The typical layout in a piezoresistive tactile sensor arranges individual sensors to form an array with
rows and
columns. While this layout reduces the wiring involved, it does not allow the values ...of the sensor resistors to be measured individually due to the appearance of crosstalk caused by the nonidealities of the array reading circuits. In this paper, two reading methods that minimize errors resulting from this phenomenon are assessed by designing an electronic system for array reading, and the results are compared to those obtained using the traditional method, obviating the nonidealities of the reading circuit. The different models were compared by testing the system with an array of discrete resistors. The system was later connected to a tactile sensor with 8 × 7 taxels.
Role of Epigenomics in Bone and Cartilage Disease van Meurs, Joyce BJ; Boer, Cindy G; Lopez‐Delgado, Laura ...
Journal of bone and mineral research,
February 2019, 2019-02-00, 2019-02-01, 20190201, Letnik:
34, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with unique physicochemical properties have received a great deal of interest in the field of biological, chemical and biomedical implementations. Despite the widespread ...use of AuNPs in chemical and biological sensing, catalysis, imaging and diagnosis, and more recently in therapy, no comprehensive summary has been provided to explain how AuNPs could aid in developing improved sensing and catalysts systems as well as medical settings.
The chemistry of Au-based nanosystems was followed by reviewing different applications of Au nanomaterials in biological and chemical sensing, catalysis, imaging and diagnosis by a number of approaches, and finally synergistic combination therapy of different cancers. Afterwards, the clinical impacts of AuNPs, future application of AuNPs, and opportunities and challenges of AuNPs application were also discussed.
AuNPs show exclusive colloidal stability and are considered as ideal candidates for colorimetric detection, catalysis, imaging, and photothermal transducers, because their physicochemical properties can be tuned by adjusting their structural dimensions achieved by the different manufacturing methods.
This review provides some details about using AuNPs in sensing and catalysis applications as well as promising theranostic nanoplatforms for cancer imaging and diagnosis, and sensitive, non-invasive, and synergistic methods for cancer treatment in an almost comprehensive manner.
•We listed different applications of AuNPs as biological and chemical sensing, catalysis, imaging and diagnosis by various techniques.•Moreover, we tried to cover all aspects of Au nanosystems (AuNPs, AuNRs, AuNC, and Au nanoshells) in cancer therapeutics.•Finally, the clinical impact of AuNPs, future application of AuNPs, and opportunities and challenges of AuNPs application were also discussed.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects more than 40 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of dementia. This disease is a challenge for both patients and caregivers and puts a significant ...strain on the global healthcare system. To address this issue, the Lancet Commission recommends focusing on reducing modifiable lifestyle risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and physical inactivity. Passive pulsatile shear stress (PPSS) interventions, which use devices like whole-body periodic acceleration, periodic acceleration along the Z-axis (pGz), and the Jogging Device, have shown significant systemic and cellular effects in preclinical and clinical models which address these modifiable risks factors. Based on this, we propose that PPSS could be a potential non-pharmacological and non-invasive preventive or therapeutic strategy for AD. We perform a comprehensive review of the biological basis based on all publications of PPSS using these devices and demonstrate their effects on the various aspects of AD. We draw from this comprehensive analysis to support our hypothesis. We then delve into the possible application of PPSS as an innovative intervention. We discuss how PPSS holds promise in ameliorating hypertension and diabetes while mitigating physical inactivity, potentially offering a holistic approach to AD prevention and management.
•Ionic liquid (IL) and organosolv (OV) pretreatments were applied on AGB.•Sequential saccharification and fermentation (SESF) was used on pretreated AGB.•High lignin and xylan removal were achieved ...with IL and OV pretreatments.•Total sugars consumption with no solids removal occurred during SESF.•Based on 100kg raw AGB, ethanol yield was 12.1kg for IL and 12.7kg for OV.
Agave bagasse (AGB) has gained recognition as a drought-tolerant biofuel feedstock with high productivity in semiarid regions. A comparative analysis of ionic liquid (IL) and organosolv (OV) pretreatment technologies in AGB was performed using a sequential enzymatic saccharification and fermentation (SESF) strategy with cellulolytic enzymes and the ethanologenic Escherichia coli strain MS04. After pretreatment, 86% of xylan and 45% of lignin were removed from OV-AGB, whereas IL-AGB reduced lignin content by 28% and xylan by 50% when compared to the untreated biomass. High glucan (>90%) and xylan (>83%) conversion was obtained with both pretreated samples. During the fermentation stage (48h), 12.1 and 12.7kg of ethanol were produced per 100kg of untreated AGB for IL and OV, respectively. These comparative analyses showed the advantages of SESF using IL and OV in a biorefinery configuration where a better understanding of AGB recalcitrance is key for future applications.
