CIDGIKc: Distance-Geometric Inverse Kinematics for Continuum Robots

The small size, high dexterity, and intrinsic compliance of continuum robots (CRs) make them well suited for constrained environments. Solving the inverse kinematics (IK), that is finding robot joint configurations that satisfy desired position or pose queries, is a fundamental challenge in motion planning, control, and calibration for any robot structure. For CRs, the need to avoid obstacles in tightly confined workspaces greatly complicates the search for feasible IK solutions. Without an accurate initialization or multiple re-starts, existing algorithms often fail to find a solution. We present CIDGIKc (Convex Iteration for Distance-Geometric Inverse Kinematics for Continuum Robots), an algorithm that solves these nonconvex feasibility problems with a sequence of semidefinite programs whose objectives are designed to encourage low-rank minimizers. CIDGIKc is enabled by a novel distance-geometric parameterization of constant curvature segment geometry for CRs with extensible segments. The resulting IK formulation involves only quadratic expressions and can efficiently incorporate a large number of collision avoidance constraints. Our experimental results demonstrate >98% solve success rates within complex, highly cluttered environments which existing algorithms cannot account for

SVM-Based Spectrum Mobility Prediction Scheme in Mobile Cognitive Radio Networks

Spectrum mobility as an essential issue has not been fully investigated in mobile cognitive radio networks (CRNs). In this paper, a novel support vector machine based spectrum mobility prediction (SVM-SMP) scheme is presented considering time-varying and space-varying characteristics simultaneously in mobile CRNs. The mobility of cognitive users (CUs) and the working activities of primary users (PUs) are analyzed in theory. And a joint feature vector extraction (JFVE) method is proposed based on the theoretical analysis. Then spectrum mobility prediction is executed through the classification of SVM with a fast convergence speed. Numerical results validate that SVM-SMP gains better short-time prediction accuracy rate and miss prediction rate performance than the two algorithms just depending on the location and speed information. Additionally, a rational parameter design can remedy the prediction performance degradation caused by high speed SUs with strong randomness movements

Effect of Soybean Protein Isolate and Tea Polyphenol Stabilized High Interior Phase Pickering Emulsion Replacing Fat on Meatball Quality

In order to reduce the harm caused by high intake of saturated fat on human health. This study aimed to investigate the effect of high interphase Pickering emulsions (HIPEs) stabilized by soybean protein isolated and soybean oil, and tea polyphenols were used as functional ingredients to evaluate two different HIPEs as pork back fat (PBF) replacers in the meatballs. Six different formulations were prepared by the replacement of PBF with water, HIPEs and HIPEs loaded with tea polyphenols. Physical, chemical and sensory indexes of meatballs were assessed. Compared with the control group, there were significant differences in all indexes expect pH (P<0.05). Reduce-fat meatballs with HIPEs showed higher cooking rate (93.59%), content of moisture (66.91%) and protein (14.48%) and lower content of fat (8.42%). The hardness, elasticity, cohesiveness and chewability of meatballs increased with the addition of emulsion. After addition of HIPEs, the L* of meatballs was increased, and the a*, b* were increased due to the addition of tea polyphenols. The HIPEs loaded with tea polyphenols had the best improvement on the infiltrate on the moisture (1.57%) and fat (0.019%) of meatballs, the lowest TBA value was 4.12 mg/kg. The sensory evaluation was higher than the control group. Using HIPEs as a fat substitute could effectively reduce the fat content in meatballs and improve the yield and quality of meatballs. This study can provide some reference for the development of fat-reducing meat products

Why Are People High in Dispositional Awe Happier? The Roles of Meaning in Life and Materialism

Awe is an intense emotional response to perceptually vast stimuli that dramatically transcend one’s ordinary reference frame and provoke a need to adjust the current mental structures. Dispositional awe reflects individual differences in the tendency to experience awe. The current study aims to examine the effect of dispositional awe on subjective well-being, with a focus on confirming the mediating role of meaning in life and materialism. A sample of 563 Chinese adults completed measures of dispositional awe, meaning in life, materialism, and subjective well-being. Correlation analysis revealed that dispositional awe, meaning in life, and materialism were all significantly correlated with subjective well-being. Structural equation modeling showed significant paths from dispositional awe to subjective well-being through both meaning in life and materialism. Bootstrap analysis also indicated that meaning in life and materialism mediated the relationship between dispositional awe and subjective well-being. These findings not only corroborate the critical role of dispositional awe in promoting subjective well-being, but also shed some light on why people high in dispositional awe are happier than those low in dispositional awe. Limitations and directions for future research were also discussed

