Acceleration Workspace of Cooperating Multi-Finger Robot Systems

We present a mathematical method for acceleration workspace analysis of cooperating multi-finger robot systems using a model of point-contact with friction. A new unified formulation from dynamic equations of cooperating multi-finger robots is derived considering the force and acceleration relationships between the fingers and the object to be handled. From the dynamic equation, maximum translational and rotational acceleration bounds of an object are calculated under given constraints of contact conditions, configurations of fingers, and bounds on the torques of joint actuators for each finger. Here, the rotational acceleration bounds can be applied as an important manipulability index when the multi-finger robot grasps an object. To verify the proposed method, we used a set of case studies with a simple multi-finger mechanism system. The achievable acceleration boundary in task space can be obtained successfully with the proposed method and the acceleration boundary depends on the configurations of fingers.     

Effect of fatigue on hamstring coactivation during isokinetic knee extensions

We examined the effect of fatigue of the quadriceps muscles on coactivation of the hamstring muscles and determined if the response is different between two isokinetic speeds in ten males and ten females with no history of knee pathology. Electromyographic data were recorded from the vastus lateralis and biceps femoris muscles during 50 maximal knee extensions at isokinetic speeds of 1.75 rad · s⁻¹ (100° · s⁻¹) and 4.36 rad · s⁻¹ (250° · s⁻¹). A greater degree of coactivation was apparent at the higher speed, but the increase in coactivation of the hamstring muscles was similar at both speeds. The results revealed that: (1) coactivation is greater at a higher isokinetic speed, and (2) coactivation increases during fatigue, but the rate of increase is independent of contraction velocity. Accepted: 15 June 1998     

Comparison of the structure of the immunoglobulins from horse serum

A study of the chemical structure of the horse immunoglobulins IgG and IgA(T) has shown that the amino acid contents of the peptide chains are very similar. These globulins differ most markedly in the products of papain digestion. IgG gives 3.5s products, whereas IgA(T) gives a 5s fraction and smaller components. This difference appears to be associated with the presence of an additional easily reducible disulphide bond in the Fd fragment of the heavy chain. There is two to three times as much carbohydrate in IgA(T) as in IgG. In both, this is in the heavy chain and in IgA(T) more than half is covalently bound to the Fd fragment. The differences in antigenic specificity between horse IgG and IgA(T) appear to be due to structural differences in the Fc fragment.     

Entry kinetics and mouse virulence of Ross River virus mutants altered in neutralization epitopes.

Previously we identified the locations of three neutralization epitopes (a, b1 and b2) of Ross River virus (RRV) by sequencing a number of variants resistant to monoclonal antibody neutralization which were found to have single amino acid substitutions in the E2 protein (S. Vrati, C.A. Fernon, L. Dalgarno, and R.C. Weir, Virology 162:346-353, 1988). We have now studied the biological properties of these variants in BHK cells and their virulence in mice. While variants altered in epitopes a and/or b1 showed no difference, variants altered in epitope b2, including a triple variant altered in epitopes a, b1, and b2, showed rapid penetration but retarded kinetics of growth and RNA and protein synthesis in BHK cells compared with RRV T48, the parent virus. Variants altered in epitopes a and/or b1 showed no change in mouse virulence. However, two of the six epitope b2 variants examined had attenuated mouse virulence. They had a four- to fivefold-higher 50% lethal dose (LD50), although no change in the average survival time of infected mice was observed. These variants grew to titers in mouse tissues similar to those of RRV T48. The ID50 of the triple variant was unchanged, but infected mice had an increased average survival time. This variant produced lower levels of viremia in infected mice. On the basis of these findings we propose that both the receptor binding site and neutralization epitopes of RRV are nearby or in the same domain of the E2 protein.     

