Contactless Haptic Display Through Magnetic Field Control

Haptic rendering enables people to touch, perceive, and manipulate virtual objects in a virtual environment. Using six cascaded identical hollow disk electromagnets and a small permanent magnet attached to an operator's finger, this paper proposes and develops an untethered haptic interface through magnetic field control. The concentric hole inside the six cascaded electromagnets provides the workspace, where the 3D position of the permanent magnet is tracked with a Microsoft Kinect sensor. The driving currents of six cascaded electromagnets are calculated in real-time for generating the desired magnetic force. Offline data from an FEA (finite element analysis) based simulation, determines the relationship between the magnetic force, the driving currents, and the position of the permanent magnet. A set of experiments including the virtual object recognition experiment, the virtual surface identification experiment, and the user perception evaluation experiment were conducted to demonstrate the proposed system, where Microsoft HoloLens holographic glasses are used for visual rendering. The proposed magnetic haptic display leads to an untethered and non-contact interface for natural haptic rendering applications, which overcomes the constraints of mechanical linkages in tool-based traditional haptic devices

SEPTIN2 suppresses an IFN-γ-independent, proinflammatory macrophage activation pathway

Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) signaling is necessary for the proinflammatory activation of macrophages but IFN-γ-independent pathways, for which the initiating stimuli and downstream mechanisms are lesser known, also contribute. Here we identify, by high-content screening, SEPTIN2 (SEPT2) as a negative regulation of IFN-γ-independent macrophage autoactivation. Mechanistically, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induces the expression of SEPT2, which balances the competition between acetylation and ubiquitination of heat shock protein 5 at position Lysine 327, thereby alleviating ER stress and constraining M1-like polarization and proinflammatory cytokine release. Disruption of this negative feedback regulation leads to the accumulation of unfolded proteins, resulting in accelerated M1-like polarization, excessive inflammation and tissue damage. Our study thus uncovers an IFN-γ-independent macrophage proinflammatory autoactivation pathway and suggests that SEPT2 may play a role in the prevention or resolution of inflammation during infection

Unconventional secretion of unglycosylated ORF8 is critical for the cytokine storm during SARS-CoV-2 infection

Coronavirus disease 2019 is a respiratory infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Evidence on the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 is accumulating rapidly. In addition to structural proteins such as Spike and Envelope, the functional roles of non-structural and accessory proteins in regulating viral life cycle and host immune responses remain to be understood. Here, we show that open reading frame 8 (ORF8) acts as messenger for inter-cellular communication between alveolar epithelial cells and macrophages during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mechanistically, ORF8 is a secretory protein that can be secreted by infected epithelial cells via both conventional and unconventional secretory pathways. Conventionally secreted ORF8 is glycosylated and loses the ability to recognize interleukin 17 receptor A of macrophages, possibly due to the steric hindrance imposed by N-glycosylation at Asn78. However, unconventionally secreted ORF8 does not undergo glycosylation without experiencing the ER-Golgi trafficking, thereby activating the downstream NF-κB signaling pathway and facilitating a burst of cytokine release. Furthermore, we show that ORF8 deletion in SARS-CoV-2 attenuates inflammation and yields less lung lesions in hamsters. Our data collectively highlights a role of ORF8 protein in the development of cytokine storms during SARS-CoV-2 infection

Intergenerational connections through technology: Insights from the Technology Use in Later Life multi-site study

Abstract With enhanced challenges to maintain social connections especially during times of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for technology solutions grow. Technologies have become interwoven into the daily lives for many older adults. The Technology Use in Later Life (TILL) study investigated how the perceptions and use of technology both can foster new and leverage existing intergenerational relationships. Through a mixed methods study engaging older adults aged 70 years of age and greater across rural and urban sites in Canada and the UK (N=37), participants described how the interconnection between technology and intergenerational relationships was an integral component to social connectedness with others. Through a qualitative descriptive approach, it was noted that older adults leveraged intergenerational relationships with family and friends to adjust to new technologies and to remain connected to adult children and grandchildren especially when there is high geographic separation between them. Especially during times of COVID-19, younger family members can play an important role to introduce and teach older adults how to use, technologies such as digital devices, computers, and social networking sites. Participants emphasized the benefits of intergenerational connections to adopt and use technology in later life noting flexibility and willingness to overcome barriers to technology adoption and remain connected across the generations. The adoption and uptake of technologies may continue as viable options during times of social distancing to support older persons to remain independent, age in place, in both age-friendly cities and across rural geographies during and post COVID-19

