In a future intelligent factory, a robotic manipulator must work efficiently and safely in a Human-Robot collaborative and dynamic unstructured environment. Autonomous path planning is the most ...important issue which must be resolved first in the process of improving robotic manipulator intelligence. Among the path-planning methods, the Rapidly Exploring Random Tree (RRT) algorithm based on random sampling has been widely applied in dynamic path planning for a high-dimensional robotic manipulator, especially in a complex environment because of its probability completeness, perfect expansion, and fast exploring speed over other planning methods. However, the existing RRT algorithm has a limitation in path planning for a robotic manipulator in a dynamic unstructured environment. Therefore, an autonomous obstacle avoidance dynamic path-planning method for a robotic manipulator based on an improved RRT algorithm, called Smoothly RRT (S-RRT), is proposed. This method that targets a directional node extends and can increase the sampling speed and efficiency of RRT dramatically. A path optimization strategy based on the maximum curvature constraint is presented to generate a smooth and curved continuous executable path for a robotic manipulator. Finally, the correctness, effectiveness, and practicability of the proposed method are demonstrated and validated via a MATLAB static simulation and a Robot Operating System (ROS) dynamic simulation environment as well as a real autonomous obstacle avoidance experiment in a dynamic unstructured environment for a robotic manipulator. The proposed method not only provides great practical engineering significance for a robotic manipulator's obstacle avoidance in an intelligent factory, but also theoretical reference value for other type of robots' path planning.
Ferroptosis is a newly discovered form of regulated cell death dependent on iron and reactive oxygen species (ROS). It directly or indirectly affects the activity of glutathione peroxidases (GPXs) ...under the induction of small molecules, causing membrane lipid peroxidation due to redox imbalances and excessive ROS accumulation, damaging the integrity of cell membranes. Ferroptosis is mainly characterized by mitochondrial shrinkage, increased density of bilayer membranes, and the accumulation of lipid peroxidation. Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is an unavoidable risk event for acute myocardial infarction. Ferroptosis is closely associated with MIRI, and this relationship is discussed in detail here. This review systematically summarizes the process of ferroptosis and the latest research progress on the role of ferroptosis in MIRI to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of MIRI.
Oil leakage, which is inevitable in the process of extraction, processing, transportation and storage, seriously undermines the soil and groundwater environment. Surfactants can facilitate the ...migration and solution of oil contaminants from nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) or solid phase to water by reducing the (air/water) surface tension, (oil/water) interfacial tension and micellar solubilization. They can effectively enhance the hydrodynamic driven remediation technologies by improving the contact efficiency of contaminants and liquid remediation agents or microorganism, and have been widely used to enhance the remediation of oil-contaminated sites. This paper summarizes the characteristics of different types of surfactants such as nonionic, anionic, biological and mixed surfactants, their enhancements to the remediation of oil-contaminated soil and groundwater, and examines the factors influencing surfactant performance. The causes of tailing and rebound effects and the role of surfactants in suppressing them are also discussed. Laboratory researches and actual site remediation practices have shown that various types of surfactants offer diverse options. Biosurfactants and mixed surfactants are superior and worth attention among the surfactants. Using surfactant foams, adding shear-thinning polymers, and combining surfactants with in-situ chemical oxidation are effective ways to resolve tailing and rebound effects. The adsorption of surfactants on soils and aquifer sediments decreases remediation efficiency and may cause secondary pollution, Therefore the adsorption loss should be noticed and minimized.
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•Surfactant enhanced remediation through mobilization and solubilization effects.•Biosurfactants and mixed surfactants show great application potential.•Co-injection of foams or xanthan improves uniform distribution of surfactants.•Surfactant-enhanced in-situ chemical oxidation eliminates tailing and rebound.
•Flaxseed protein hydrolysates were prepared using immobilized Alcalase and Flavourzyme.•Peptides with molecular weight higher than 1,000 Da enhanced the mouthfulness and continuity in umami ...soup.•Low molecular weight (128–1,000 Da) peptides improved the flavor of MRPs.•The hydrolysates can be used as a template for the preparation of flaxseed Maillard reaction products.
