Full-rotation singularity-safe workspace for kinematically redundant parallel robots

This paper introduces and computes a novel type of work-space for kinematically redundant parallel robots that defines the regionin which the end-effector can make full rotations without coming close tosingular configurations; it departs from the traditional full-rotation dex-terous workspace, which considers full rotations without encounteringsingularities but does not take into account the performance problemsresulting from closeness to these locations. Kinematically redundant ar-chitectures have the advantage of being able to be reconfigured withoutchanging the pose of the end-effector, thus being capable of avoidingsingularities and being suitable for applications where high dexterityis required. Knowing the workspace of these robots in which the end-effector is able to complete full, smooth rotations is a key design aspectto improve performance; however, since this singularity-safe workspaceis generally small, or even non-existent, in most parallel manipulators,its characterisation and calculation have not received attention in theliterature. The proposed workspace for kinematically redundant robotsis introduced using a planar parallel architecture as a case study; the for-mulation works by treating the manipulator as two halves, calculatingthe full-rotation workspace of the end-effector for each half whilst ensur-ing singularity conditions are not approached or met, and then findingthe intersection of both regions. The method is demonstrated ontwoexample robot instances, and a numerical analysis is also carried out asa comparison

Dissecting the Active Site of the Collagenolytic Cathepsin L3 Protease of the Invasive Stage of Fasciola hepatica

Background: A family of secreted cathepsin L proteases with differential activities is essential for host colonization and survival in the parasitic flatworm Fasciola hepatica. While the blood feeding adult secretes predominantly FheCL1, an enzyme with a strong preference for Leu at the S2 pocket of the active site, the infective stage produces FheCL3, a unique enzyme with collagenolytic activity that favours Pro at P2. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using a novel unbiased multiplex substrate profiling and mass spectrometry methodology (MSP-MS), we compared the preferences of FheCL1 and FheCL3 along the complete active site cleft and confirm that while the S2 imposes the greatest influence on substrate selectivity, preferences can be indicated on other active site subsites. Notably, we discovered that the activity of FheCL1 and FheCL3 enzymes is very different, sharing only 50% of the cleavage sites, supporting the idea of functional specialization. We generated variants of FheCL1 and FheCL3 with S2 and S3 residues by mutagenesis and evaluated their substrate specificity using positional scanning synthetic combinatorial libraries (PS-SCL). Besides the rare P2 Pro preference, FheCL3 showed a distinctive specificity at the S3 pocket, accommodating preferentially the small Gly residue. Both P2 Pro and P3 Gly preferences were strongly reduced when Trp67 of FheCL3 was replaced by Leu, rendering the enzyme incapable of digesting collagen. In contrast, the inverse Leu67Trp substitution in FheCL1 only slightly reduced its Leu preference and improved Pro acceptance in P2, but greatly increased accommodation of Gly at S3. Conclusions/Significance: These data reveal the significance of S2 and S3 interactions in substrate binding emphasizing the role for residue 67 in modulating both sites, providing a plausible explanation for the FheCL3 collagenolytic activity essential to host invasion. The unique specificity of FheCL3 could be exploited in the design of specific inhibitors selectively directed to specific infective stage parasite proteinases. © 2013 Corvo et al

A experiência vivida das mulheres numa zona rural de Asientos, Aguascalientes durante o período climatérico