Genetic architecture of Meniere’s disease Gallego-Martinez, Alvaro; Lopez-Escamez, Jose A.
Hearing research,
November 2020, 2020-11-00, 20201101, Letnik:
397
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Meniere’s disease (MD) is a complex disorder of the inner ear that causes vertigo attacks, fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), tinnitus and aural fullness. MD has been attributed to an ...accumulation of endolymph in the cochlear duct. The diagnosis of MD is based on the phenomenological association of clinical symptoms and the demonstration of SNHL during the vertigo attacks. Several evidences support a genetic contribution to MD including differences in the prevalence according to the ethnic background and familial aggregation in European and Asian populations in multiplex families with autosomal dominant inheritance. The genetic underpinnings of MD may include some rare monogenic forms in isolated families and a polygenic contribution in most familial and sporadic cases. So, familial MD has been reported in 6–8% of sporadic cases and several genes have been described in single Familial MD including FAM136A, DTNA, PRKCB, SEMA3D and DPT, suggesting genetic heterogeneity. Multiplex rare missense variants in OTOG gene have been reported in 33% of familial MD, suggesting multiallelic inheritance. Moreover, the genetic landscape of sporadic MD is more complex and it involves multiplex rare variants in several SNHL genes such as GJB2, USH1G, SLC26A4, ESRRB, and CLDN14 and axonal-guidance signalling genes such as NTN4 and NOX3. This review summarizes evidence to support a genetic contribution in MD and the start of deciphering the genetic architecture to design and develop a molecular map of MD.
•Meniere disease (MD) is a complex genetic disorder which involves multiplex rare and common variants in several genes.•Epidemiological and molecular evidence support a genetic contribution to MD.•Clinical and genetic heterogeneity suggest the existence of different endophenotypes and multiplex mechanisms leading to MD.
Future mobile applications are expected to demand high accuracy positioning from cellular networks. However, most time-delay estimators used for cellular trilateration ignore the multipath channel, ...resulting in a poor positioning performance. This paper investigates the use of advanced joint time-delay and channel estimation techniques for Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile localization, as a predecessor of fifth generation (5G) technologies. This is especially relevant for sub-6 GHz bands, where the bandwidth and the dedicated positioning resources are limited. Thus, joint maximum likelihood (JML) estimators are presented in order to reach the achievable ranging accuracy, which is first assessed with the derivation of their Cramér-Rao bound (CRB). Simulation and laboratory experiments are then used to obtain an estimation of their achievable positioning performance. Periodic-tap JML estimators are shown to achieve the best position accuracy with respect to state-of-the-art threshold-based and super-resolution techniques, due to their robustness against multipath overlapping and noise effects for reduced bandwidths. A robust position accuracy of around 10 meters for a 10-MHz system bandwidth can be achieved with periodic-tap JML estimators in challenging urban environments.
Reading resistive sensors and converting their information to digital values is a matter of great interest in practical applications. Direct Interface Circuits (DICs) perform this task efficiently ...through a resistance-to-time-to-digital conversion. The main benefit of this type of circuit is the simplicity of its design and the accuracy of the results. However, one of its drawbacks is that quantization errors in the measurements seriously compromise accuracy if the information is not converted using a high-frequency clock or with high capacitor values. To avoid this situation, this article presents a new type of DIC with the same passive elements as a classic DIC, but which uses a high value resistor in the final instant of the resistance-to-time conversion. The circuit has been implemented using a commercial FPGA with the capture module operating at different clock frequencies. The results show that relative errors in measuring resistors of up to <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">33~\Omega </tex-math></inline-formula> decrease to 1.56% when operating with a 12.5 MHz timer.
Warfarin is effective for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF), but anticoagulation is underused in clinical care. The risk of venous thromboembolic disease during hospitalisation can be ...reduced by low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH): warfarin is the most frequently prescribed anticoagulant for treatment and secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Warfarin-related bleeding is a major reason for hospitalisation for adverse drug effects. Warfarin is cheap but therapeutic monitoring increases treatment costs. Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have more rapid onset and offset of action than warfarin, and more predictable dosing requirements.
To determine the best oral anticoagulant/s for prevention of stroke in AF and for primary prevention, treatment and secondary prevention of VTE.