Detection of activated O2 species in vitro and in rat lungs by chemiluminescence

This study used chemiluminescence, an "on-line" photon-counting technique, to detect and characterize activated O2 species in vitro and in isolated rat lungs. The sensitivity and specificity of enhanced chemiluminescence for superoxide anion (O2-.) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was evaluated in vitro. The effect of media conditions (such as O2 tension, albumin concentration, and sulfhydryl group availability) on luminescence was assessed in vitro. Xanthine-xanthine oxidase (X-XO) primarily produced superoxide anion in vitro. Enhanced chemiluminescence varied directly with the dose of luminescent probe used and the quantity of activated O2 species administered. The strength of the luminescent signal was also dependent on the concentration of albumin and O2 in the media. Lucigenin was more sensitive than luminol to the presence of O2-. and, unlike luminol, lucigenin did not alter radical production by XO. However, neither luminescent probe was specific for O2-., as both detected H2O2 and O2 in vitro. H2O2-induced chemiluminescence was inhibited by catalase but not superoxide dismutase (SOD), while X-XO-induced luminescence was inhibited by SOD but not catalase. SOD-inhibitable chemiluminescence was a sensitive and specific marker for O2-. production in vitro. Once the sensitivity-specificity of enhanced chemiluminescence was defined in vitro, this technique was used to explore the mechanism by which exogenous X-XO reduced hypoxic vasoconstriction in isolated rat lungs. The vascular paresis, caused by administration of X-XO to the rat lung, resulted from a brief burst of O2-. production rather than a sustained alteration of lung radical levels.     

Chromosome studies in some members of the family Caviidae (Mammalia: Rodentia)

A study of the chromosomes of Cavia aperea and Galea musteloides has been made following the introduction into captivity of these two cavies from Argentina. The evolutionary relationships of the two genera have been considered, and the possible ancestry of C. porcellus from C. aperea was investigated in hybrids of the two species.     

Is hyperglycaemia an independent predictor of poor outcome after acute stroke? Results of a long-term follow up study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether raised plasma glucose concentration independently influences outcome after acute stroke or is a stress response reflecting increased stroke severity. DESIGN: Long-term follow up study of patients admitted to an acute stroke unit. SETTING: Western Infirmary, Glasgow. SUBJECTS: 811 patients with acute stroke confirmed by computed tomography. Analysis was restricted to the 750 non-diabetic patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival time and placement three months after stroke. RESULTS: 645 patients (86%) had ischaemic stroke and 105 patients (14%) haemorrhagic stroke. Cox''s proportional hazards modelling with stratification according to Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project categories identified increased age (relative hazard 1.36 per decade; 95% confidence interval 1.21 to 1.53), haemorrhagic stroke (relative hazard 1.67; 1.22 to 2.28), time to resolution of symptoms > 72 hours (relative hazard 2.15; 1.15 to 4.05), and hyperglycaemia (relative hazard 1.87; 1.43 to 2.45) as predictors of mortality. The effect of glucose concentration on survival was greatest in the first month. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma glucose concentration above 8 mmol/l after acute stroke predicts a poor prognosis after correcting for age, stroke severity, and stroke subtype. Raised plasma glucose concentration is therefore unlikely to be solely a stress response and should arguably be treated actively. A randomised trial is warranted.     

Framing the Salmonidae Family Phylogenetic Portrait: A More Complete Picture from Increased Taxon Sampling

Considerable research efforts have focused on elucidating the systematic relationships among salmonid fishes; an understanding of these patterns of relatedness will inform conservation- and fisheries-related issues, as well as provide a framework for investigating evolutionary mechanisms in the group. However, uncertainties persist in current Salmonidae phylogenies due to biological and methodological factors, and a comprehensive phylogeny including most representatives of the family could provide insight into the causes of these difficulties. Here we increase taxon sampling by including nearly all described salmonid species (n = 63) to present a time-calibrated and more complete portrait of Salmonidae using a combination of molecular markers and analytical techniques. This strategy improved resolution by increasing the signal-to-noise ratio and helped discriminate methodological and systematic errors from sources of difficulty associated with biological processes. Our results highlight novel aspects of salmonid evolution. First, we call into question the widely-accepted evolutionary relationships among sub-families and suggest that Thymallinae, rather than Coregoninae, is the sister group to the remainder of Salmonidae. Second, we find that some groups in Salmonidae are older than previously thought and that the mitochondrial rate of molecular divergence varies markedly among genes and clades. We estimate the age of the family to be 59.1 MY (CI: 63.2-58.1 MY) old, which likely corresponds to the timing of whole genome duplication in salmonids. The average, albeit highly variable, mitochondrial rate of molecular divergence was estimated as ∼0.31%/MY (CI: 0.27–0.36%/MY). Finally, we suggest that some species require taxonomic revision, including two monotypic genera, Stenodus and Salvethymus. In addition, we resolve some relationships that have been notoriously difficult to discern and present a clearer picture of the evolution of the group. Our findings represent an important contribution to the systematics of Salmonidae, and provide a useful tool for addressing questions related to fundamental and applied evolutionary issues.