A Globally Guided Dual-Arm Reactive Motion Controller for Coordinated Self-Handover in a Confined Domestic Environment.

Future humanoid robots will be widely deployed in our daily lives. Motion planning and control in an unstructured, confined, and human-centered environment utilizing dexterity and a cooperative ability of dual-arm robots is still an open issue. We propose a globally guided dual-arm reactive motion controller (GGDRC) that combines the strengths of global planning and reactive methods.

The Effect of Phonomyography Prototype for Intraoperative Neuromuscular Monitoring: A Preliminary Study.

Quantitative neuromuscular monitoring, as extolled by clinical guidelines, is advocated to circumvent the complications associated with neuromuscular blockers (NMBs), such as residual neuromuscular block (rNMB). Nonetheless, the worldwide utilization of such methods remains undesirable. Phonomyography (PMG) boasts the advantages of convenience, stability, and multi-muscle recording which may be a promising monitoring method.

Hand Grasp Pose Prediction Based on Motion Prior Field.

Shared control of bionic robot hands has recently attracted much research attention. However, few studies have performed predictive analysis for grasp pose, which is vital for the pre-shape planning of robotic wrists and hands. Aiming at shared control of dexterous hand grasp planning, this paper proposes a framework for grasp pose prediction based on the motion prior field.

Bolt-Loosening Detection Using 1D and 2D Input Data Based on Two-Stream Convolutional Neural Networks.

At present, the detection accuracy of bolt-loosening diagnoses is still not high. In order to improve the detection accuracy, this paper proposes a fault diagnosis model based on the TSCNN model, which can simultaneously extract fault features from vibration signals and time-frequency images and can precisely detect the bolt-loosening states. In this paper, the LeNet-5 network is improved by adjusting the size and number of the convolution kernels, introducing the dropout operation, and building a two-dimensional convolutional neural network (2DCNN) model.

Geopolymer bricks prepared by MSWI fly ash and other solid wastes: Moulding pressure and curing method optimisation.

The preparation of geopolymer from alkaline solid waste instead of strong alkali presents the disadvantage of low early strength. However, improving the early mechanical properties of the geopolymer to meet the engineering requirements is challenging. In this paper, the effects of different moulding pressures and curing methods on the properties of red mud-ground granulated blast furnace slag activated by municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWIFA)-carbide slag (CRMG) were studied and evaluated in terms of compressive strength and XRD, FTIR, SEM, and MIP techniques analysis.

Exposures to temperature beyond threshold disproportionately reduce vegetation growth in the northern hemisphere.

In recent decades, terrestrial vegetation in the northern hemisphere (NH) has been exposed to warming and more extremely high temperatures. However, the consequences of these changes for terrestrial vegetation growth remain poorly quantified and understood. By examining a satellite-based vegetation index, tree-ring measurements and land-surface model simulations, we discovered a consistent convex pattern in the responses of vegetation growth to temperature exposure (TE) for forest, shrub and grass in both the temperate (30°-50° N) and boreal (50°-70° N) NH during the period of 1982-2012.

Prediction of finger kinematics from discharge timings of motor units: implications for intuitive control of myoelectric prostheses.

Objective: The aim of the study was to characterize the accuracy in the identification of motor unit discharges during natural movements using high-density electromyography (EMG) signals and to investigate their correlation with finger kinematics.

Approach: High-density EMG signals of forearm muscles and finger joint angles were recorded concurrently during hand movements of ten able-bodied subjects. EMG signals were decomposed into motor unit spike trains (MUSTs) with a blind-source separation method.

Uneven winter snow influence on tree growth across temperate China.

Winter snow is an important driver of tree growth in regions where growing-season precipitation is limited. However, observational evidence of this influence at larger spatial scales and across diverse bioclimatic regions is lacking. Here, we investigated the interannual effects of winter (here defined as previous October to current February) snow depth on tree growth across temperate China over the period of 1961-2015, using a regional network of tree ring records, in situ daily snow depth observations, and gridded climate data.