Multiscale power fluctuation evaluation of a hydro-wind-photovoltaic system

The hybrid energy systems are required to operate stably in different time scales. Previous studies on the stability are carried out under the unrealistic assumption of discontinuous time scales. Therefore, a second time scale model for the hybrid energy systems is presented in this study. To overcome the possible uncertainty caused by the discontinuous time scale assumption, a new method is introduced to analyze power fluctuations for the hybrid power system considering the hydroelectric power station (HPS) and PV-wind complementarity. Compared with traditional statistics, the proposed three indices, discussed in terms of variation frequency, have the ability to show the stability and complementarity characteristics of the hybrid system with the time scale varying from second to hour, The results show that the volatility of wind power and photoelectric increase with the increase of time scale. In (10 0, 10 2) seconds, the HPS could not compensate for as they do not meet flexibility demand in that particular frequency domain, and hydro-electric power is able to compensate wind and PV power sources well when the time scale is over 10 2 s. The obtained stability evolution law has important reference significance for the subsequent studies on the stability of hybrid energy systems

Enantioselectivity in degradation and ecological risk of the chiral pesticide ethiprole

Intensive agricultural activities have caused land degradation due to soil pollution, particularly by pesticides. However, the degradation, metabolism, and toxicity of chiral pesticides by soil microorganisms are often enantioselective. This study aimed to determine the effect of chirality on the degradation of the enantiomers of ethiprole in soil and their impact on soil microbial communities. (R)-ethiprole underwent directional chiral conversion to the (S)-enantiomer in a paddy soil microcosm, leading to elevated concentrations of (S)-ethiprole. Initially, the bacterial operational taxonomic units significantly decreased after 3 days of incubation with rac-ethiprole, (R)-ethiprole, and (S)-ethiprole but gradually increased in the later stage. Principal coordinate analysis revealed that the bacterial community structure was enantioselectively affected by the ethiprole enantiomers. Within 3 days, both rac-ethiprole and (R)-ethiprole reshaped the original stochastic microbial community into a deterministic community (variable selection). Thus, we propose that the enantioselective behavior and ecotoxicology of chiral pesticides need to be considered, especially because there are numerous chiral pesticides currently in use within agricultural management. The comprehensive understanding of the ecological risk of chiral pesticide enantiomers is vital to the process of improving sustainable production and environmental health in agricultural ecosystems

Intergenerational Effects on the Impacts of Technology Use in Later Life: Insights from an International, Multi-Site Study

As the use of technology becomes further integrated into the daily lives of all persons, including older adults, it is important to investigate how the perceptions and use of technology intersect with intergenerational relationships. Based on the international multi-centered study Technology In Later Life (TILL), this paper emphasizes the perceptions of older adults and the interconnection between technology and intergenerational relationships are integral to social connectedness with others. Participants from rural and urban sites in Canada and the UK (n = 37) completed an online survey and attended a focus group. Descriptive and thematic analyses suggest that older adults are not technologically adverse and leverage intergenerational relationships with family and friends to adjust to new technologies and to remain connected to adult children and grandchildren, especially when there is high geographic separation between them. Participants referenced younger family members as having introduced them to, and having taught them how to use, technologies such as digital devices, computers, and social networking sites. The intergenerational support in the adoption of new technologies has important implications for helping older persons to remain independent and to age in place, in both age-friendly cities and in rural communities. The findings contribute to the growing literature in the fields of gerontology and gerontechnology on intergenerational influences and the impacts of technology use in later life and suggest the flexibility and willingness of older persons to adopt to new technologies as well as the value of intergenerational relationships for overcoming barriers to technology adoption

Role of CD34 in inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is caused by a variety of pathogenic factors, including chronic recurrent inflammation of the ileum, rectum, and colon. Immune cells and adhesion molecules play an important role in the course of the disease, which is actually an autoimmune disease. During IBD, CD34 is involved in mediating the migration of a variety of immune cells (neutrophils, eosinophils, and mast cells) to the inflammatory site, and its interaction with various adhesion molecules is involved in the occurrence and development of IBD. Although the function of CD34 as a partial cell marker is well known, little is known on its role in IBD. Therefore, this article describes the structure and biological function of CD34, as well as on its potential mechanism in the development of IBD