We aimed to simplify the enzymolysis process for flaxseed protein hydrolysates production as Maillard reaction products (MRPs) to generate different flavor characteristics. More than 50% activity of immobilized enzymes (Alcalase and Flavourzyme) was retained after repeated use. Subsequently, after five weeks, the activities of the immobilized enzymes were also observed to be higher after storage at 4 °C. The optimum conditions for production of flaxseed protein hydrolysates using sequential enzymatic hydrolysis were as follow: 3,000 U/g of Alcalase at 60 °C and pH 8.0 for 2 h and 120 U/g of Flavourzyme at 50 °C and pH 6.5 for 2 h. Partial least squares regression analysis revealed that resulting peptides with the molecular weight (MW) higher than 1,000 Da could improve the mouthfulness and stability in umami soup; whereas, peptides with MW of 128–1,000 Da mainly contributed to the generation of meat-like flavor compounds with a significant effect on umami taste and bitterness.
Reactive astrocytes induced by ischemia can transdifferentiate into mature neurons. This neurogenic potential of astrocytes may have therapeutic value for brain injury. Epigenetic modifications are ...widely known to involve in developmental and adult neurogenesis. PAX6, a neurogenic fate determinant, contributes to the astrocyte‐to‐neuron conversion. However, it is unclear whether microRNAs (miRs) modulate PAX6‐mediated astrocyte‐to‐neuron conversion. In the present study we used bioinformatic approaches to predict miRs potentially targeting Pax6, and transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) to model cerebral ischemic injury in adult rats. These rats were given striatal injection of glial fibrillary acidic protein targeted enhanced green fluorescence protein lentiviral vectors (Lv‐GFAP‐EGFP) to permit cell fate mapping for tracing astrocytes‐derived neurons. We verified that miR‐365 directly targets to the 3′‐UTR of Pax6 by luciferase assay. We found that miR‐365 expression was significantly increased in the ischemic brain. Intraventricular injection of miR‐365 antagomir effectively increased astrocytic PAX6 expression and the number of new mature neurons derived from astrocytes in the ischemic striatum, and reduced neurological deficits as well as cerebral infarct volume. Conversely, miR‐365 agomir reduced PAX6 expression and neurogenesis, and worsened brain injury. Moreover, exogenous overexpression of PAX6 enhanced the astrocyte‐to‐neuron conversion and abolished the effects of miR‐365. Our results demonstrate that increase of miR‐365 in the ischemic brain inhibits astrocyte‐to‐neuron conversion by targeting Pax6, whereas knockdown of miR‐365 enhances PAX6‐mediated neurogenesis from astrocytes and attenuates neuronal injury in the brain after ischemic stroke. Our findings provide a foundation for developing novel therapeutic strategies for brain injury.
Main Points
Ischemic stroke upregulates miR‐365 in rat brain.
MiR‐365 inhibits stroke‐induced astrocyte‐to‐neuron conversion by targeting Pax6.
MiR‐365 knockdown promotes PAX6‐mediated astrocyte‐to‐neuron conversion and brain repair after stroke.
Recent studies have highlighted the role of androgen receptor (AR) as a prognostic biomarker of breast cancer. However, its predictive role in disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) ...still remains inconclusive. The present study aimed to retrospectively investigate the association between AR and survival outcomes in breast cancer and also identify this association by a meta-analysis of published researches. Clinical data from 109 patients with breast cancer, who underwent surgery at Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, were retrospectively analyzed for immunohistochemical AR expression measured by tissue microarray. For meta-analysis, articles available in Pubmed on the relationship between AR and breast cancer outcomes were included. Data obtained from both were combined and analyzed. Women with AR positive tumors in the retrospective study had a significantly better DFS (HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.07-0.88) and OS (HR 0.19, 95% CI 0.04-0.85) than women with AR negative ones. Meta-analysis showed that AR expression in breast tumors was an indicator of better DFS (HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.43-0.64). In subgroup analysis, AR could predict DFS outcome in estrogen receptor (ER) positive (HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.34-0.59), ER negative (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.26-0.67), and triple negative breast cancer (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.23-0.69). Moreover, in ER positive breast cancer patients, the expression of AR could predict better OS (HR 0.39, 95% CI 0.19-0.82). The present analysis indicated that AR expression was associated with lower risk of recurrence in patients with all breast cancer types and better OS in cases with ER positive.
