Relaxation of the mouse pubic symphysis during late pregnancy is not accompanied by the influx of granulocytes

In some animals, such as mice and guinea pigs, a hormonally controlled mechanism increases the flexibility of the pubic symphysis and enhances the cervical remodeling necessary for safe delivery. Cervical ripening during pregnancy is associated with a paradoxical influx of leukocytes. However, the changes in cell metabolism during relaxation of the mouse pubic symphysis for delivery have not been extensively studied. In this work, we used light microscopy and transmission and scanning electron microcopy, as well as immunohistochemistry and Western blotting for MMP-8, to investigate the involvement of granulocytes or resident stromal cells in the relaxation of the virgin pubic symphysis during late pregnancy (days 18 and 19, before delivery) in vivo and in explanted joints. MMP-8 was studied because this collagenase is a hallmark for cervical ripening associated with the influx of granulocytes during late pregnancy. Extensive dissolution and disorganization of the extracellular matrix was seen around fibroblastic-like cells in late pregnancy. In contrast to the cervix (positive control), morphological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that there was no characteristic cellular inflammatory response in the interpubic tissue. Staining for MMP-8 was observed in chondroid and fibroblastic-like cells of virgin and relaxed interpubic ligament, respectively. However, no granulocytes were seen during the extensive remodeling of the pubic joint in late pregnancy. These results indicate that constitutive stromal cells may have an important role in tissue relaxation during remodeling of the pubic symphysis in pregnancy.     

Observed finger behaviour during computer mouse use

Two-button computer mouse users may exhibit sustained, static finger lifting behaviours to prevent inadvertent activations by avoiding finger pressure on the buttons, which leads to prolonged, static finger extensor muscle loading. One hundred graduate students were observed during normal computer work in a university computer facility to qualify and quantify the prevalence of lifted finger behaviours and extended finger postures, as well as wrist/forearm and grip behaviour, during specific mouse activities. The highest prevalences observed were 48% of the students lifted their middle finger during mouse drag activities, and 23% extended their middle finger while moving the mouse. In addition, 98% of the students rested their wrist and forearm (77%) or wrist only (21%) on the workstation surface, and 97% had an extended wrist posture (15 degrees -30 degrees ) when using the mouse. Potential applications of these findings include future computer input device designs to reduce finger lifting behaviour and exposures to risk factors of hand/forearm musculoskeletal pain.     

The Genetic Heterogeneity among Different Mouse Strains Impacts the Lung Injury Potential of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

Genetic variation constitutes an important variable impacting the susceptibility to inhalable toxic substances and air pollutants, as reflected by epidemiological studies in humans and differences among animal strains. While multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are capable of causing lung fibrosis in rodents, it is unclear to what extent the genetic variation in different mouse strains influence the outcome. Four inbred mouse strains, including C57Bl/6, Balb/c, NOD/ShiLtJ, and A/J, to test the pro‐fibrogenic effects of a library of MWCNTs in vitro and in vivo are chosen. Ex vivo analysis of IL‐1β production in bone marrow‐derived macrophages (BMDMs) as molecular initiating event (MIE) is performed. The order of cytokine production (Balb/c > A/J > C57Bl/6 > NOD/ShiLtJ) in BMDMs is also duplicated during assessment of IL‐1β production in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the same mouse strains 40 h after oropharyngeal instillation of a representative MWCNT. Animal test after 21 d also confirms a similar hierarchy in TGF‐β1 production and collagen deposition in the lung. Statistical analysis confirms a correlation between IL‐1β production in BMDM and the lung fibrosis. All considered, these data demonstrate that genetic background indeed plays a major role in determining the pro‐fibrogenic response to MWCNTs in the lung.     