Introduction: Nursing care seeks the integrity of the person in all spheres of development and thus improves quality of life. Objective: To know the experience of women who are in the climacteric stage and who live in a rural area of the municipality of Asientos, Aguascalientes. Methodology: Qualitative study with Heiddeger's hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Seven women participated. Seven phenomenological interviews were conducted for the collection of information to guarantee the quality of the study. Results: The interviews lasted approximately 40 minutes. Nine units of meaning were obtained, which were divided into two groups: ontic and ontological. The ontic meaning units included: ignorance of climacteric as a stage of life, distress in climacteric and medical care during climacteric. The other group includes the ontological meaning units: sexual desire in darkness, absence of a partner, the family world and the climacteric period, transcendence in the climacteric period, and suffering in the climacteric period. Conclusion: Climacteric women have an influence on the sociocultural environment, repetitive patterns and scarce knowledge of the subject.Introducción: El cuidado de enfermería busca la integridad de la persona en todas sus esferas de desarrollo y con ello mejora calidad de vida. Objetivo: Conocer la experiencia que tienen las mujeres que cursan la etapa del climaterio y que viven en zona rural del municipio de Asientos, Aguascalientes. Metodología: Estudio cualitativo con enfoque fenomenológico hermenéutico de Heiddeger. Participaron 7 mujeres. Para la recolección de la información se realizaron siete entrevistas fenomenológicas, para garantizar la calidad del estudio. Resultados: Las entrevistas tuvieron una duración aproximada de 40 minutos. Se obtuvo 9 unidades de significado, las cuales se dividieron en dos grupos: óntico y ontológico. En las unidades de significado óntico se incluyó: desconocimiento del climaterio como etapa de la vida, angustia en el climaterio y atención medica durante el climaterio. El otro grupo abarca las unidades de significado ontológico integrado por: el deseo sexual en tinieblas, ausencia de compañero, el mundo familiar y el climaterio, trascendencia en el climaterio, sufrimiento en el climaterio. Conclusión: Las mujeres climatéricas tienen una influencia sobre el entorno sociocultural, patrones repetitivos y conocimientos escasos del tema.Resumo: Introdução: Os cuidados de enfermagem procuram a integridade da pessoa em todas as esferas de desenvolvimento e assim melhorar a qualidade de vida. Objectivo: Descobrir a experiência das mulheres na fase climatérica da vida que vivem numa zona rural do município de Asientos, Aguascalientes. Metodologia: Estudo qualitativo com a abordagem fenomenológica hermenêutica de Heiddeger. Sete mulheres participaram. Foram realizadas sete entrevistas fenomenológicas para recolher a informação, a fim de garantir a qualidade do estudo. Resultados: As entrevistas duraram aproximadamente 40 minutos. Foram obtidas nove unidades de significado, que foram divididas em dois grupos: ontico e ontológico. As unidades de significado ôntico incluíam: ignorância do climatério como fase da vida, angústia no climatério e cuidados médicos durante o climatério. O outro grupo compreende as unidades de significado ontológico: desejo sexual na escuridão, ausência de parceiro, o mundo familiar e o climatério, transcendência no climatério, sofrimento no climatério. Conclusão: As mulheres climatéricas são influenciadas pelo ambiente sócio-cultural, padrões repetitivos e fraco conhecimento do assunto

Clostridium difficile infection.

Infection of the colon with the Gram-positive bacterium Clostridium difficile is potentially life threatening, especially in elderly people and in patients who have dysbiosis of the gut microbiota following antimicrobial drug exposure. C. difficile is the leading cause of health-care-associated infective diarrhoea. The life cycle of C. difficile is influenced by antimicrobial agents, the host immune system, and the host microbiota and its associated metabolites. The primary mediators of inflammation in C. difficile infection (CDI) are large clostridial toxins, toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB), and, in some bacterial strains, the binary toxin CDT. The toxins trigger a complex cascade of host cellular responses to cause diarrhoea, inflammation and tissue necrosis - the major symptoms of CDI. The factors responsible for the epidemic of some C. difficile strains are poorly understood. Recurrent infections are common and can be debilitating. Toxin detection for diagnosis is important for accurate epidemiological study, and for optimal management and prevention strategies. Infections are commonly treated with specific antimicrobial agents, but faecal microbiota transplants have shown promise for recurrent infections. Future biotherapies for C. difficile infections are likely to involve defined combinations of key gut microbiota

Development of microwave calibration targets for upcoming ESA missions

Microwave radiometers are widely used for remote sensing and radio astronomical observations. Their absolute accuracy depends on the performance of the blackbody targets which are used for the radiometric calibration. In this paper we summarize the performance aspects of such calibration targets and present different designs for upcoming ESA missions