A Soft+Rigid Hybrid Exoskeleton Concept in Scissors-Pendulum Mode: A Suit for Human State Sensing and an Exoskeleton for Assistance

In this paper, we present a novel concept that can enable the human aware control of exoskeletons through the integration of a soft suit and a robotic exoskeleton. Unlike the state-of-the-art exoskeleton controllers which mostly rely on lumped human-robot models, the proposed concept makes use of the independent state measurements concerning the human user and the robot. The ability to observe the human state independently is the key factor in this approach. In order to realize such a system from the hardware point of view, we propose a system integration frame that combines a soft suit for human state measurement and a rigid exoskeleton for human assistance. We identify the technological requirements that are necessary for the realization of such a system with a particular emphasis on soft suit integration. We also propose a template model, named scissor pendulum, that may encapsulate the dominant dynamics of the human-robot combined model to synthesize a controller for human state regulation. A series of simulation experiments were conducted to check the controller performance. As a result, satisfactory human state regulation was attained, adequately confirming that the proposed system could potentially improve exoskeleton-aided applications

Failure analysis of woven kevlar fiber reinforced epoxy composites pinned joints

An investigation was performed to determine the failure mode and the failure load of mechanically fastened joints ill woven kevlar epoxy composite plates. Two-dimensional finite element code is developed to predict damage initiation, progression and strength of joints. Hashin, Hoffman and Maximum Stress criteria were used in this failure analysis. Experiments were performed to find the failure load and to predict the failure mode. Parametric studies were also carried out to evaluate the effect of joint geometry on this analysis. The obtained results were compared each other and comparison showed good agreement between numerical and experimental methods. (C)) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Fatty Acid Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Ten Cephalaria Species

This paper focused on the assessment of fatty acid composition and antioxidant properties of ten Cephalaria (C. aytachii, C. taurica, C. tuteliana, C. procera, C. speciosa, C. tchihatchewii, C. hirsuta, C. elazigensis var. elazigensis, C. anatolica and C. aristata) species. The principal fatty acids in all species were oleic acid (10.28-31.65%), linoleic acid (17.81-37.67%) and palmitic acid (10.54-23.81%). Linolenic acid was also the most abundant fatty acid component in C. tuteliana (24.42%) and in C. speciosa (36.65%). In vitro antioxidant capacity of the hexane extracts of ten Cephalaria species was investigated by CUPRAC and DPPH methods. Total phenolic content of hexane extracts was also examined. The results showed that all species of Cephalaria have antioxidant properties with the highest trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (1.005 +/- 0.13 mmol trolox equivalent per gram extact) in C. aristata and the highest radical scavenging activity (IC50 value 3.768 +/- 0.67 mg/mL) in C. tchihatchewii. It was found that reducing power of C. aristata and radical scavenging potential of C. tchihatchewii were mainly due to highest phenolic contents of these species (2.907 +/- 0.146 and 3.037 +/- 0.156 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram extract, respectively). These findings suggest that the Cephalaria species might be used as a potential source of unsaturated fatty acids as well as phenolic constituents possessing antioxidant activity in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries

Serum cholesterol levels in hair goats of Aksaray Region

WOS: 000466326300014This study was conducted to determine the levels of serum total cholesterol in Hair goats in different gender and age ranges. For this purpose, the blood samples from 120 Hair goats, young (<= 6 months) and adult (2-4 years), which were found to be clinically healthy, were taken from the vena jugularis. Triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol levels were measured in sera samples. The mean values in adult female goats, young female goats, adult male goats and young male goats were found. Triglyceride levels were found to be higher in male goats than in females. It was observed that the HDL values obtained from male kids were lower than the other ones. The LDL results obtained from the goats were close to each other and statistically insignificant. Thus, in this study, the data obtained is considered to contribute to the formation of reference values in the Hair goats.Aksaray University Scientific Researches [2015-052]Our experimental work was funded under a project supported by the Aksaray University Scientific Researches and Projects Unit of 2015-052. All the co authors have seen and approved the final version of this manuscript

Effects of age and sex on some hematological and biochemical parameters in Hair goats

This study was performed to determine the blood reference values of hematological and biochemical parameters in Hair goats at different ages. For this aim, clinically healthy Hair goats (n = 180, ages of six month and 1-3 years male and female) were used to collect blood samples. In whole blood, white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)and red cell distribution width (RDW) were evaluated. The levels of, albumin, total protein, globulin, glucose, total bilirubin, urea, creatinine, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), creatine kinase (CK), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and iron levels were investigated in sera. Age and sex had no effect on the cell structures of blood. In the either sex (male or female), age had no effect. However, sex had a significant effect on the blood cell structures except for WBC, HGB, and HCT. Albumin, protein, calcium, AST, ALT, ALP and magnesium values were not different among groups. Both the age and sex of the goats had significant effects on blood levels of glucose, phosphorus, urea, cholesterol, creatinine, GGT, CK and total bilirubin. In conclusion, this was the first study reporting the hematologic and biochemical parameters in blood of the Hair goats. The results indicated that these parameters could show variations under physiological conditions due to age and gender

Single plus one port robotic radical prostatectomy (SPORP); Initial experience

Objective: This article reports on patients with early stage prostate cancer treated with single plus one port robotic radical prostatectomy (SPORP). Materials and methods: Since January 2014, we performed SPORP in 8 patients with localized prostate cancer. Age of patients, clinical stage, operation time, intraoperative and postoperative complications, blood loss, histopathological evaluation, postoperative continence, serum level of PSA were evaluated. Results: Mean age of the 8 patients was 59.85 years. All operations were completed without conversion to standard robotic procedure or open surgery. No intra operative complications occurred. Mean operating time was 143 minutes; prostate excision 123 minutes and urethrovesical anastomosis 20 minutes. Mean blood loss was 45 ml. Preoperative Gleason scores were (3 + 4) in one patient and (3 + 3) in 7 patients. Postoperative Gleason scores were (3 + 4) in 2 patients, and (3 + 3) in 6 patients. All these 8 cases were in T1c clinical stage. Early postoperative complications were drain leakage (n = 1), atelectasis (n = 1), wound infection (n = 1) and fever (n = 1). There was no positive surgical margin. The serum level of PSA was less than 0.2 ng/ml and no other complications happened during the 4 to 12 months follow-up period. Postoperative continence and cosmetic results were excellent. Conclusions: It is relatively easy for urologists who are skilled in traditional laparoscopic and robotic surgeries to master SPORP. However long-term outcomes of this surgery need further investigations