Design and control of a multi-mobile-robot cooperative transport system based on a novel six degree-of-freedom connector.

Multi-robot cooperative object transport on uneven roads is challenging. The key barrier is dealing with nonholonomic and rigid-formation motion constraints. In this study, to alleviate the influence of these constraints on a multi-robot cooperative transport system (MRCTS), a six degree-of-freedom connector capable of sensing three-axial displacements, three-axial forces, and three-axial angular displacements is designed and employed.

Robotic mobile and mirror milling of large-scale complex structures.

Robotization, miniaturization and portability have become the new development trend of milling equipment for large-scale complex structures, and the robotic mobile and mirror milling technology has reached remarkable progress in practical production.

PneuNet: deep learning for COVID-19 pneumonia diagnosis on chest X-ray image analysis using Vision Transformer.

A long-standing challenge in pneumonia diagnosis is recognizing the pathological lung texture, especially the ground-glass appearance pathological texture. One main difficulty lies in precisely extracting and recognizing the pathological features. The patients, especially those with mild symptoms, show very little difference in lung texture, neither conventional computer vision methods nor convolutional neural networks perform well on pneumonia diagnosis based on chest X-ray (CXR) images.

Stretchable and conformable variable stiffness device through an electrorheological fluid.

Stiffness variations extend creatures' functions and capabilities to deal with complex environments. In this study, we proposed an electrorheological fluid-based variable stiffness device, named VSERF, made up of soft materials. Our device is soft, thin, and stretchable so that it can conform to surfaces with complex morphologies.

A pipeline inspection robot for navigating tubular environments in the sub-centimeter scale.

In complex systems like aircraft engines and oil refinery machines, pipeline inspection is an essential task for ensuring safety. Here, we proposed a type of smart material-driven pipeline inspection robot (weight, 2.2 grams; length, 47 millimeters; diameter, <10 millimeters) that could fit into pipes with sub-centimeter diameters and different curvatures.

[Characteristics, Ozone Formation Potential, and Source Apportionment of VOCs During the COVID-19 Epidemic in Xiong'an].

Many restrictive measures were implemented in China from January-February 2020 to control the rapid spread of COVID-19. Many studies reported that the COVID-19 lockdown impacted PM, SO, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), etc. VOCs play important roles in the production of ozone and PM.

Effects of leaf colorness, pigment contents and allelochemicals on the orientation of the Asian citrus psyllid among four Rutaceae host plants.

Background: Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is the primary vector responsible for the transmission of the phloem-limited bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter spp., associated with huanglongbing (HLB), which causes great loss to the citrus industry. Although the roles of leaf color and volatile compounds in the orientation of ACP have been proven, the quantification of color and allelochemicals in the host plant are kept unclear, especially in wild citrus germplasms.

Modulation of AβPP and GSK3β by Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Involvement in Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a dementia disease with neuronal loss and synaptic impairment. This impairment is caused, at least partly, by the generation of two main AD hallmarks, namely the hyperphosphorylated tau protein comprising neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques containing amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides. The amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) are two main proteins associated with AD and are closely correlated with these hallmarks.

Ginsenoside rb1 reduces isoproterenol-induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.

Cardiomyocytes apoptosis can lead to heart failure. Conventional and alternative drugs, such as Chinese herbal remedies, have been developed to target cardiomyoblast cells apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the effects of ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1), an active compound, which is isolated from Notoginseng and Ginseng on isoproterenol-(ISO-) induced apoptosis in rat cardiomyocytes and its mechanism in vivo and in vitro.

[Pathologic observation on animal model of silicosis].

Objective: To explore the pathological changes of pulmonary fibrosis induced by SiO2 in rats and pigs.

Methods: The silicosis models in rats and pigs were established by non-exposure method. The pathologic changes in lung tissues of rats and pigs were observed with HE staining under a light microscopy and under a transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the expression of cytokines was detected by immunohistochemistry.

Curcumin enhanced antiproliferative effect of mitomycin C in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells in vitro and in vivo.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of mitomycin C (MMC) in combination with curcumin in suppressing human breast cancer in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: Human breast cancer MCF-7 cells were used. Cell viability was measured using MTT assay.

Curcumin improves MMC-based chemotherapy by simultaneously sensitising cancer cells to MMC and reducing MMC-associated side-effects.

Mitomycin C (MMC) potently suppresses tumour growth. However, its use is limited by its severe toxicity to the kidney and bone marrow. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the chemoprevention agent curcumin can reduce MMC-associated side-effects and improve MMC efficacy in a breast cancer xenograft model.

Attenuated Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae as a bacterial vector for expression of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae P36 gene.

Background: Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae are causative agents of porcine pneumonia. Over the last few years, attenuated A. pleuropneumoniae live vaccines have been shown to provide protection against A.

[Study of combination methods for formula composition of Chinese herbal medicines and their components].

Chinese prescription is composed of Chinese herbal medicines according to "seven compatible relations" and "sovereign, minister, assistant and courier" principles. There are many methods in the research on combination and composition of Chinese herbal medicines. These methods are classified into traditional model and modern model.

Identification of 2-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridin-3-yl)-ethylamine derivatives as novel GnRH receptor antagonists.