GM-CSF overexpression after influenza a virus infection prevents mortality and moderates M1-like airway monocyte/macrophage polarization.

Background: Influenza A viruses cause life-threatening pneumonia and lung injury in the lower respiratory tract. Application of high GM-CSF levels prior to infection has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality from pathogenic influenza infection in mice, but the mechanisms of protection and treatment efficacy have not been established.

Methods: Mice were infected intranasally with influenza A virus (PR8 strain).

Differentiating drought legacy effects on vegetation growth over the temperate Northern Hemisphere.

In view of future changes in climate, it is important to better understand how different plant functional groups (PFGs) respond to warmer and drier conditions, particularly in temperate regions where an increase in both the frequency and severity of drought is expected. The patterns and mechanisms of immediate and delayed impacts of extreme drought on vegetation growth remain poorly quantified. Using satellite measurements of vegetation greenness, in-situ tree-ring records, eddy-covariance CO and water flux measurements, and meta-analyses of source water of plant use among PFGs, we show that drought legacy effects on vegetation growth differ markedly between forests, shrubs and grass across diverse bioclimatic conditions over the temperate Northern Hemisphere.

TGF-β stimulates HDAC4 nucleus-to-cytoplasm translocation and NADPH oxidase 4-derived reactive oxygen species in normal human lung fibroblasts.

Myofibroblasts are important mediators of fibrogenesis; thus blocking fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation (FMD) may be an effective strategy to treat pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Previously, we reported that histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) activity is necessary for transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced human lung FMD. Here, we show that TGF-β increases NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) mRNA and protein expression in normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLFs) and causes nuclear export of HDAC4.

A portable multi-channel wireless NIRS device for muscle activity real-time monitoring.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a relative new technology in monitoring muscle oxygenation and hemo-dynamics. This paper presents a portable multi-channel wireless NIRS device for real-time monitoring of muscle activity. The NIRS sensor is designed miniaturized and modularized, to make multi-site monitoring convenient.

Identification of two forms of the Eso1 protein in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Eso1p is a protein fusion. Two-thirds of its N-terminus is conserved to budding yeast Rad30, which functions in error-free replication of UV-damaged DNA. A third of the C-terminus is highly conserved to budding yeast Eco1, a lysine acetyltransferase, which is essential for the establishment of cohesion.

Amino-functionalized macroporous silica for efficient tryptic digestion in acidic solutions.

Amino-functionalized macroporous silica foam (NH2 -MOSF) has been developed as a host reactor to realize highly efficient proteolysis in acidic solutions where normal tryptic reactions cannot occur. The digestion protocol consists simply of adding the functionalized NH2 -MOSF into the protein and trypsin solutions without altering the bulk pH or preloading the enzymes on the materials. With this protocol, digestion of sample fractions from LC can be efficiently realized in the acidic solutions directly.

A genetic screen to discover pathways affecting cohesin function in Schizosaccharomyces pombe identifies chromatin effectors.

Cohesion, the force that holds sister chromatids together from the time of DNA replication until separation at the metaphase to anaphase transition, is mediated by the cohesin complex. This complex is also involved in DNA damage repair, chromosomes condensation, and gene regulation. To learn more about the cellular functions of cohesin, we conducted a genetic screen in Schizosaccharomyces pombe with two different cohesin mutants (eso1-G799D and mis4-242).

N-Acetyltransferase 2 genotype, exfoliated urothelial cells and benzidine exposure.

Most studies report an association of the slow N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) status with elevated bladder cancer risk. In this study, NAT2 genotypes and the decades-long records of Papanicolaou's grading of exfoliated urothelial cells in a former benzidine-exposed cohort of the Shanghai dyestuff industry (29 bladder cancer patients; 307 non-cancer cohort members, some of them presenting different grades of pre-malignant alterations of exfoliated urothelial cells) were investigated. The cohort members had been enrolled in regular medical surveillance since mid-1980s.

