scholarly journals Design and Analysis of a Chinese Medicine Based Humanoid Robotic Arm Massage System

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (20) ◽  
pp. 4294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pang ◽  
Zhang ◽  
Yu ◽  
Sun ◽  
Gong
Keyword(s):  
Pid Controller ◽  
Robotic Arm ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Compact Structure ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Lumbar Muscle ◽  
Modular Method ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Bottom To Top ◽  
Insight Into

This paper presents a humanoid robotic arm massage system with an aim toward satisfying the clinical requirements of pain relief on the waist and legs of older patients during Chinese medicinal massage. On the basis of an in-depth analysis regarding the characteristics of arm joints of the human body and Chinese medicinal massage theory, a humanoid robotic arm massage system was designed by adapting a bottom to top modular method. The combined finite element and kinematic analysis led to an improved performance according to repeated positioning accuracy, massage strength accuracy, and massage effect. The developed humanoid robotic arm was characterized by a compact structure, high precision, light quality, and good stiffness, achieving a good bearing capacity. Due to the PID controller, the numerical simulations and experimental results provided valuable insight into the development of Chinese medicinal massage robots and massage treatments for patients who suffer from lumbar muscle strain.

scholarly journals Leveraging TSP Solver Complementarity through Machine Learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 597-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascal Kerschke ◽  
Lars Kotthoff ◽  
Jakob Bossek ◽  
Holger H. Hoos ◽  
Heike Trautmann
Keyword(s):  
Performance Improvement ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Large Set ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Benchmark Instances ◽  
Hard Problems ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
First Time ◽  
Travelling Salesperson Problem ◽  
Insight Into

The Travelling Salesperson Problem (TSP) is one of the best-studied NP-hard problems. Over the years, many different solution approaches and solvers have been developed. For the first time, we directly compare five state-of-the-art inexact solvers—namely, LKH, EAX, restart variants of those, and MAOS—on a large set of well-known benchmark instances and demonstrate complementary performance, in that different instances may be solved most effectively by different algorithms. We leverage this complementarity to build an algorithm selector, which selects the best TSP solver on a per-instance basis and thus achieves significantly improved performance compared to the single best solver, representing an advance in the state of the art in solving the Euclidean TSP. Our in-depth analysis of the selectors provides insight into what drives this performance improvement.

scholarly journals Single-cell profiling of myasthenia gravis identifies a pathogenic T cell signature

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Ingelfinger ◽  
Sinduya Krishnarajah ◽  
Michael Kramer ◽  
Sebastian G. Utz ◽  
Edoardo Galli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Myasthenia Gravis ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Single Cell Profiling ◽  
Novel Biomarkers ◽  
Cellular Markers ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractMyasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease characterized by impaired neuromuscular signaling due to autoantibodies targeting the acetylcholine receptor. Although its auto-antigens and effector mechanisms are well defined, the cellular and molecular drivers underpinning MG remain elusive. Here, we employed high-dimensional single-cell mass and spectral cytometry of blood and thymus samples from MG patients in combination with supervised and unsupervised machine-learning tools to gain insight into the immune dysregulation underlying MG. By creating a comprehensive immune map, we identified two dysregulated subsets of inflammatory circulating memory T helper (Th) cells. These signature ThCD103 and ThGM cells populated the diseased thymus, were reduced in the blood of MG patients, and were inversely correlated with disease severity. Both signature Th subsets rebounded in the blood of MG patients after surgical thymus removal, indicative of their role as cellular markers of disease activity. Together, this in-depth analysis of the immune landscape of MG provides valuable insight into disease pathogenesis, suggests novel biomarkers and identifies new potential therapeutic targets for treatment.

Study of the resistor material of an automotive spark plug by use of the charge-up effect along with elemental mapping in an electron microprobe

1991 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 742-743
Author(s):  
D. R. Liu ◽  
S. S. Shinozaki ◽  
J. S. Park ◽  
B. N. Juterbock
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microprobe ◽  
Present Report ◽  
Coated Sample ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Elemental Mapping ◽  
Spark Plug ◽  
Carbon Coated ◽  
Electron Image ◽  
Electron Imaging ◽  
Insight Into

The electric and thermal properties of the resistor material in an automotive spark plug should be stable during its service lifetime. Containing many elements and many phases, this material has a very complex microstructure. Elemental mapping with an electron microprobe can reveal the distribution of all relevant elements throughout the sample. In this work, it is demonstrated that the charge-up effect, which would distort an electron image and, therefore, is normally to be avoided in an electron imaging work, could be used to advantage to reveal conductive and resistive zones in a sample. Its combination with elemental mapping can provide valuable insight into the underlying conductivity mechanism of the resistor.This work was performed in a CAMECA SX-50 microprobe. The spark plug used in the present report was a commercial product taken from the shelf. It was sectioned to expose the cross section of the resistor. The resistor was known not to contain the precious metal Au as checked on the carbon coated sample. The sample was then stripped of carbon coating and re-coated with Au.