A novel series of 2-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridin-3-yl)-ethylamine derivatives were designed and synthesized as GnRH receptor antagonists. SAR studies led to a series of highly active molecules against both the rat and human receptors. Furthermore, one potent compound, 17j, demonstrated dose-dependent LH suppression in castrated rats.

Pharmacological characterization of a novel nonpeptide antagonist of the human gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor, NBI-42902.

Suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis by peptides that act at the GnRH receptor has found widespread use in clinical practice for the management of sex-steroid-dependent diseases (such as prostate cancer and endometriosis) and reproductive disorders. Efforts to develop orally available GnRH receptor antagonists have led to the discovery of a novel, potent nonpeptide antagonist, NBI-42902, that suppresses serum LH concentrations in postmenopausal women after oral administration. Here we report the in vitro and in vivo pharmacological characterization of this compound.

[The changes and clinical significance of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha and endothelin level in bee sting poisoning].

Objective: To investigate the change of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and endothelin (ET) levels and their clinical significance in patients with bee sting poisoning.

Methods: TNFalpha and ET were measured in 97 patients with bee sting poisoning and the results were compared with those in 35 healthy controls. The 97 patients were divided into three groups i.

The N-terminal domain of CCL21 reconstitutes high affinity binding, G protein activation, and chemotactic activity, to the C-terminal domain of CCL19.

CC chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7), which regulates the trafficking of leucocytes to the secondary lymphoid organs, has two endogenous chemokine ligands: CCL19 and CCL21. Although both ligands possess similar affinities for the receptor and similar abilities to promote G protein activation and chemotaxis, they share only 25% sequence identity. Here, we show that substituting N-terminal six amino acids of CCL21 (SDGGAQ) for the corresponding N-terminal domain of CCL19 (GTNDAE) results in a chimeric chemokine that exhibits high affinity binding and G protein activation of CCR7.

3-[(2R)-Amino-2-phenylethyl]-1-(2,6-difluorobenzyl)-5-(2-fluoro-3-methoxyphenyl)- 6-methylpyrimidin-2,4-dione (NBI 42902) as a potent and orally active antagonist of the human gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor. Design, synthesis, and in vitro and in vivo characterization.

Further structure-activity relationship studies of a series of substituted uracils at the 1, 3, and 5 positions resulted in the discovery of several potent antagonists of the human gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor. Uracils bearing a side chain derived from phenylglycinol at the 3-position were shown to be orally bioavailable in monkeys. 3-[(2R)-Amino-2-phenylethyl]-1-(2,6-difluorobenzyl)-5-(2-fluoro-3-methoxyphenyl)-6-methylpyrimidin-2,4-dione (R-13b, NBI 42902) displayed subnanomolar binding affinity (K(i) = 0.

Design of 2,5-dimethyl-3-(6-dimethyl-4-methylpyridin-3-yl)-7-dipropylaminopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine (NBI 30775/R121919) and structure--activity relationships of a series of potent and orally active corticotropin-releasing factor receptor antagonists.

We have previously shown that 3-phenylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines exemplified by 8 were potent antagonists of the human corticotropin-releasing factor-1 receptor. A series of 3-pyridylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines 15, 25-30, 34, and 35 containing a weakly basic pyridine ring at the 3-position of the bicyclic nucleus was designed to reduce lipophilicity from the initial leads such as 7. Here, we showed that these 3-pyridyl compounds exhibited potent antagonists at the human CRF(1) receptor.

[Significance of detecting HBV-DNA by the fluorescence quantitative PCR].

Background: To study the correlativity between HBV-DNA and the markers of hepatitis B virus infection and different clinical types of hepatitis B.

Methods: The fluorescence quantitation (FQ) of HBV-DNA of 105 patients with hepatitis B was performed by PCR, and the correlativity between the fluorescence quantitation of HBV-DNA and the markers of hepatitis B virus and different clinical types of hepatitis B was analyzed.

Results: Ninety-seven percent of the patients were found HBsAg(+), HBeAg(+), HBcAb(+); 75% were HBsAg(+), HBeAb(+), HBcAb(+); 60% were HBsAg(+), HBcAb(+); 40% were HBsAg(+); in HBsAb(+), HBeAb(+), HBcAb(+) (or both HBsAb and HBcAb were positive) group the HBV DNA was undetectable.

Species selectivity of nonpeptide antagonists of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor is determined by residues in extracellular loops II and III and the amino terminus.

Efforts to develop orally available gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonists have led to the discovery of several classes of potent nonpeptide antagonists. Here we investigated molecular interactions of three classes of nonpeptide antagonists with human, rat, and macaque GnRH receptors. Although all are high affinity ligands of the human receptor (K(i) <5 nm), these compounds show reduced affinity for the macaque receptor and bind only weakly (K(i) >1 microm) to the rat receptor.

[Application of T grain technique to the diagnosis of lung disease and analysis of its image quality].

Objective: To compare the image quality of T grain green sensitive film (TML-1) and Lanex Gd(2)O(2)S rare earth intensifying screen with that of XK-1 blue sensitive film and calcium tungstate (CaWO(4)) intensifying screen, and to study the application of T grain technic to the diagnosis of lung diseases.

Methods: 160 coal miners were randomly selected to take both TML-1 and XK-1 chest film of high kV radiographs at the same time. Silver halide granule, fluorescence of intensifying screen, radiographic parameters, the density at different points in the lung and chest radiographs were observed.