Curcumin nanoemulsion for transdermal application: formulation and evaluation

The aim of this work is to develop a curcumin nanoemulsion for transdermal delivery. The incorporation of curcumin inside a nanoglobul should improve curcumin stability and permeability. A nanoemulsion was prepared by the self-nanoemulsification method, using an oil phase of glyceryl monooleate, Cremophor RH40 and polyethylene glycol 400. Evaluation of the nanoemulsion included analysis of particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, physical stability, Raman spectrum and morphology. In addition, the physical performance of the nanoemulsion in Viscolam AT 100P gel was studied. A modified vertical diffusion cell and shed snake skin of Python reticulatus were used to study the in vitro permeation of curcumin. A spontaneously formed stable nanoemulsion has a loading capacity of 350?mg curcumin/10?g of oil phase. The mean droplet diameter, polydispersity index and zeta potential of optimized nanoemulsion were 85.0?±?1.5?nm, 0.18?±?0.0 and ?5.9?±?0.3?mV, respectively. Curcumin in a nanoemulsion was more stable than unencapsulated curcumin. Furthermore, nanoemulsification significantly improved the permeation flux of curcumin from the hydrophilic matrix gel; the release kinetic of curcumin changed from zero order to a Higuchi release profile. Overall, the developed nanoemulsion system not only improved curcumin permeability but also protected the curcumin from chemical degradation.     

Snake模型在医学图像分割中的应用

基于Snake模型的图像分割技术是比较成功的研究领域,也是近年来图像处理领域研究的热点之一。Snake模型将基于图像本身的底层的视觉属性和人们先验知识结合起来,针对各种图像的不同特点,从高层和底层两个方面约束图像分割的过程。通过对Snake模型的基本原理及其几种改进的概括研究,阐述了Snake模型在图像分割中的一些应用方法。     

引入蛇模型的曲率驱动扩散图像修复方法

数字图像修复方法可以自动地修复数字图像中用户定义的污损区域。T.F.Chan等人提出的非纹理的曲率驱动扩散算法是基于偏微分方程的图像修复的代表算法之一。通过在该算法中应用蛇模型的图像增强项,提出了引入蛇模型的曲率驱动扩散图像修复方法,在热扩散过程中,拉动曲线向目标边界演化,达到修复污损图像中的断裂边缘的目的,从而较好保持图像的视觉连通性。实验结果表明,在迭代次数相同的条件下,可以比原始的曲率驱动扩散图像修复算法获得更好的修复效果。     

Self-administration of alcohol before and after a public speaking challenge by individuals with social phobia.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 16(3) of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (see record 2009-17717-001). On page 121, in the abstract, the penultimate sentence incorrectly reads, “As predicted, participants consumed more alcohol following the anxiety challenge than following the control task; however, the opposite pattern was evidenced for drinking following the 2 activities.” The sentence should read as follows: “As predicted, participants consumed more alcohol following the anxiety challenge than following the control task; however, the opposite pattern was evidenced for drinking preceding the 2 activities.”] K. Abrams, M. Kushner, K. Medina, and A. Voight (2001) showed that alcohol attenuates social anxiety symptoms in socially phobic individuals. This article examines whether social anxiety symptoms can lead to increased alcohol use in this same population. Forty-four individuals with social phobia attended 2 laboratory sessions, spaced 1 week apart, in groups of approximately 10. Participants underwent a social anxiety challenge during 1 session and a control task during the other. Half of the sample self-administered alcohol immediately before, and half immediately after, these 2 activities. As predicted, participants consumed more alcohol following the anxiety challenge than following the control task; however, the opposite pattern was evidenced for drinking following the 2 activities. These findings add to an understanding of why social phobia and alcohol problems tend to co-occur. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An efficient steering control formulation for the articulated body mobile robot “KR-II”

This paper introduces an efficient steering control method for the articulated body mobile robot Koryu-II (KR-II). KR-II is a real robot, composed of six cylindrical segments linked in series and has a long snake-like appearance. The main issue on KR-II's steering control is, given from a remote human operator the velocity and orientation commands for the foremost segment, to automatically generate joint commands for all the following segments, such that they follow the foremost segment's trajectory. The derived method is based on a trajectory planning scheme in the inertial reference frame, and is feasible for real time computation. It also presents good energy efficiency and trajectory tracking performance characteristics, and can be extended for KR-II's W-Shaped Configuration steering control, which augments the lateral stability of the robot, essential for locomotion over uneven terrain. The validity of these methods are verified by experiments on the mechanical model KR-II.     

