The Design and Adaptive Control of a Parallel Chambered Pneumatic Muscle-Driven Soft Hand Robot for Grasping Rehabilitation.

The widespread application of exoskeletons driven by soft actuators in motion assistance and medical rehabilitation has proven effective for patients who struggle with precise object grasping and suffer from insufficient hand strength due to strokes or other conditions. Repetitive passive flexion/extension exercises and active grasp training are known to aid in the restoration of motor nerve function. However, conventional pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) used for hand rehabilitation typically allow for bending in only one direction, thereby limiting multi-degree-of-freedom movements.

Semi-quantitative CT score reflecting the degree of pulmonary infection as a risk factor of hypokalemia in COVID-19 patients: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Hypokalemia is a common electrolyte disorder observed in patients afflicted with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). When COVID-19 is accompanied by pulmonary infection, chest computed tomography (CT) is the preferred diagnostic modality. This study aimed to explore the relationship between CT semi-quantitative score reflecting the degree of pulmonary infection and hypokalemia from COVID-19 patients.

Periodontal ligament stem cell tissue engineering scaffolds can guide and promote canine periodontal tissue regeneration.

Background: The immunogenicity of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is significantly enhanced after transplantation or differentiation, and these cells can be recognized and cleared by recipient immune cells. Graft rejection has become a major obstacle to improving the therapeutic effect of allogeneic MSCs or, after their differentiation, transplantation in the treatment of diabetes and other diseases. Solving this problem is helpful for prolonging the time that cells play a role in the recipient body and for significantly improving the clinical therapeutic effect.

MdSVWC1, a new pattern recognition receptor triggers multiple defense mechanisms against invading bacteria in Musca domestica.

Background: Single-domain von Willebrand factor type C (SVWC) constitute a protein family predominantly identified in arthropods, characterized by a SVWC domain and involved in diverse physiological processes such as host defense, stress resistance, and nutrient metabolism. Nevertheless, the physiological mechanisms underlying these functions remain inadequately comprehended.

Results: A massive expansion of the SVWC gene family in Musca domestica (MdSVWC) was discovered, with a count of 35.

Bazi Bushen mitigates age-related muscular atrophy by alleviating cellular senescence of skeletal muscle.

Background And Aim: Muscular atrophy is one of the most common age-related conditions characterized by the deterioration of skeletal muscle structures and impaired functions. It is associated with cellular senescence and chronic inflammation, which impair the function of muscle stem cells. Bazi Bushen (BZBS) is a patent compound Chinese medicine that has been shown to have anti-aging effects in various animal models.

Heavy metal exposure reduces larval gut microbiota diversity of the rice striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis.

Cadmium (Cd), a widely distributed environmental pollutant in agroecosystems, causes negative effects on crops and herbivores through bottom-up processes. The gut microbial community of an insect can play a critical role in response to metal stress. To understand how microbiota affect the stress responses of organisms to heavy metals in agroecosystems, we initially used 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the larval gut microbiota of Chilo suppressalis, an important agricultural pest, exposed to a diet containing Cd.

Multiomics analysis of platelet-rich plasma promoting biological performance of mesenchymal stem cells.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells are ideal seed cells for tissue repair and cell therapy and have promising applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Using Platelet-Rich Plasma as an adjuvant to create and improve the microenvironment for Mesenchymal Stem Cells growth can enhance the biological properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and improve the efficacy of cell therapy. However, the mechanism by which Platelet-Rich Plasma improves the biological performance of Mesenchymal Stem Cells is still unknown.

Bazi Bushen alleviates reproductive aging in aged male mice.

Bazi Bushen (BZBS), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has demonstrated therapeutic efficacy in testicular dysfunction within D-galactose and NaNO mouse models. This study aimed to ascertain if BZBS could also mitigate the decline in testicular function associated with natural aging. Therefore, male aged mice were employed to evaluate the preventive effects of BZBS on male reproductive aging.

A Multimode Optical Sensor for Selective and Sensitive Detection of Harmful Heavy Metal Cr(VI) in Fresh Water and Sea Water.

Water pollution originating from heavy metals has shown great impacts on the ecological environment and human health due to their extremely low biodegradability. Hexavalent chromium Cr(VI), as one harmful heavy metal with strong oxidation, high biological permeability, and high carcinogenicity, is becoming an increasingly serious threat to human health. Therefore, conveniently but accurately, monitoring the Cr(VI) level in water to maintain its normal level and ensuring the stability of the ecosystem and human health become very valuable.

Biological Control of a Root-Knot Nematode Infection of Tomato ( L.) by the Oomycete Biocontrol Agent .

The biocontrol agent , which is a member of the phylum Oomycota, can control diseases caused by a taxonomically wide range of plant pathogens, including fungi, bacteria, and oomycetes. However, whether could control diseases caused by plant root-knot nematodes (RKNs) was unknown. We investigated a recently isolated strain GAQ1, and the strain CBS530.

Terpenoids derived from oil enhance sleep by modulating neurotransmitter signaling in mice.

oil (SZSO) is a natural vegetable oil extracted from , a traditional Chinese medicine renowned for its sleep-promoting properties, while the mechanisms are still unclear. Our findings revealed that the terpenoids present in SZSO (T-SZSO) were identified as the active components responsible for promoting sleep. Network pharmacological analysis suggested that T-SZSO targeted different sleep-aid pathways to varying degrees and exhibited potential for preventing central nervous system diseases.

Uric Acid Metabolic Disorders in Pituitary-Target Gland Axis.

Uric acid (UA) is the end product of purine metabolism in the human, and the imbalance between production and excretion results in the disturbance of serum uric acid (SUA). There is evidence suggesting that pituitary-target gland hormones can affect UA metabolism through regulating the activity of xanthine oxidase and UA transporters. Related endocrine diseases including thyroid dysfunction, polycystic ovary syndrome, acromegaly and Cushing's syndrome are often accompanied by elevated UA levels.

TRPA1-PI3K/Akt-OPA1-ferroptosis axis in ozone-induced bronchial epithelial cell and lung injury.

Background: Transient receptor potential (TRP) ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) could mediate ozone-induced lung injury. Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1) is one of the significant mitochondrial fusion proteins. Impaired mitochondrial fusion, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction and ferroptosis, may drive the onset and progression of lung injury.

Existing hip joint disease is associated with an increased incidence of hip fracture in adults: A retrospective survey of 9710 individuals from a single center.

Objective: In hip disease patients, pain and movement restrictions might cause changes in bone strength and increase the likelihood of falls, finally leading to hip fracture. The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of, characteristics of and risk factors for hip fracture in patients with existing hip disease.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study.