BackgroundRobotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery (MIS) can benefit both patients and surgeons. However, the learning curve for robotically assisted procedures can be long and the total system costs are high. Therefore, there is considerable interest in new methods and lower cost controllers for a surgical robotic system. MethodsIn this study, a knife-master and a forceps-master, shaped similarly to a surgical knife and forceps, were developed as input devices for control of a master-slave surgical robotic system. In addition, a safety strategy was developed to eliminate the master-slave orientation difference and stabilize the surgical system. ResultsMaster-slave tracking experiments and a ring-and-bar experiment showed that the safety tracking strategy could ensure that the robot system moved stably without any tremor in the tracking motion. Subjects could manipulate the surgical tool to achieve the master-slave operation with less training compared to a mechanical master. ConclusionsDirect manipulation of the small, light and low-cost surgical tools to control a robotic system is a possible operating mode. Surgeons can operate the robotic system in their own familiar way, without long training. The main potential safety issues can be solved by the proposed safety control strategy. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Zhang, Linan
Sharada, Shaama Mallikarjun
Singh, Aayush R.
Rohr, Brian A.
Su, Yanjing
Qiao, Lijie
Norskov, Jens K.
Ammonia synthesis is one of the most studied reactions in heterogeneous catalysis. To date, however, electrochemical N-2 reduction in aqueous systems has proven to be extremely difficult, mainly due to the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Recently, it has been shown that transition metal complexes based on molybdenum can reduce N2 to ammonia at room temperature and ambient pressure in a non-aqueous system, with a relatively small amount of hydrogen output. We demonstrate that the non-aqueous proton donor they have chosen, 2,6-lutidinium (LutH(+)), is a viable substitute for hydronium in the electrochemical process at a solid surface, since this donor can suppress the HER rate. We also show that the presence of LutH(+) can selectively stabilize the *NNH intermediate relative to *NH or *NH2 via the formation of hydrogen bonds, indicating that the use of non-aqueous solvents can break the scaling relationship between limiting potential and binding energies.
Sun, Yongjun
Chen, You
Zhan, Liying
Zhang, Linan
Hu, Jie
Gao, Zibin
Protein tyrosine phosphorylation is one of the primary modes of regulation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. The non-receptor tyrosine kinases are one of the two types of protein tyrosine kinases that are involved in this process. The overactivation of NMDA receptors is a primary reason for neuron death following cerebral ischemia. Many studies have illustrated the important role of non-receptor tyrosine kinases in ischemia insults. This review introduces the roles of Src, Fyn, focal adhesion kinase, and proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 in the excitotoxicity induced by the overactivation of NMDA receptors following cerebral ischemia.
UNLABELLED: The targeted delivery of anticancer agents is a promising field in anticancer therapy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have inherent tumor-tropic and migratory properties, which allow them to serve as vehicles for targeted drug delivery systems for isolated tumors and metastatic diseases. MSCs have been successfully studied and discussed as a vehicle for cancer gene therapy. However, MSCs have not yet been discussed adequately as a potential vehicle for traditional anticancer drugs. In this review, we will examine the potential of MSCs as a targeted-delivery vehicle for anticancer drug-loaded nanoparticles (NPs), summarize various challenges, and discuss possible solutions for these challenges.; FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR: In this review, the feasibility of mesenchymal stem cell-based targeted delivery of anticancer agents is discussed. Copyright 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
No reflow after reperfusion therapy for myocardial infarction is a strong predictor of clinical outcome. Increased levels of inflammatory factors, including C-reactive protein (CRP), in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may affect myocardial perfusion. However, why the no-reflow phenomenon increases in inflammation stress after PCI is not clear. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects and molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of CRP on the expression of cyclo-oxygenase (COX) on the development of the no-reflow phenomenon. There was a significant increase in plasma levels of CRP and interleukin (IL)-6 in no-reflow patients, suggesting that inflammatory factors play an important role in the development of the no-reflow phenomenon. The mechanisms involved were further evaluated after reperfusion in a rat model mimicking the no-reflow phenomenon. Compared with normal reflow rats, there were significant increases in both COX-1 and COX-2 in cardiac tissue from no-reflow rats. The COX inhibitor indomethacin (5 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reduced the no-reflow area. In another series of experiments, human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) were treated with CRP at clinically relevant concentrations (5-25 mug/mL). C-Reactive protein significantly increased COX-1 and COX-2 levels in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In addition, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were activated in CRP (5, 10, 25 mug/mL)-treated HCAEC cultures. Furthermore, the ERK inhibitor pd98059 (30 mumol/L) and the JNK inhibitor sp600125 (10 mumol/L) blocked CRP-induced COX-1 and COX-2 expression for 12 h. Together, the findings of the present study suggest that CRP can promote the development of the no-reflow phenomenon by increasing COX-1 and COX-2 expression, which is regulated, in part, via ERK and JNK activity. =C2=A9 2014 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.
Zhang, Linan
Peng, Jie
Li, Xiaojie
Liu, Yanling
Cui, Cuiju
Wu, Hao
Wu, Ruina
Tian, Pingping
Li, Yan
Twenty-seven polymorphic trinucleotide microsatellite DNA markers were developed from Saccharina japonica, through paired-end Illumina sequencing data. Sixty-three gametophyte clones of the species, preserved indoor as germplasm resources were genotyped using these markers. The number of alleles ranged from 2 to 7 with an average 4.7 per locus. The gene diversity and expected heterozygosity varied from 0.171 to 0.774 and from 0.174 to 0.793, respectively. Sixteen loci could be successfully amplified in Saccharina longissima with 12 loci being polymorphic. These novel microsatellite DNA markers will be extremely useful in germplasm resource conservation and management of S. japonica and also in its related species S. longissima.