Research Progress on the Formation Mechanism of Protein/Essential Oil-based Composite Films and Application in Food Preservation

It has great significance to maintain the natural state of food and reduce the environmental pollution that use of bio-based packaging materials to research and development food packaging, because it has been unable to meet the demand of consumers for green, environmental protection and high-efficiency, for traditional food packaging. Edible films are attracting great attentions in food packaging due to their safety and zero waste property, among which, the protein often used in the preparation of edible films because of good mechanical properties and nutritional value. Essential oils extracted from aromatic plants, the broad-spectrum antibacterial and antioxidant properties give it great potential in food packaging. Incorporation of essential oils into edible protein-based films can effectively improve their properties, and cover the strong sensory properties of essential oils, meanwhile, the release rate of essential oils is controlled. This review covers the recent developments in protein/essential oils-based composite films, the formation mechanism of protein/essential oils-based composite films is discussed, the two composite methods of single essential oil and complex essential oil with protein-based composite films is introduced. Meanwhile, the application of protein/essential oils-based composite films in food is summarized. This study can provide some reference for the future development of protein/essential oils-based composite films

Methylation levels at IGF2 and GNAS DMRs in infants born to preeclamptic pregnancies

BACKGROUND: Offspring of pregnancy complicated with preeclampsia are at high risk for hypertension, stroke and possibly obesity. The mechanisms behind the association of intrauterine exposure to preeclampsia and high risk of health problems in the later life remain largely unknown. The aims of the current investigation were to determine the changes in DNA methylation at IGF2 and GNAS DMR in offspring of preeclamptic pregnancy and to explore the possible mechanisms underlying the association between maternal preeclampsia and high risk for health problems in the later life of their offspring. RESULTS: Umbilical cord blood was taken from infants born to women of preeclampsia (n=56), gestational hypertension (n=23) and normal pregnancy (n=81). DNA methylation levels of IGF2 and GNAS DMR were determined by Massarray quantitative methylation analysis. Methylation levels at IGF2 DMR were significantly lower in preeclampsia than normal pregnancy. The average methylation level at IGF2 DMR was significantly correlated with preeclampsia even after birth weight, maternal age, gestational age at delivery and fetal gender were adjusted. The difference in methylation level was not significantly different between mild and severe preeclampsia. The methylation level at GNAS DMR was not significantly correlated with birth weight, maternal age, gestational age at delivery, fetal gender, preeclampsia or gestational hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded preeclampsia induced a decrease in methylation level at IGF 2 DMR, and this might be among the mechanisms behind the association between intrauterine exposure to preeclampsia and high risk for metabolic diseases in the later life of the infants

Chronic Alcohol Causes Alteration of Lipidome Profiling in Brain

Much efforts have been tried to clarify the molecular mechanism of alcohol-induced brain damage from the perspective of genome and protein; however, the effect of chronic alcohol exposure on global lipid profiling of brain is unclear. In the present study, by using Q-TOF/MS-based lipidomics approach, we investigated the comprehensive lipidome profiling of brain from the rats orally administrated with alcohol daily, continuously for one year. Through systematically analysis of all lipids in prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum region, we found that long-term alcohol exposure profoundly modified brain lipidome profiling. Notably, three kinds of lipid classes, glycerophospholipid (GP), glycerolipid (GL) and fatty acyls (FA), were significantly increased in these two brain regions. Interestingly, most of the modified lipids were involved in synthetic pathways of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which may result in ER stress-related metabolic disruption. Moreover, alcohol-modified lipid species displayed long length of carbon chain with high degree of unsaturation. Taken together, our results firstly present that chronic alcohol exposure markedly modifies brain lipidomic profiling, which may activate ER stress and eventually result in neurotoxicity. These findings provide a new insight into the mechanism of alcohol-related brain damage.Peer reviewe