Characterization of efficient proteolysis by trypsin loaded macroporous silica.

Tryptic digestion of proteins in trypsin loaded porous silica has been shown to be highly efficient. Enzymatic silica-reactors were prepared by immobilizing trypsin into macroporous ordered siliceous foam (MOSF) and into mesoporous SBA-15 silica which has a smaller pore size. The tryptic products from the silica reactors were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), and a higher proteolysis efficiency was obtained with MOSF.

Post-transcriptional up-regulation of miR-21 by type I collagen.

Composition of extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial to the establishment and maintenance of epithelial apical-basolateral polarity. Increased ECM rigidity caused by deposition of fibrillar collagen, for example, collagen type I (Col-1), promotes loss of epithelial polarity and tumor progression. microRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and fundamental cellular processes.

Pharmacological inhibition of HDAC6 attenuates endothelial barrier dysfunction induced by thrombin.

Background: Endothelial barrier dysfunction (EBD) involves microtubule disassembly and enhanced cell contractility. Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) deacetylates α-tubulin, and thereby destabilizes microtubules. This study investigates a role for HDAC6 in EBD.

Association of XPD/ERCC2 G23591A and A35931C polymorphisms with skin lesion prevalence in a multiethnic, arseniasis-hyperendemic village exposed to indoor combustion of high arsenic coal.

More than 2,000 arsenic-related skin lesions (as at 2002) in a few villages of China's Southwest Guizhou Autonomous Prefecture represent a unique case of endemic arseniasis related with indoor combustion of high-arsenic coal. The skin lesion prevalence was significantly higher in ethnic Han villagers than in ethnic Hmong villagers. This study was focused on a possible involvement of XPD/ERCC2 G23591A and A35931C polymorphisms in risk modulation of skin lesions and in the body burden of As in this unique case of As exposure.

Abrogation of TGF-beta1-induced fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation by histone deacetylase inhibition.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating disease with no known effective pharmacological therapy. The fibroblastic foci of IPF contain activated myofibroblasts that are the major synthesizers of type I collagen. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 promotes differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts in vitro and in vivo.

Arseniasis prevalence and mortality in a multiethnic, endemic township in Guizhou, China.

Objective: Farmers in Southwest Guizhou Autonomous Prefecture, China, represent a unique case of arseniasis, which is related to indoor combustion of high arsenic-containing coal instead of to arsenic-contaminated drinking water. A significant difference in the prevalence of arseniasis was observed in two neighboring ethnic clans in one village. The question arose whether the ethnicity-dependent difference observed in this village was more widely spread throughout the whole township.

A follow-up study of mortality among the arseniasis patients exposed to indoor combustion of high arsenic coal in Southwest Guizhou Autonomous Prefecture, China.

Objective: This study was directed to ascertain the mortality of a group of arseniasis patients in an endemic rural township in Southwest China, where the residents were exposed for decades to indoor combustion of high arsenic coal.

Methods: All the diagnosed arseniasis cases registered in 1991 were defined as the target population, which were assigned to three symptom subgroups by the severity of dermal lesions. The death cases were surveyed and checked.

Glutathione S-transferases M1 and T1 polymorphisms and arsenic content in hair and urine in two ethnic clans exposed to indoor combustion of high arsenic coal in Southwest Guizhou, China.

A total of 2,402 cases of arsenic-related skin lesions (as of 2002) in a few villages of China's Southwest Guizhou Autonomous Prefecture represent a unique case of endemic arseniasis related with indoor combustion of high arsenic coal. A significant difference of skin lesion prevalence was observed between two clans of different ethnicities (Hmong and Han) in one of the hyperendemic villages in this prefecture. This study was focused on a possible involvement of GST T1 and M1 polymorphisms in risk modulation of skin lesions and in the body burden of As in this unique case of As exposure.