Light-Weight Design of Five-Degree-of-Freedom Hybrid Robot for Assembling in the Cabin

Interior assembling inside the cabin of an aircraft requires assembling robot to be light-weight and able to carry heavy payload. This paper proposed a hybrid robot and carried out its optimal design and experiments. The robot consists of a 1T2R parallel module and a 2T serial module. In the parallel module, the first limb is composed of a slider crank mechanism and a RS link. The other two limbs are PRS limbs. Herein, R, S, P are revolute, spherical, and actuated prismatic joints. Optimization of the robot concerns motion/force transmissibility, total mass, and stiffness. Hence, kinematic, stiffness, and mass modeling are implemented, and then the Pareto-based multi-objective optimization. Objective arrangements are discussed by concerning (1) the conflicting relation between mass and the minimal linear stiffness along z-axis and (2) the overall stiffness performance. After comparing six multi-objective optimizations, it is found that simultaneously regarding mass and minimal linear stiffness along z-axis as objectives is beneficial for obtaining large payload-to-mass ratio, moreover having overall stiffness as objectives would lower the values of motion/force transmissibility and payload-to-mass ratio. Finally, optimization model having motion/force transmissibility, total mass, and minimal linear stiffness along z-axis as objectives is selected. The optimal payload-to-mass ratio is up to 13.2837. The five degrees-of-freedom hybrid robot is machined and assembled. Experiments on the workspace, repeatability, and load carrying capacity confirm the performances of the designed robot.

Development of a Novel 4-DOF Flexible Endoscopic Robot Using Cable-Driven Multisegment Continuum Mechanisms

This paper presents the design, analysis, and development of a novel four degrees of freedom (4-DOF) endoscopic robot with cable-driven multisegment flexible continuum mechanisms. The endoscopic robot is mainly composed of the passive positioning arm, cable-pulley system, and 3-DOF flexible continuum mechanism. The forward and inverse kinematics of the endoscopic robot are derived based on the constant curvature assumption, and its working space, flexibility, and preoperative incision determination method are analyzed as well. Based on the hardware structure of the robot system, a control strategy and a control software are developed, and the continuum mechanism is kinematically calibrated to carry out the trajectory planning experiment and simulated surgery experiment. The experimental results show that the calibrated constant curvature model can be used for the motion control of the continuum mechanism, and the 4-DOF endoscopic robot can meet the visual field requirements of minimally invasive surgery.

Clinical trials show similar safety outcomes including febrile convulsion rates for GSK's and Merck's measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines

Combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines produced by GSK (GSK-MMR) and Merck (Merck-MMR) have demonstrated effectiveness and an acceptable safety profile, as documented over decades of post-licensure use in various regions worldwide. In the United States, 2 doses of the MMR vaccine are recommended at the ages of 12-15 months and 4-6 years. All-cause febrile convulsions have the highest incidence at 12-18 months of age, when the first MMR vaccine dose is administered. Because febrile convulsions can also occur rarely after MMR vaccine administration, we reviewed safety data of the GSK-MMR compared to the Merck-MMR vaccine from 4 clinical trials that evaluated a first dose in 12-15-month-olds and 2 clinical trials that evaluated a second dose in ≥4-year-olds. Overall frequencies of febrile convulsions were ≤0.4% across studies and vaccine groups. The frequency of febrile convulsions occurring 7-10 days post-vaccination with the GSK-MMR vaccine (5.7/10,000) was generally consistent with previously published data. The other safety outcomes were similar between the GSK-MMR and Merck-MMR vaccines in both age groups. Hence, as recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the GSK-MMR vaccine can also be used for routine immunization of children according to the current immunization schedule in the United States to prevent MMR.

Effects of preventive nursing based on quantitative evaluation on psychological state and maternal–infant outcome in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effects of preventive nursing based on quantitative evaluation on psychological state and maternal-infant outcome in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), further, to provide a theoretical basis for the effective management of GDM patients in clinical work.