Quantum Mechanical Interpretation of the Ultra-Low Energy Methyl-Rotation Dynamics in Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks Probed by Low-Frequency Vibrational Spectroscopy and ab initio Simulations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Li ◽  
Adam J. Zaczek ◽  
Timothy M. Korter ◽  
J. Axel Zeitler ◽  
Michael T. Ruggiero
Keyword(s):  
Ab Initio ◽  
Metal Organic Frameworks ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Rotor Dynamics ◽  
Quantum Mechanical ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Void Space ◽  
Ab Initio Simulations ◽  
Metal Organic ◽  
Insight Into

<div>Understanding the nature of the interatomic interactions present within the pores of metal-organic frameworks</div><div>is critical in order to design and utilize advanced materials</div><div>with desirable applications. In ZIF-8 and its cobalt analogue</div><div>ZIF-67, the imidazolate methyl-groups, which point directly</div><div>into the void space, have been shown to freely rotate - even</div><div>down to cryogenic temperatures. Using a combination of ex-</div><div>perimental terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, low-frequency</div><div>Raman spectroscopy, and state-of-the-art ab initio simulations,</div><div>the methyl-rotor dynamics in ZIF-8 and ZIF-67 are fully charac-</div><div>terized within the context of a quantum-mechanical hindered-</div><div>rotor model. The results lend insight into the fundamental</div><div>origins of the experimentally observed methyl-rotor dynamics,</div><div>and provide valuable insight into the nature of the weak inter-</div><div>actions present within this important class of materials.</div>

A Review of Phytochemical and Pharmacological Studies of Inula Species

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 557-567
Author(s):  
Aparoop Das ◽  
Anshul Shakya ◽  
Surajit Kumar Ghosh ◽  
Udaya P. Singh ◽  
Hans R. Bhat
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Chemical Constituents ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Important Ingredient ◽  
Pharmacological Activities ◽  
Medicinal Uses ◽  
The Family ◽  
Pharmacological Studies ◽  
Perennial Herbs ◽  
Insight Into

Background: Plants of the genus Inula are perennial herbs of the family Asteraceae. This genus includes more than 100 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Africa and Asia including India. Many of them are indicated in traditional medicine, e.g., in Ayurveda. This review explores chemical constituents, medicinal uses and pharmacological actions of Inula species. Methods: Major databases and research and review articles retrieved through Scopus, Web of Science, and Medline were consulted to obtain information on the pharmacological activities of the genus Inula published from 1994 to 2017. Results: Inula species are used either alone or as an important ingredient of various formulations to cure dysfunctions of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, urinary system, central nervous system and digestive system, and for the treatment of asthma, diabetes, cancers, skin disorders, hepatic disease, fungal and bacterial infections. A range of phytochemicals including alkaloids, essential and volatile oils, flavonoids, terpenes, and lactones has been isolated from herbs of the genus Inula, which might possibly explain traditional uses of these plants. Conclusion: The present review is focused on chemical constituents, medicinal uses and pharmacological actions of Inula species and provides valuable insight into its medicinal potential.

scholarly journals IoT Technologies during and Beyond COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Mohamed Yousif ◽  
Chaminda Hewage ◽  
Liqaa Nawaf
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Iot Applications ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Readiness Level ◽  
Improved Performance

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a much-needed sanity check for IoT-inspired frameworks and solutions. IoT solutions such as remote health monitoring and contact tracing provided support for authorities to successfully manage the spread of the coronavirus. This article provides the first comprehensive review of key IoT solutions that have had an impact on COVID-19 in healthcare, contact tracing, and transportation during the pandemic. Each sector is investigated in depth; and potential applications, social and economic impact, and barriers for mass adaptation are discussed in detail. Furthermore, it elaborates on the challenges and opportunities for IoT framework solutions in the immediate post-COVID-19 era. To this end, privacy and security concerns of IoT applications are analyzed in depth and emerging standards and code of practices for mass adaptation are also discussed. The main contribution of this review paper is the in-depth analysis and categorization of sector-wise IoT technologies, which have the potential to be prominent applications in the new normal. IoT applications in each selected sector are rated for their potential economic and social impact, timeline for mass adaptation, and Technology Readiness Level (TRL). In addition, this article outlines potential research directions for next-generation IoT applications that would facilitate improved performance with preserved privacy and security, as well as wider adaptation by the population at large.

scholarly journals “Seeing Is Believing”—In-Depth Analysis by Co-Imaging of Periodically-Poled X-Cut Lithium Niobate Thin Films

Crystals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 288
Author(s):  
Sven Reitzig ◽  
Michael Rüsing ◽  
Jie Zhao ◽  
Benjamin Kirbus ◽  
Shayan Mookherjea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lithium Niobate ◽  
Second Harmonic ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Piezoresponse Force Microscopy ◽  
Periodically Poled ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Domain Structures ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Quantum Optical

