Study on the combination of virtual machine tools and wearable vibration devices for operators experiencing cutting forces in the milling process.

The primary goal of this study is to develop a wearable system for providing CNC machine operators with visual and tactile perception of triaxial cutting forces, thereby assisting operators in industrial environments to enhance work efficiency and prevent mechanical failures. To achieve this goal, we successfully integrated a virtual machining tool simulator with the remote-control wearable system (RCWS). Using the 'King Path' milling parameters, we employed the simulation software developed by the AIM-HI team to calculate static and dynamic cutting forces, converting this data into vibrational commands for the RCWS to generate corresponding tactile feedback.

Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer-Integrated Helmholtz Resonator with Microliter-Sized Volume-Tunable Cavity.

In this study, a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) is integrated with a microliter-sized volume-tunable Helmholtz resonator. The passive Helmholtz resonator is constructed using an SU8 photolithography-defined square opening plate as the neck portion, a 3D-printed hollow structure with a threaded insert nut, and a precision set screw to form the volume-controllable cavity of the Helmholtz resonator. The fabricated piezoelectric films acted as ultrasonic actuators attached to the surface of the neck SU8 plate.

Electroactive polymer-based inner vessel-wall pressure transducer capable of integration with a PTA balloon catheter for examining blood vessel health.

This study presents a state-of-the-art soft and biocompatible transducer capable of detecting vessel inner-wall pressure for biomedical applications. The device includes a 3D electroactive polymer core element encapsulated by polydimethylsiloxane with an ellipsoidal structure. The device produces a voltage output when its sensing mechanism experiences different pressures, resulting in deformation at different orientations.

Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers with a Cost-Effective Bottom-Up Fabrication Scheme for Millimeter-Scale Range Finding.

This study proposes a novel piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT), fabricated on a metal foil. Using a bottom-up, cost-effective micromachining technique, the PMUTs made of electrodes, a piezoelectric film, or electrode-sandwiched structures with versatile patterns were implemented on a large-area foil thinner rather than regular paper. The proposed microfabrication facilitated the PMUT to be able to generate ultrasonic waves with fundamental and harmonic resonances.

An Out-of-Plane Operated Soft Engine Driving Stretchable Zone Plate for Adjusting Focal Point of an Ultrasonic Beam.

This paper presents a soft engine which performs up-and-down motion with four planar film-structured ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMC) actuators. This soft engine assembled with a stretchable Fresnel zone plate is capable of tuning the focus of ultrasonic beam. Instead of conventional clamps, we employ 3D printed frame pairs with magnets and a conductive gold cloth to provide an alternative solution for securing the IPMC actuators during assembly.

[Health Care-seeking Behaviors in Mosuo and Pumi People in Yunnan Ninglang].

Objective To investigate the health care-seeking behaviors of Mosuo and Pumi people.Methods The subjects were enrolled by using the multi-stage stratified random sampling method and surveyed by the self-designed questionnaire.Results To tally 1669 subjects including 1121 Mosuo people and 548 Pumi people completed the survey.

Neuroendocrine abnormalities associated with untreated first episode patients with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.

There are few studies that explore simultaneously the relationship of neuroendocrine hormones of the HPA, HPT and HPG axes with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of this study is to examine the relationship of neuroendocrine pathways with affective disorders by comparing the differences in measures of neuroendocrine function between untreated first episode patients with MDD and BD. A cohort of 679 MDD and 83 BD patients was recruited.

Hydrothermally synthesized PZT film grown in highly concentrated KOH solution with large electromechanical coupling coefficient for resonator.

This paper presents a study of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films hydrothermally grown on a dome-shaped titanium diaphragm. Few articles in the literature address the implementation of hydrothermal PZT films on curved-diaphragm substrates for resonators. In this study, a 50-μm-thick titanium sheet is embossed using balls of designed dimensions to shape a dome-shaped cavity array.

Overview of the improvement of the ring-stage survival assay-a novel phenotypic assay for the detection of artemisinin-resistant .

Artemisinin resistance in threatens the remarkable efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapies worldwide. Thus, greater insight into the resistance mechanism using monitoring tools is essential. The ring-stage survival assay is used for phenotyping artemisinin-resistance or decreased artemisinin sensitivity.

Investigation on the Mechanical and Electrical Behavior of a Tuning Fork-Shaped Ionic Polymer Metal Composite Actuator with a Continuous Water Supply Mechanism.

This paper presents an innovative tuning fork-shaped ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuator. With an integrated soft strain gauge and water supply mechanism (WSM), the surface strain of the actuator can be sensed in situ, and providing a continuous water supply maintains the water content inside the IPMC for long-term operation in air. The actuator was fabricated using a micromachining technique and plated with a nickel electrode.

Hypouricaemic action of mangiferin results from metabolite norathyriol via inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity.

Context Mangiferin has been reported to possess a potential hypouricaemic effect. However, the pharmacokinetic studies in rats showed that its oral bioavailability was only 1.2%, suggesting that mangiferin metabolites might exert the action.

A self-strain feedback tuning-fork-shaped ionic polymer metal composite clamping actuator with soft matter elasticity-detecting capability for biomedical applications.

This paper presents a smart tuning-fork-shaped ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) clamping actuator for biomedical applications. The two fingers of the actuator, which perform the clamping motion, can be electrically controlled through a unique electrode design on the IPMC material. The generated displacement or strain of the fingers can be sensed using an integrated soft strain-gage sensor.

