main conclusions include: (1) During the bubble collapse process, the phenomenon of the bubble uneven splitting is discovered. (2) At different spatial positions and wall curvatures, the bubble collapse jet angle, movement distance, and velocity are in good agreement with the theoretical Kelvin impulse predictions. (3) As the short-to-long axis ratio increases, the differences in the distributions of the Kelvin impulse intensity and the direction near the elliptical wall gradually become larger, and the range of the influence of the impulse intensity expands.

Learning from the Past, Looking to Resilience: Housing in Serbia in the Post-Pandemic Era

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly reshaped life across the globe, significantly influencing the future of housing. The enactment and densification of diverse activities within one place have resulted in varying degrees of conflict between the built and social environment. This conflict is directly related to the degree of housing adaptability to new life, work, and leisure conditions. Movement restrictions and distance learning have significantly impacted the young population, which is susceptible to ‘enforced togetherness’ conditions. However, studies on post-pandemic housing in Serbia are rare. This paper investigates the relationship between the built and social environment, focusing on current trends in multi-family housing from the perspective of the progressive change of life standards in the post-pandemic era. It also includes a survey of the living conditions of architecture students in Serbia during lockdown and distance learning, offering insights into the impact of the physical environment on virus transmission and social dynamics. The main objective of this study is to formulate guidelines for developing a resilient housing model in Serbia that will address both current and future crises. From the findings, it can be concluded that radical changes in housing policy are necessary to enable less interdependence among layers within the system striving to be resilient.

Taking a shortcut: what mechanisms do fish use?

Path integration is a powerful navigational mechanism whereby individuals continuously update their distance and angular vector of movement to calculate their position in relation to their departure location, allowing them to return along the most direct route even across unfamiliar terrain. While path integration has been investigated in several terrestrial animals, it has never been demonstrated in aquatic vertebrates, where movement occurs through volumetric space and sensory cues available for navigation are likely to differ substantially from those in terrestrial environments. By performing displacement experiments with Lamprologus ocellatus, we show evidence consistent with fish using path integration to navigate alongside other mechanisms (allothetic place cues and route recapitulation). These results indicate that the use of path integration is likely to be deeply rooted within the vertebrate phylogeny irrespective of the environment, and suggests that fish may possess a spatial encoding system that parallels that of mammals.

Liquid-solid interface diffusion behaviors of furfural in the insulation systems of natural ester-cellulose paper and mineral oil-cellulose paper

Furfural as an ageing product of cellulose paper can be detected by the furfural content in the oil. With the construction of green power grid, more and more power equipment adopts environmentally friendly insulating fluids. The investigation of the diffusion behaviors of furfural at different oil-paper interfaces can provide a basis for fault detection in power transformers. The liquid-solid interface diffusion behaviors of furfural in natural ester-cellulose paper and mineral oil-cellulose paper insulating systems are investigated by molecular dynamics simulation in this paper. Results show that the range of center-of-mass movement distances of furfural in mineral oil-cellulose paper is about 5 times that of natural ester-cellulose paper. The main reason for this is that the long-chain macromolecules composing the natural ester undergo curling in the extended flow. As polar molecules, natural ester can attract furfural, which is also a polar molecule. And the electrostatic potential mapping interval of furfural is about 4.4 times that of mineral oil, but 1.1 times that of natural ester, with which it overlaps more. These hinder the diffusion of furfural molecules in the natural ester-cellulose paper liquid-solid interface. This research provides theoretical support for the diffusion of furfural in the insulation systems of natural ester-cellulose paper and mineral oil-cellulose paper. It also provides useful guidance for fault detection in transformers using natural ester insulating fluids.

Afitness: Fitness Monitoring on Smart Devices via Acoustic Motion Images

Recently, as fitness has become a popular part of people’s lives, the intention to record fitness processes and assess the standards of fitness movements has grown increasingly keen. However, the existing approaches have some limitations, for example, wearable devices can hinder users’ fitness activities; computer vision–based solutions pose the risk of privacy breach, and so on. Fortunately, we observed that smartspeaker, acoustic-based sensing is a promising method of activity monitoring. In this article, we propose Afitness, an acoustic-based sensing system that enables non-intrusive, passive, and high-precision fitness detection. Afitness has the following three innovations. (i) We utilize pulse compression to generate high-precision motion distance images on commercial devices that can be visually recognized. (ii) We propose a data augmentation algorithm, which also incorporates transfer learning to greatly reduce the pressure of data collection. (iii) We exploit incremental learning techniques that allow Afitness to improve the portability of our system and recognize new actions. Overall, Afitness achieves acoustic signal interpretability and environmental reliability detection.

Effects of a Modified Long-Acting Cocktail on Analgesia and Enhanced Recovery After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Double-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial

BackgroundWe compared the efficacy and safety of a modified cocktail for postoperative analgesia and early functional rehabilitation in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). MethodsMagnesium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate were added to a cocktail of ropivacaine, epinephrine, and dexamethasone. Primary outcome measures were visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at various intervals after surgery, morphine consumption for rescue analgesia after surgery, and time to first rescue analgesia. Secondary outcomes were hip function after surgery, daily walking distance, quadriceps muscle strength, and the incidence of postoperative adverse reactions. ResultsMorphine consumption was significantly lower in the modified cocktail group than in the control group in the first 24 hours after surgery (6.2 ± 6.0 versus 14.2 ± 6.4 mg, P < .001), as was total morphine consumption (10.0 ± 8.6 versus 19.2 ± 10.1 mg, P < .001). The duration of the first rescue analgesia was significantly prolonged (23.7 ± 10.3 versus 11.9 ± 5.8 mg, P < .001). Morphine consumption was also reduced in the magnesium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate groups over a 24-hour period compared to the control group (P < .001). The modified cocktail group had significantly lower resting VAS pain scores than the control group within 24 hours after surgery (P < .050). The VAS pain scores during movement within 12 hours after surgery were also lower (P < .050). The experimental groups showed better hip range of motion (P < .050) and longer walking distance (P < .050) on the first postoperative day, and levels of inflammatory markers were significantly reduced. The incidence of postoperative adverse reactions was similar among the 4 groups. ConclusionsThe modified cocktail with a new adjuvant can prolong the duration of postoperative analgesia, reduce the dosage of rescue analgesics, and accelerate early postoperative functional recovery in patients undergoing THA.

Prediction of Human Reaching Pose Sequences in Human–Robot Collaboration

Abstract In human–robot collaboration, robots and humans must work together in shared, overlapping, workspaces to accomplish tasks. If human and robot motion can be coordinated, then collisions between robot and human can seamlessly be avoided without requiring either of them to stop work. A key part of this coordination is anticipating humans’ future motion so robot motion can be adapted proactively. In this work, a generative neural network predicts a multi-step sequence of human poses for tabletop reaching motions. The multi-step sequence is mapped to a time-series based on a human speed versus motion distance model. The input to the network is the human’s reaching target relative to current pelvis location combined with current human pose. A dataset was generated of human motions to reach various positions on or above the table in front of the human starting from a wide variety of initial human poses. After training the network, experiments showed that the predicted sequences generated by this method matched the actual recordings of human motion within an L2 joint error of 7.6 cm and L2 link roll–pitch–yaw error of 0.301 rad on average. This method predicts motion for an entire reach motion without suffering from the exponential propagation of prediction error that limits the horizon of prior works.