Sepsis is a life‐threatening organ dysfunction syndrome, and liver is a susceptible target organ in sepsis, because the activation of inflammatory pathways contributes to septic liver injury. ...Oxidative stress has been documented to participate in septic liver injury, because it not only directly induces oxidative genotoxicity, but also exacerbates inflammatory pathways to potentiate damage of liver. Therefore, to ameliorate oxidative stress is promising for protecting liver in sepsis. Wogonin is the compound extracted from the medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Geogi and was found to exert therapeutic effects in multiple inflammatory diseases via alleviation of oxidative stress. However, whether wogonin is able to mitigate septic liver injury remains unknown. Herein, we firstly proved that wogonin treatment could improve survival of mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐ or caecal ligation and puncture (CLP)‐induced sepsis, together with restoration of reduced body temperature and respiratory rate, and suppression of several pro‐inflammatory cytokines in circulation. Then, we found that wogonin effectively alleviated liver injury via potentiation of the anti‐oxidative capacity. To be specific, wogonin activated Nrf2 thereby promoting expressions of anti‐oxidative enzymes including NQO‐1, GST, HO‐1, SOD1 and SOD2 in hepatocytes. Moreover, wogonin‐induced Nrf2 activation could suppress NF‐κB‐regulated up‐regulation of pro‐inflammatory cytokines. Ultimately, we provided in vivo evidence that wogonin activated Nrf2 signalling, potentiated anti‐oxidative enzymes and inhibited NF‐κB‐regulated pro‐inflammatory signalling. Taken together, this study demonstrates that wogonin can be the potential therapeutic agent for alleviating liver injury in sepsis by simultaneously ameliorating oxidative stress and inflammatory response through the activation of Nrf2.
A unidirectional broadband circularly polarized (CP) crossed-dipole antenna is presented in this communication. This antenna has a simple feeding structure, which uses an unequal power network. It ...can simply realize 90° phase shift and four equal power divisions. The study of the antenna performance with different geometric parameters has been conducted. Working band of designed antenna covers the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, GPS, and GLNOSS bands. An optimized antenna is designed and measured, the measured results agree well with the simulated results. The results show good performance of impendence bandwidth is approximately 66.2% (1.01-2.01 GHz), the 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth (ARBW) of approximately 41.3% (1.21-1.97 GHz). Moreover, the measured bore-sight antenna gain is stable and varying not too much, which average value is 6.0 dBic with less than 1.5-dB variation within the 3-dB ARBW.
Matricaria chamomilla L. (MC) and Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All. (CN) are two varieties of Chamomile. These herbs have been used for thousands of years in Greece, Rome and ancient Egypt. Chamomile has ...been used for the treatment of stomach problems, cramps, dermatitis, and minor infections. The purpose of this study was to introduce the botanical characteristics and geographical distribution, traditional uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, toxicity studies and quality control studies, and lay a theoretical foundation for the rational development and utilization of chamomile. This review powered that chemical constituents include flavonoids, coumarins, volatile oils, terpenes, organic acids, polysaccharides, and others. These compounds possess anticancer, anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, antioxidant, hypolipidaemic, hypoglycaemic, antihypertensive, antidepressant, neuroprotective activities, among others. Chamomile is a widely used herb in traditional medicine. It brings great economic value due to its numerous pharmacological effects and traditional uses. However, more toxicity tests should be carried out to confirm its safety. There is need for further research to provide concrete scientific evidence and validate its medicinal properties.
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