Nonlinear and quantum optical devices based on periodically-poled thin film lithium niobate (PP-TFLN) have gained considerable interest lately, due to their significantly improved performance as compared to their bulk counterparts. Nevertheless, performance parameters such as conversion efficiency, minimum pump power, and spectral bandwidth strongly depend on the quality of the domain structure in these PP-TFLN samples, e.g., their homogeneity and duty cycle, as well as on the overlap and penetration depth of domains with the waveguide mode. Hence, in order to propose improved fabrication protocols, a profound quality control of domain structures is needed that allows quantifying and thoroughly analyzing these parameters. In this paper, we propose to combine a set of nanometer-to-micrometer-scale imaging techniques, i.e., piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), second-harmonic generation (SHG), and Raman spectroscopy (RS), to access the relevant and crucial sample properties through cross-correlating these methods. Based on our findings, we designate SHG to be the best-suited standard imaging technique for this purpose, in particular when investigating the domain poling process in x-cut TFLNs. While PFM is excellently recommended for near-surface high-resolution imaging, RS provides thorough insights into stress and/or defect distributions, as associated with these domain structures. In this context, our work here indicates unexpectedly large signs for internal fields occurring in x-cut PP-TFLNs that are substantially larger as compared to previous observations in bulk LN.

scholarly journals Compound heterozygous variants in LAMC3 in association with posterior periventricular nodular heterotopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla De Angelis ◽  
Alicia B. Byrne ◽  
Rebecca Morrow ◽  
Jinghua Feng ◽  
Thuong Ha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Development ◽  
Occipital Cortex ◽  
Compound Heterozygous ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia ◽  
Case Presentation ◽  
Malformation Of Cortical Development ◽  
Nodular Heterotopia ◽  
Compound Heterozygous Variants ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract Background Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) is a malformation of cortical development characterized by nodules of abnormally migrated neurons. The cause of posteriorly placed PNH is not well characterised and we present a case that provides insights into the cause of posterior PNH. Case presentation We report a fetus with extensive posterior PNH in association with biallelic variants in LAMC3. LAMC3 mutations have previously been shown to cause polymicrogyria and pachygyria in the occipital cortex, but not PNH. The occipital location of PNH in our case and the proposed function of LAMC3 in cortical development suggest that the identified LAMC3 variants may be causal of PNH in this fetus. Conclusion We hypothesise that this finding extends the cortical phenotype associated with LAMC3 and provides valuable insight into genetic cause of posterior PNH.

scholarly journals Detecting Convergence Trends among EU Universities

Economies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Maria Adamakou ◽  
Dimitris Kallioras ◽  
George Petrakos
Keyword(s):  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Traditional Role ◽  
University Ranking ◽  
Convergence Clubs ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Empirical Analysis ◽  
Insight Into

Universities are emerging growth determinants. This is so as, in addition to the fulfillment of their traditional role in teaching and (basic) research, universities, as aptly described within the helix framework, are expected to engage in regional development processes. The paper aims to detect trends of convergence among EU universities in terms of performance. To the best of our knowledge, this topic has not hitherto been examined. The empirical analysis of the paper covers the period 2014–2021, utilizes data obtained from URAP (University Ranking by Academic Performance), and employs the methodological approach of convergence clubs. The findings of the paper provide valuable insight into both theory and policy-making. We conclude that despite the unification of EU educational space, trends of divergence among EU universities are still present, and notable divisions still remain. Consequently, this indicates that the impact of EU universities on the formation of spatial disparities across EU space is not neutral.

scholarly journals Exploration of Alternative Splicing Events in Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 737
Author(s):  
Ji-Eun Jeong ◽  
Binna Seol ◽  
Han-Seop Kim ◽  
Jae-Yun Kim ◽  
Yee-Sook Cho
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽  
Alternative Splicing ◽  
Functional Enrichment ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Pcr Analysis ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Induced Pluripotent ◽  
Insight Into

Although comparative genome-wide transcriptomic analysis has provided insight into the biology of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs), the distinct alternative splicing (AS) signatures of iMSCs remain elusive. Here, we performed Illumina RNA sequencing analysis to characterize AS events in iMSCs compared with tissue-derived MSCs. A total of 4586 differentially expressed genes (|FC| > 2) were identified between iMSCs and umbilical cord blood-derived MSCs (UCB-MSCs), including 2169 upregulated and 2417 downregulated genes. Of these, 164 differentially spliced events (BF > 20) in 112 genes were identified between iMSCs and UCB-MSCs. The predominant type of AS found in iMSCs was skipped exons (43.3%), followed by retained introns (19.5%), alternative 3′ (15.2%) and 5′ (12.8%) splice sites, and mutually exclusive exons (9.1%). Functional enrichment analysis showed that the differentially spliced genes (|FC| > 2 and BF > 20) were mainly enriched in functions associated with focal adhesion, extracellular exosomes, extracellular matrix organization, cell adhesion, and actin binding. Splice isoforms of selected genes including TRPT1, CNN2, and AP1G2, identified in sashimi plots, were further validated by RT-PCR analysis. This study provides valuable insight into the biology of iMSCs and the translation of mechanistic understanding of iMSCs into therapeutic applications.

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