Structure-Activity Relationship Study Enables the Discovery of a Novel Berberine Analogue as RXRα Activator to Inhibit Colon Cancer

黄连素是从黄连、黄柏等传统中药中提取的单体化合物，常用于治疗痢疾及其它消化道感染。近年来，黄连素的抗心律失常、调控能量代谢、降血糖血脂和抗癌等多重功效使其成为一个“明星”中药单体化合物。尽管黄连素具有很好的安全性，但其抗癌作用在临床应用上仍具有许多局限性，包括抗癌活性低、溶解度和生物利用度低等。然而，由于黄连素的分子靶点不清楚，以往对黄连素的改造比较盲目和随机，并未取得较好的进展。胡天惠团队与张延东团队紧密合作、优势互补，针对黄连素与RXR的结合模式，运用结构生物学方法和全合成相结合，设计合成了多种黄连素衍生物，并开展了构效关系分析。发现黄连素衍生物B-12在结合并激活RXR、抗肠癌活性、溶解度和生物利用度方面均明显优于黄连素，且保留了黄连素的肿瘤选择性和低毒副作用，具有很好的临床转化前景。该研究也为结构生物学指导黄连素衍生物药物设计提供了理论基础。本论文的通讯作者为医学院占艳艳副教授、张延东教授和胡天惠教授。医学院博士生徐贝贝和化学化工学院博士生江训金为共同第一作者。We reported recently that berberine, a traditional oriental medicine to treat gastroenteritis, binds and activates Retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) to suppress the growth of colon cancer cells. Here, we extended our studies based on the binding mode of berberine with RXRα by design, synthesis and biological evaluation of a focused library of 15 novel berberine analogues. Among them, 3,9-dimethoxy-5,6-dihydroisoquinolino[3,2-a]isoquinolin-7-ium chloride (B-12) was identified as the optimal RXRα activator. More efficiently than berberine, B-12 bound and altered the conformation of RXRα/LBD, thereby suppressing Wnt/β-catenin pathway and colon cancer cell growth via RXRα mediation. In addition, B-12 not only preserved berberine’s tumor selectivity but also greatly improved its bioavailability. Remarkably, in mice, B-12 did not show obvious side effects including hypertriglyceridemia as other RXRα agonists, or induce hepatorenal toxicity. Together, our study describes an approach for the rational design of berberine-derived RXRα activators as novel effective antineoplastic agents for colon cancer.This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31770860, 21772164, 81572589, 81602560 and 21572187), and the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (2018R1036-2, 2017J06020, 2019R1001-4, and 2019R1001-5). 项目得到了国家自然科学基金委促进海峡两岸科技合作联合基金重点项目、面上项目和福建省自然科学基金的支持

Intercropping with Trifolium repens contributes disease suppression of banana Fusarium wilt by reshaping soil protistan communities

Fusarium wilt disease of bananas, caused by the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum, threatens banana production. Intercropping, cultivation of more than one crop simultaneously on the same field, has emerged as efficient and sustainable land management for suppressing Fusarium wilt disease. Although previous studies have proven the changes in soil microbial communities including bacteria and fungi under intercropping contributed to disease suppression, little is known about the role of protistan communities in driving this effect. In a field experiment, we assessed microbiome shifts with a focus on protists under intercropping of banana with the legume Trifolium repens. Our results showed that the reduced Fusarium wilt disease incidence and the decreased Fusarium pathogen density under intercropping could be attributed to the changes in protistan community compositions. Specially, we observed a significant negative correlation between the relative abundance of phagotrophic protists and Fusarium oxysporum. We further conducted a pot experiment to examine the impacts of the legume crop on phagotrophic protists across different spatial distances, which showing that intercropping enriched the relative abundance of phagotrophic protists, especially Cercomonas, with members of this group showing the capacity to directly inhibit the growth of Fusarium pathogen in vitro. We highlight that predatory protists are important agents underlying disease suppression in intercropping system, which can offer new venues to promote plant health in sustainable agriculture