METHODS

From 1 February 2020 to 1 January 2021, 118 patients with GDM presenting to our hospital were included in this retrospective cohort study. According to the type of nursing care, patients were divided into study group and control groups. The study group consisted of 59 GDM patients who were given quantitative evaluation-based preventive nursing care. The control group included 59 GDM patients who were given routine nursing care. Outcome indicators included blood glucose level, degree of social support, resilience, coping style, and maternal-infant outcomes.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between two groups in other baseline clinical characteristics (p > .05). After the intervention, fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and 2 h postprandial blood glucose (2hPBG) levels were significantly lower in the study group than that in the control group (p < .05). The scores of objective support, subjective support, and social support utilization in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group after intervention (p < .05). The scores of optimisms, self-strengthening and tenacity in the study group were significantly less than those in the control group (p < .05). The study group confrontation score was significantly higher, and the avoidance and acceptance scores were significantly lower, compared with the control group (p < .05). The maternal-infant outcome showed that the proportions of cesarean delivery, pregnancy-induced hypertension, polyhydramnios, premature delivery, hyperbilirubinemia, and neonatal hypoglycemia in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < .05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage and neonatal 5-min Apgar score between the two groups (p > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, preventive nursing based on quantitative assessment can effectively control the blood glucose level of GDM patients, improve their degree of social support, resilience, coping style, and maternal-infant outcomes, which is worthy of clinical application.

IsletSwipe, a mobile platform for expert opinion exchange on islet graft images

We previously developed a deep learning-based web service (IsletNet) for an automated counting of isolated pancreatic islets. The neural network training is limited by the absent consensus on the ground truth annotations. Here, we present a platform (IsletSwipe) for an exchange of graphical opinions among experts to facilitate the consensus formation. The platform consists of a web interface and a mobile application. In a small pilot study, we demonstrate the functionalities and the use case scenarios of the platform. Nine experts from three centers validated the drawing tools, tested precision and consistency of the expert contour drawing, and evaluated user experience. Eight experts from two centers proceeded to evaluate additional images to demonstrate the following two use case scenarios. The Validation scenario involves an automated selection of images and islets for the expert scrutiny. It is scalable (more experts, images, and islets may readily be added) and can be applied to independent validation of islet contours from various sources. The Inquiry scenario serves the ground truth generating expert in seeking assistance from peers to achieve consensus on challenging cases during the preparation for IsletNet training. This scenario is limited to a small number of manually selected images and islets. The experts gained an opportunity to influence IsletNet training and to compare other experts' opinions with their own. The ground truth-generating expert obtained feedback for future IsletNet training. IsletSwipe is a suitable tool for the consensus finding. Experts from additional centers are welcome to participate.

Biosafety regulatory frameworks in Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Sweden and their potential impact on international R&D collaborations

Gene technologies, such as transgenesis and new breeding techniques (NBTs), expand the toolbox for plant breeding. Many countries in Africa, however, have long been seen as "slow adopters" of gene technologies for several reasons, one being the lack of, or overly restrictive, biosafety regulatory frameworks. This is sometimes attributed to the influence of the precautionary-oriented EU biosafety policies. This study analyses and compares the biosafety regulatory frameworks and their implementation in Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, and in the EU member state Sweden. The focus is on (1) the structure of the biosafety regulatory frameworks including the scope of the legislation, (2) the duration and cost of regulatory authorization for field trials with genetically modified (GM) plants, and (3) the regulatory approach to NBT products, i.e. to what extent NBT products are subject to the provisions of the biosafety regulatory framework. The data was collected through studying relevant legal and policy documents as well as interviewing regulatory officers and researchers in the respective countries. We found that the regulatory procedures in the selected countries are relatively straightforward, while the costs and duration may present a challenge. The regulatory approach to NBT products differ between the selected African countries and Sweden, the latter which follows EU regulations. The results are discussed in terms of the impact the regulatory developments in these four jurisdictions may have on international R&D collaborations involving the use of gene technologies and we also weigh the results against the common conception that Europe exerts a heavy influence on African countries in this technology field.