Four systematic reviews, network meta-analyses (NMAs) and cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) of randomised controlled trials.
Hospital (VTE primary prevention and acute treatment) and primary care/anticoagulation clinics (AF and VTE secondary prevention).
Patients eligible for anticoagulation with warfarin (stroke prevention in AF, acute treatment or secondary prevention of VTE) or LMWH (primary prevention of VTE).
NOACs, warfarin and LMWH, together with other interventions (antiplatelet therapy, placebo) evaluated in the evidence network.
Stroke, symptomatic VTE, symptomatic deep-vein thrombosis and symptomatic pulmonary embolism.
Major bleeding, clinically relevant bleeding and intracranial haemorrhage. We also considered myocardial infarction and all-cause mortality and evaluated cost-effectiveness.
MEDLINE and PREMEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library, reference lists of published NMAs and trial registries. We searched MEDLINE and PREMEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library. The stroke prevention in AF review search was run on the 12 March 2014 and updated on 15 September 2014, and covered the period 2010 to September 2014. The search for the three reviews in VTE was run on the 19 March 2014, updated on 15 September 2014, and covered the period 2008 to September 2014.
Two reviewers screened search results, extracted and checked data, and assessed risk of bias. For each outcome we conducted standard meta-analysis and NMA. We evaluated cost-effectiveness using discrete-time Markov models.
Apixaban (Eliquis
, Bristol-Myers Squibb, USA; Pfizer, USA) 5 mg bd (twice daily) was ranked as among the best interventions for stroke prevention in AF, and had the highest expected net benefit. Edoxaban (Lixiana
, Daiichi Sankyo, Japan) 60 mg od (once daily) was ranked second for major bleeding and all-cause mortality. Neither the clinical effectiveness analysis nor the CEA provided strong evidence that NOACs should replace postoperative LMWH in primary prevention of VTE. For acute treatment and secondary prevention of VTE, we found little evidence that NOACs offer an efficacy advantage over warfarin, but the risk of bleeding complications was lower for some NOACs than for warfarin. For a willingness-to-pay threshold of > £5000, apixaban (5 mg bd) had the highest expected net benefit for acute treatment of VTE. Aspirin or no pharmacotherapy were likely to be the most cost-effective interventions for secondary prevention of VTE: our results suggest that it is not cost-effective to prescribe NOACs or warfarin for this indication.
NOACs have advantages over warfarin in patients with AF, but we found no strong evidence that they should replace warfarin or LMWH in primary prevention, treatment or secondary prevention of VTE.
These relate mainly to shortfalls in the primary data: in particular, there were no head-to-head comparisons between different NOAC drugs.
Calculating the expected value of sample information to clarify whether or not it would be justifiable to fund one or more head-to-head trials.
This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42013005324, CRD42013005331 and CRD42013005330.
The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.
Skeletal muscle is the primary site of insulin-mediated glucose uptake through the body and, therefore, an essential contributor to glucose homeostasis maintenance. We have recently provided evidence ...that chronic elevated intracellular Ca
concentration at rest (Ca
)
compromises glucose homeostasis in malignant hyperthermia muscle cells. To further investigate how chronic elevated muscle Ca
modifies insulin-mediated glucose homeostasis, we measured Ca
and glucose uptake
and
in intact polarized muscle cells from glucose-intolerant
-p.R163C and db/db mice. Glucose-intolerant
-p.R163C and db/db mice have significantly elevated muscle Ca
and reduced muscle glucose uptake compared to WT muscle cells. Dantrolene treatment (1.5 mg/kg IP injection for 2 weeks) caused a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose levels and muscle Ca
and increased muscle glucose uptake compared to untreated
-p.R163C and db/db mice. Furthermore,
-p.R163C and db/db mice had abnormal basal insulin levels and response to glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.
experiments conducted on single muscle fibers, dantrolene improved insulin-mediated glucose uptake in
-p.R163C and db/db muscle fibers without affecting WT muscle fibers. In muscle cells with chronic elevated Ca
, GLUT4 expression was significantly lower, and the subcellular fraction (plasma membrane/cytoplasmic) was abnormal compared to WT. The results of this study suggest that i) Chronic elevated muscle Ca
decreases insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and consequently causes hyperglycemia; ii) Reduced muscle Ca
by dantrolene improves muscle glucose uptake and subsequent hyperglycemia; iii) The mechanism by which chronic high levels of Ca
interfere with insulin action appears to involve the expression of GLUT4 and its subcellular fractionation.
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