Integration of neuromuscular control for multidirectional horizontal planar reaching movements in a portable upper limb exoskeleton for enhanced stroke rehabilitation.

Globally, the prevalence of stroke is significant and increasing annually. This growth has led to a demand for rehabilitation services that far exceeds the supply, leaving many stroke survivors without adequate rehabilitative care. In response to this challenge, this study introduces a portable exoskeleton system that integrates neural control mechanisms governing human arm movements.

N-doped carbon sheets supported P-FeO-MoO for freshwater and seawater electrolysis.

Electric-driven freshwater/seawater splitting is an attractive and sustainable route to realize the generation of H and O. Molybdenum-based oxides exhibit poor activity toward freshwater/seawater electrolysis. Herein, we adjusted the electronic structure of MoO by constructing N-doped carbon sheets supported P-FeO-MoO nanosheets (P-FeO-MoO/NC).

Competitive Adsorption of Interfacially Active Nanoparticles and Anionic Surfactant at the Crude Oil-Water Interface.

The interfacial activity of poly(-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) nanoparticles in the absence and presence of an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) was studied at a crude oil-water interface. Both species are interfacially active and can lower the interfacial tension, but when mixed together, the interfacial composition was found to depend on the aging time and total component concentration. With the total component concentration less than 0.

Discontinuous dewetting dynamics of highly viscous droplets on chemically heterogeneous substrates.

Hypothesis: Droplet spreading on heterogeneous (chemical/structural) surfaces has revealed local disturbances that affect the advancing contact line. With droplet dewetting being less studied, we hypothesize that a receding droplet can be perturbed by localized heterogeneity which leads to irregular and discontinuous dewetting of the substrate.

Experiments: The sessile drop method was used to study droplet dewetting at a wettability boundary.

Preliminary Study on Grading Diagnosis of Early Knee Osteoarthritis by Shear Wave Elastography.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most common chronic bone joint disease. The WHO points out that KOA has become the fourth most disabling disease in the world, and the main clinical treatment is prevention. At present, the clinical diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis with deformation is mainly made by X-ray and two-dimensional ultrasound, and the preventive treatment effect is not good.

Interfacial behavior of core-shell composite nanoparticles under compression and shear: Influence of polymer shell thickness.

Hypothesis: The mobility of core-shell nanoparticles partitioned at an air-water interface is strongly governed by the compliance of the polymer shell.

Experiments: The compressional, relaxation and shear responses of two polymer-coated silica nanoparticles (CPs) were studied using a Langmuir trough and needle interfacial shear rheometer, and the corresponding structures of the particle-laden interfaces were visualized using Brewster angle and scanning electron microscopy.

Findings: The mobility of CPs partitioned at an air-water interface correlates to the polymer MW.

Quantum enhanced electro-optic sensor for E-field measurement.

The measurement of intense E-field is a fundamental need in various research areas. An electro-optic (EO) sensor based on common path interferometer (CPI) is widely used due to its better temperature stability and controllability of optical bias. However, the small EO coefficient leads to poor sensitivity.

Application of α-amylase as a novel biodemulsifier for destabilizing amphiphilic polymer-flooding produced liquid treatment.

The performance and de-emulsification mechanism of α-amylase, a novel environmental friendly biodemulsifier in petroleum industry, was investigated at room temperature. The effects of α-amylase on the viscosity of amphiphilic polymer solution and de-emulsification rate were studied by changing the concentration of α-amylase, temperature and salinity. Polymer molecular weight, Zeta potential, interfacial film strength and interfacial tension were measured to investigate the de-emulsification mechanism of α-amylase.

Rheinheimera longhuensis sp. nov., isolated from a slightly alkaline lake, and emended description of genus Rheinheimera Brettar et al. 2002.

The bacterial strain LH2-2(T) was isolated from freshwater of Longhu Lake, a slightly alkaline lake (pH 8.8) in north-east China. Cells of strain LH2-2(T) were Gram-staining-negative, non-spore-forming rods, 0.

Hydrocarboniphaga daqingensis sp. nov., isolated from a freshwater lake.

A Gram-negative bacterium, designated B2-9(T), was isolated from water of a slightly alkaline lake, Longhu Lake in Daqing, north-east China. Strain B2-9(T) was an aerobic rod, heterotrophic, catalase- and oxidase-positive and motile by means of a single polar flflagellum. The isolate grew well on n-alkanes C(9)-C(17) and weakly on C(6)-C(8), C(18) and C(19).

Catellibacterium aquatile sp. nov., isolated from fresh water, and emended description of the genus Catellibacterium Tanaka et al. 2004.

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-pigmented, non-spore-forming bacterial strain that was motile by a single polar flagellum, designated A1-9(T), was isolated from Daqing reservoir in north-east China and its taxonomic position was studied using a polyphasic approach. Strain A1-9(T) was non-halophilic, strictly aerobic and heterotrophic and lacked carotenoids, internal membranes and genes for photosynthesis (puf genes). Strain A1-9(T) grew at 10-40 degrees C (optimum, 25-30 degrees C) and pH 5.

Algoriphagus aquatilis sp. nov., isolated from a freshwater lake.

A Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, non-motile bacterium, strain A8-7(T), was isolated from fresh water of a slightly alkaline lake, Longhu Lake, in Daqing, north-east China, and its taxonomic position was studied by using a polyphasic approach. Strain A8-7(T) was aerobic, heterotrophic and positive for catalase and oxidase. It grew at 20-37 degrees C (optimum 30 degrees C) and pH 5.

[Microbial diversity in scorpion intestine (Buthus martensii Karsch)].

Scorpion is an important officinal animal, and has a high nutritional value. In this study, the culture-independent and culture-dependent methods were used to investigate the microbial diversity in the scorpion's intestine. Results based on culture-independent method showed the bacteria to be related to alpha, beta, gamma-proteobacteria.