Web-based Biometric Computer Mouse Advisory System to Analyze a User's Emotions and Work Productivity

This article describes the analysis of emotional state and work productivity using a Web-based Biometric Computer Mouse Advisory System to Analyze a User's Emotions and Work Productivity (Advisory system hereafter) developed by this paper's authors. The Advisory system determines the level of emotional state and work productivity integrally by employing three main biometric techniques (physiological, psychological and behavioral). By using these three biometric techniques, the Advisory system can analyze a person's eleven states of being (stress, work productivity, mood, interest in work) and seven emotions (self-control, happiness, anger, fear, sadness, surprise and anxiety) during a realistic timeframe. Furthermore, to raise the reliability of the Advisory system even more, it also integrated the data supplied by the Biometric Finger (blood pressure and pulse rates). Worldwide research includes various scientists who conducted in-depth studies on the different and very important areas of biometric mouse systems. However, biometric mouse systems cannot generate recommendations. The Advisory system determines a user's physiological, psychological and behavioral/movement parameters based on that user's real-time needs and existing situation. It then generates thousands of alternative stress management recommendations based on the compiled Maslow's Pyramid Tables and selects out the most rational of these for the user's specific situation. The information compiled for Maslow's Pyramid Tables consists of a collection of respondent surveys and analyses of the best global practices. Maslow's Pyramid Tables were developed for an employee working with a computer in a typical organization. The Advisory system provides a user with a real-time assessment of his/her own productivity and emotional state. This article presents the Advisory system, a case study and a scenario used to test and validate the developed Advisory system and its composite parts to demonstrate its validity, efficiency and usefulness.     

嵌入式系统的多维蓝牙HID激光鼠标设计

系统基于嵌入式ARM Cortex-M3系列芯片,采用激光感应器件、加速度计、二维操作杆等对数据进行实时采集.激光感应器件对平面移动数据采集,结合了加速计对手部姿态计算,计算的移动数值通过蓝牙HID发送到PC机,省去不便携带的接收器.其可实时更新到电脑的屏幕上,光标会跟随人手部移动的方向而移动,实现鼠标办公、演讲多平面维度使用.     

基于BLE4.0姿态解算的无线语音鼠标设计

设计了一款残疾人专用智能无线语音鼠标,让双手不灵活的残疾人灵活地操纵电脑成为现实.本设计发送端采用BLE4.0技术负责头部姿态解算、语音识别、向电脑发送操作指令等功能.无需任何接收装置,只需与电脑自带的蓝牙设备配对后便可通过相应的蓝牙协议对电脑直接进行操控.     

一种无接触供电的无线鼠标

介绍了一种无接触供电的无线鼠标设计电路,无接触电能发射装置采用USB供电,通过自激振荡电路产生了138 kHz的高频振荡电压;无接触电能接收装置采用感应耦合方式获取电能.无线鼠标用无线模块nRF24E1构成信号发射和接收电路,该电路除具备有线鼠标全部功能外,还可以离开电脑远距离灵活操纵鼠标.     

几起电脑故障及其排除方法

本文就日常工作中遇到的几起电脑故障进行分析,并提出相应的解决方法供电脑爱好者和遇到类似故障的用产参考。     

一种新的鼠标器结构探讨

作为计算机指点式输入设备,目前已有的器械包括:机械式鼠标、光学鼠标、轨迹球、电子笔等。鼠标的应用无疑给人们使用计算机带来了极大便利,但是,由于工作原理的缺陷使得传统鼠标无法应对日益提升的系统应用,比如在三维图形界面下光标定位、控制的实现。本文提出一种新的鼠标器结构,以较小的代价克服了上述传统鼠标器缺点,还实现了三维空间的定位。     

Utilizing endoscopic technology to reveal real-time proteomic alterations in response to chemoprevention

Cancer chemoprevention approaches use either pharmacological or dietary agents to impede, arrest or reverse the carcinogenic process. Although several agents have shown effectiveness against colon cancer, present intervention strategies provide only partial reduction. In this study, we utilized high-resolution endoscopy to obtain colon tumor biopsy specimens from Apc mutant mice before and after 2-wk sulindac intervention. To acquire information beyond genomics, proteome analysis using the ProteomeLab PF2D platform was implemented to generate 2-D protein expression maps from biopsies. Chromatograms produced common signature profiles between sulindac and nonsulindac treated samples, and contrasting profiles termed "fingerprints". We selected a double peak that appeared in tumor biopsies from sulindac-treated mice. Further analyses using MS sequencing identified this protein as histone H2B. The location of H2B in the 1(st) dimension strongly suggested PTM, consistent with identification of two oxidized methionines. While further studies on sulindac proteomic fingerprints are underway, this study demonstrates the feasibility and advantages of "real-time" proteomic analysis for obtaining information on biomarker discovery and drug activity that would not be revealed by a genetic assay. This approach should be broadly applicable for assessing lesion responsiveness in a wide range of translational and human clinical studies.