The 3-D vision system integrated dexterous hand

Most multifingered hands use a tendon mechanism to minimize the size and weight of the hand. Such tendon mechanisms suffer from the problems of striction and friction of the tendons resulting in a reduction of control accuracy. A design for a 3-D vision system integrated dexterous hand with motor control is described which overcomes these problems. The proposed hand is composed of three three-jointed grasping fingers with tactile sensors on their tips, a two-jointed eye finger with a cross-shaped laser beam emitting diode in its distal part. The two non-grasping fingers allow 3-D vision capability and can rotate around the hand to see and measure the sides of grasped objects and the task environment. An algorithm that determines the range and local orientation of the contact surface using a cross-shaped laser beam is introduced along with some potential applications. An efficient method for finger force calculation is presented which uses the measured contact surface normals of an object

Interferometric detection of prostate specific antigen based on enzyme immunoassay

AbstractInterferometric detection of Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) based on enzyme immunoassay are investigated. Refractive index changes of substrate are measured for PSA detection. Michelson scheme of optical interferometer was used so as to be applicable to a disposable fluidic chip. When interferometer is used for the measurements of refractive index changes, the detection is over 8 times more sensitive than that of absorbance changes for the same amount of target protein

Preclinical Analysis of Irreversible Electroporation on Rat Liver Tissues Using a Microfabricated Electroporator

A microfabricated electroporator (MFE) for the irreversible electroporation (IRE) of tissues has been developed by miniaturizing a clinical electroporator with a two-needle array while keeping the same electric field strength distribution. Since IRE was brought to special attention as one of the local tissue ablation techniques to treat tumors, many preclinical studies have been conducted to investigate the efficacy of IRE on animal tissues. However, some technical difficulties have been frequently encountered due to the macroscale dimension of clinical electroporators, particularly in experiments on small animal models such as the mouse or rat. Here, the MFE was proposed to solve the associated problems, resulting in time-and cost-effective experimental procedures. With the developed MFE, the effect of IRE on rat liver tissues was analyzed with time by immunohistological stainings and electrical measurement, and the experimental results were compared with those operated with the corresponding real-scale clinical electroporator.Choi YS, 2009, ANAL CHEM, V81, P3517, DOI 10.1021/ac900055rMaor E, 2009, PLOS ONE, V4, DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0004757Pavlin M, 2008, BIOELECTROCHEMISTRY, V74, P38, DOI 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2008.04.016Sersa G, 2008, EJSO-EUR J SURG ONC, V34, P232, DOI 10.1016/j.ejso.2007.05.016Rubinsky B, 2007, TECHNOL CANCER RES T, V6, P255Onik G, 2007, TECHNOL CANCER RES T, V6, P295Al-Sakere B, 2007, TECHNOL CANCER RES T, V6, P301Maor E, 2007, TECHNOL CANCER RES T, V6, P307Garon EB, 2007, INT J CANCER, V121, P675, DOI 10.1002/ijc.22723Esser AT, 2007, TECHNOL CANCER RES T, V6, P261Lee EW, 2007, TECHNOL CANCER RES T, V6, P287Kimelman N, 2007, TISSUE ENG, V13, P1135, DOI 10.1089/ten.2007.0096Lavee J, 2007, HEART SURG FORUM, V10, pE162, DOI 10.1532/HSF98.20061202Rubinsky B, 2007, TECHNOL CANCER RES T, V6, P37Liu L, 2006, CANCER RES, V66, P11851, DOI 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-1377Marty M, 2006, EJC SUPPL, V4, P3, DOI 10.1016/j.ejcsup.2006.08.002Sersa G, 2006, EJC SUPPL, V4, P52, DOI 10.1016/j.ejcsup.2006.08.007Edd JF, 2006, IEEE T BIO-MED ENG, V53, P1409, DOI [10.1109/TBME.2006.873745, 10.1109/TMBE.2006.873745]Miller L, 2005, TECHNOL CANCER RES T, V4, P699Sel D, 2005, IEEE T BIO-MED ENG, V52, P816, DOI 10.1109/TBME.2005.845212Davalos RV, 2005, ANN BIOMED ENG, V33, P223, DOI 10.1007/s10439-005-8981-8Pliquett U, 2004, BIOELECTROCHEMISTRY, V62, P83, DOI 10.1016/j.biolechem.2003.11.001Davalos RV, 2003, BIOELECTROCHEMISTRY, V61, P99, DOI 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2003.07.001Weaver JC, 2003, IEEE T DIELECT EL IN, V10, P754, DOI 10.1109/TDEI.2003.1237325Gothelf A, 2003, CANCER TREAT REV, V29, P371, DOI 10.1016/S0305-7372(03)00073-2Gehl J, 2003, ACTA PHYSIOL SCAND, V177, P437Leu JI, 2003, J CLIN INVEST, V111, P129, DOI 10.1172/JCI200316712Deng ZS, 2001, PHYSICA A, V300, P521Ryttsen F, 2000, BIOPHYS J, V79, P1993Dev SB, 2000, IEEE T PLASMA SCI, V28, P206, DOI 10.1109/27.842905Duffy DC, 1998, ANAL CHEM, V70, P4974Boone K, 1997, J MED ENG TECHNOL, V21, P201Weaver JC, 1996, BIOELECTROCH BIOENER, V41, P135*I LAB AN RES NAT, 1996, GUID CAR US LAB ANABIDOR IG, 1993, BIOCHIM BIOPHYS ACTA, V1152, P207DILLER KR, 1992, MODELING BIOHEAT TRAMIR LM, 1991, CR ACAD SCI III-VIE, V313, P613DUCK FA, 1990, PHYS PROPERTIES ISSUKINOSITA K, 1979, BIOCHIM BIOPHYS ACTA, V554, P479PENNES HH, 1948, J APPL PHYSIOL, V1, P93