Modular Reconfigurable Robots in Space Applications

Robots used for tasks in space have strict requirements. Modular reconfigurable robots have a variety of attributes that are well suited to these conditions, including: serving as many different tools at once (saving weight), packing into compressed forms (saving space) and having high levels of redundancy (increasing robustness). In addition, self-reconfigurable systems can self-repair and adapt to changing or unanticipated conditions. This paper will describe such a self-reconfigurable modular robot: PolyBot. PolyBot has significant potential in the space manipulation and surface mobility class of applications for space.     

Development and field test of the articulated mobile robot T2 Snake-4 for plant disaster prevention

Abstract

In this work, we develop an articulated mobile robot that can move in narrow spaces, climb stairs, gather information, and operate valves for plant disaster prevention. The robot can adopt a tall position using a folding arm and gather information using sensors mounted on the arm. In addition, this paper presents a stair climbing method using a single backward wave. This method enables the robot to climb stairs that have a short tread. The developed robot system is tested in a field test at the World Robot Summit 2018, and the lessons learned in the field test are discussed.     

攀爬蛇形机器人爬树的静态机理研究

为了研发一种新型的、在垂直外攀爬方面有较大优势的攀爬蛇形机器人,提出一种具有万向节功能的P-R（pitch roll）模块,该模块结构简单、便于控制.相对于采用传统的平行连接和正交连接的机器人,基于该模块的蛇形机器人能够更为轻松和灵活地附着于攀爬对象外壁.对基于P-R模块的攀爬蛇形机器人爬树的基本姿态进行静态平衡机理分析,得到相关参数的函数关系,为攀爬蛇形机器人样机的研制和攀爬对象的选择提供了理论依据.最后通过实验验证了P-R结构的有效性及相关分析的合理性.     

基于改进的GVF Snake模型CT图像轮廓提取技术

CT图像轮廓提取是逆向工程中的关键技术之一,由于基于边界检测算法很难提供一条连续的无间断的边界轮廓。采用一种改进的GVF Snake算法,首先通过人工取点,B样条拟合的方法,提取其初始轮廓,再利用改进的GVF Snake方法进行边界轮廓逼近,以获得比较精确的叶片边界轮廓,克服了传统活动轮廓模型梯度势能场捕捉范围小的缺点,并通过实验证明了该方法的有效性。     

Bleeding and Thrombosis: Insights into Pathophysiology of Bothrops Venom-Related Hemostasis Disorders

Toxins from Bothrops venoms targeting hemostasis are responsible for a broad range of clinical and biological syndromes including local and systemic bleeding, incoagulability, thrombotic microangiopathy and macrothrombosis. Beyond hemostais disorders, toxins are also involved in the pathogenesis of edema and in most complications such as hypovolemia, cardiovascular collapse, acute kidney injury, myonecrosis, compartmental syndrome and superinfection. These toxins can be classified as enzymatic proteins (snake venom metalloproteinases, snake venom serine proteases, phospholipases A₂ and L-amino acid oxidases) and non-enzymatic proteins (desintegrins and C-type lectin proteins). Bleeding is due to a multifocal toxicity targeting vessels, platelets and coagulation factors. Vessel damage due to the degradation of basement membrane and the subsequent disruption of endothelial cell integrity under hydrostatic pressure and tangential shear stress is primarily responsible for bleeding. Hemorrhage is promoted by thrombocytopenia, platelet hypoaggregation, consumption coagulopathy and fibrin(ogen)olysis. Onset of thrombotic microangiopathy is probably due to the switch of endothelium to a prothrombotic phenotype with overexpression of tissue factor and other pro-aggregating biomarkers in association with activation of platelets and coagulation. Thrombosis involving large-caliber vessels in B. lanceolatus envenomation remains a unique entity, which exact pathophysiology remains poorly understood.