Risk factors for liver-related mortality in chronic hepatitis C patients: a deceased case-living control study.

Aim: To investigate the risk factors for liver-related mortality in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients.

Methods: All deceased CHC inpatient data were collected from the Beijing 302 Hospital clinical database, which includes more than 8250 CHC inpatients during the period from 2002 to 2012. The controls were matched to cases by age (± 2 years), sex and date of hospital admission (within the same year).

Fabrication and characterization of a micromachined swirl-shaped ionic polymer metal composite actuator with electrodes exhibiting asymmetric resistance.

This paper presents a swirl-shaped microfeatured ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuator. A novel micromachining process was developed to fabricate an array of IPMC actuators on a glass substrate and to ensure that no shortcircuits occur between the electrodes of the actuator. We demonstrated a microfluidic scheme in which surface tension was used to construct swirl-shaped planar IPMC devices of microfeature size and investigated the flow velocity of Nafion solutions, which formed the backbone polymer of the actuator, within the microchannel.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells are associated with viral persistence and downregulation of TCR ζ chain expression on CD8(+) T cells in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an important role in impairing the function of T cells. We characterized MDSCs in two chronic hepatitis C (CHC) cohorts: a cross-sectional group that included 61 treatment-naive patients with CHC, 14 rapid virologic response (RVR) cases and 22 early virologic response (EVR) cases; and a longitudinal group of 13 cases of RVR and 10 cases of EVR after pegylated-interferon-α/ribavirin treatment for genotype 1b HCV infection. Liver samples from 32 CHC patients and six healthy controls were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis.

A spherically-shaped PZT thin film ultrasonic transducer with an acoustic impedance gradient matching layer based on a micromachined periodically structured flexible substrate.

This paper presents the microfabrication of an acoustic impedance gradient matching layer on a spherically-shaped piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer. The acoustic matching layer can be designed to achieve higher acoustic energy transmission and operating bandwidth. Also included in this paper are a theoretical analysis of the device design and a micromachining technique to produce the novel transducer.

Fabrication of piezoelectric components for a tunable and efficient device for DNA delivery into mammalian cells.

We fabricated three piezoelectric components (PZT) that can produce ultrasonic waves with various generated power in order to improve the delivery of DNA molecule and polymer/DNA complexes into cells. Two cationic polymers (PEI and PDMAEMA) were interacted with DNA to form nano-scaled DNA/polymer complexes with/without the help of PZT devices. The application of PZT devices under optimal conditions helped to avoid cytotoxicity and greatly increased the transfection (DNA delivery) efficiency of these complexes in mammalian cells.

Upregulation of OX40 ligand on monocytes contributes to early virological control in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Dysfunctional hepatitis C virus (HCV) specific CD4(+) T cells are known to contribute to inadequate adaptive immunity in chronic hepatitis C (CHC), although the underlying mechanisms remain largely undefined. In this study, OX40 ligand (OX40L) expression was investigated in 41 treatment-naïve CHC patients, 20 sustained virological responders and 36 healthy subjects. We observed that OX40L expression was significantly upregulated in peripheral monocytes in CHC patients compared with sustained virological responders and healthy subjects.

Simple-structured capillary-force-dominated tunable-focus liquid lens based on the higher-order-harmonic resonance of a piezoelectric ring transducer.

This paper proposes a tunable-focus liquid lens implemented with a simple cylindrical container structure and liquid as the lens material. The cylindrical container was constructed using a Pb [Zr(0.52)Ti(0.

Micromachined optical fiber enclosed 4-electrode IPMC actuator with multidirectional control ability for biomedical application.

The present paper examined a novel micromachined column structured Ion Polymer Metal Composite (IPMC) actuator with multidirectional control capability. The developed 4-electrode transducer enclosed a section of optical fiber, thereby allowing electronic directional control of conducted laser light. The fabricated device with IPMC actuator dimensions of 5 mm x 2 mm x 1 mm reached a maximum displacement of 400 μm when a square wave of 9 V was applied to the top-bottom electrode pair.

Flexible meniscus/biconvex lens system with fluidic-controlled tunable-focus applications.

Controlled injection of fluid into a flexible lens chamber has previously produced tunable spherical lenses with spherical aberration problems. This paper presents a novel fluidic-controlled meniscus/biconvex lens system with relatively low distortion. The lens fabrication method is described and manufactured lenses are characterized for different processing parameters.

[Prevalence trend of neural tube defect in Zhengzhou city, 1996-2005].

Objective: To describe the prevalence trend and epidemiological characteristics of neural tube defects (NTDs) in perinatal in Zhengzhou city from 1996 to 2005.

Methods: Data collected from hospital were used to depict the epidemiology of NTDs in Zhengzhou. All perinatal fetuses born in hospitals had an access within 7 days after delivery.

Three novel phases in the Sm-Co-Ga system. Syntheses, crystal and electronic structures, and electrical and magnetic properties.

This paper presents the synthesis, identification, and characterization of three novel phases in the ternary system Sm-Co-Ga: SmCoGa5 (tP7, HoCoGa5 type, tetragonal P4/mmm, Z = 1, a = 4.2419(3) A, and c = 6.8559(5) A), Sm4Co3Ga16 (tP23, tetragonal P4/mmm, Z = 1, a = 6.

Sm5Ga3.

Single crystals of pentasamarium trigallium, Sm5Ga3, display tetragonal symmetry. The crystal structure was solved and refined in space group P4/ncc. The present work does not confirm the space group I4/mcm previously deduced from powder data measurements.