Plant growth promotion and Penicillium citrinum

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Endophytic fungi are known plant symbionts. They produce a variety of beneficial metabolites for plant growth and survival, as well as defend their hosts from attack of certain pathogens. Coastal dunes are nutrient deficient and offer harsh, saline environment for the existing flora and fauna. Endophytic fungi may play an important role in plant survival by enhancing nutrient uptake and producing growth-promoting metabolites such as gibberellins and auxins. We screened roots of <it>Ixeris repenes </it>(L.) A. Gray, a common dune plant, for the isolation of gibberellin secreting endophytic fungi.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We isolated 15 endophytic fungi from the roots of <it>Ixeris repenes </it>and screened them for growth promoting secondary metabolites. The fungal isolate IR-3-3 gave maximum plant growth when applied to waito-c rice and <it>Atriplex gemelinii </it>seedlings. Analysis of the culture filtrate of IR-3-3 showed the presence of physiologically active gibberellins, GA₁, GA₃, GA₄and GA₇(1.95 ng/ml, 3.83 ng/ml, 6.03 ng/ml and 2.35 ng/ml, respectively) along with other physiologically inactive GA₅, GA₉, GA₁₂, GA₁₅, GA₁₉, GA₂₀and, GA₂₄. The plant growth promotion and gibberellin producing capacity of IR-3-3 was much higher than the wild type <it>Gibberella fujikuroi</it>, which was taken as control during present study. GA₅, a precursor of bioactive GA₃was reported for the first time in fungi. The fungal isolate IR-3-3 was identified as a new strain of <it>Penicillium citrinum </it>(named as <it>P. citrinum </it>KACC43900) through phylogenetic analysis of 18S rDNA sequence.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Isolation of new strain of <it>Penicillium citrinum </it>from the sand dune flora is interesting as information on the presence of <it>Pencillium </it>species in coastal sand dunes is limited. The plant growth promoting ability of this fungal strain may help in conservation and revegetation of the rapidly eroding sand dune flora. <it>Penicillium citrinum </it>is already known for producing mycotoxin citrinin and cellulose digesting enzymes like cellulase and endoglucanase, as well as xylulase. Gibberellins producing ability of this fungus and the discovery about the presence of GA₅will open new aspects of research and investigations.</p

Preoperative RAS Mutational Analysis Is of Great Value in Predicting Follicular Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC), particularly the encapsulated subtype, often causes a diagnostic dilemma. We reconfirmed the molecular profiles in a large number of FVPTCs and investigated the efficacy of the preoperative mutational analysis in indeterminate thyroid nodules. BRAF V600E/K601E and RAS mutational analysis was performed on 187 FVPTCs. Of these, 132 (70.6%) had a point mutation in one of the BRAF V600E ( = 57), BRAF K601E ( = 11), or RAS ( = 64) genes. All mutations were mutually exclusive. The most common RAS mutations were at NRAS codon 61. FNA aspirates from 564 indeterminate nodules were prospectively tested for BRAF and RAS mutation and the surgical outcome was correlated with the mutational status. Fifty-seven and 47 cases were positive for BRAF and RAS mutation, respectively. Twenty-seven RAS-positive patients underwent surgery and all except one patient had FVPTC. The PPV and accuracy of RAS mutational analysis for predicting FVPTC were 96% and 84%, respectively. BRAF or RAS mutations were present in more than two-thirds of FVPTCs and these were mutually exclusive. BRAF mutational analysis followed by N, H, and KRAS codon 61 mutational analysis in indeterminate thyroid nodules would streamline the management of patients with malignancies, mostly FVPTC

Myocardial Infarction in a Young Man due to a Hypoplastic Coronary Artery

Hypoplastic coronary artery disease (HCAD) is a rare condition that may lead to myocardial infarction (MI) and sudden death. We discovered HCAD in a young man who developed chest pain after heavy drinking and who was found to have suffered an MI. His ECG showed ST-segment elevation with Q waves in the anterior leads, and echocardiography revealed apical dyskinesia with moderate left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Coronary angiography showed hypoplasia of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. 99mTc-tetrofosmin-gated myocardial perfusion scintigraphy showed a large, fixed perfusion defect in the anteroseptal and apical segments. Sixty-four-slice cardiac CT and cardiac MR imaging demonstrated thinning of the apical wall with calcification and delayed enhancement, supporting the diagnosis of long-standing MI. The patient was discharged symptom-free on medication for ischemic heart failure two weeks after admission. Although HCAD is very uncommon, it should be considered in children and young adults who suffer MI or sudden cardiac death

Clinical Features of Re-Emerging Hepatitis A: An Analysis of Patients Hospitalized during an Urban Epidemic in Korea

From April 2008 to November 2008, many cases of hepatitis A were reported in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province in Korea. Furthermore, the rate of severe or fulminant hepatitis have significantly increased during the latest epidemic (13.4% vs. 5.2%, p=0.044). Therefore, widespread use of vaccine is warranted to reduce the burden of hepatitis A in Korea