Noninformative Vision of Body Movements can Enhance Tactile Discrimination

Vision of the body without task cues enhances tactile discrimination performance. This effect has been investigated only with static visual information, although our body usually moves, and dynamic visual and bodily information provides ownership (SoO) and agency (SoA) sensations to body parts. We investigated whether vision of body movements could enhance tactile discrimination performance. Participants observed white dots without any textural information showing lateral hand movements (dynamic condition) or static hands (static condition). For participants experiencing the dynamic condition first, it induced a lower tactile discrimination threshold, as well as a stronger SoO and SoA, compared to the static condition. For participants observing the static condition first, the magnitudes of the enhancement effect in the dynamic condition were positively correlated between the tactile discrimination and SoO/SoA. The enhancement of the dynamic visual information was not observed when the hand shape was not maintained in the scrambled white dot images. Our results suggest that dynamic visual information without task cues can enhance tactile discrimination performance by feeling SoO and SoA only when it maintains bodily information.

Decolorization of the benzidine-based azo dye Congo red by the new strain Shewanella xiamenensis G5-03

Shewanella xiamenensis G5-03 was observed to decolorize the azo dye Congo red in synthetic wastewater. The influence of some factors on the dye decolorization efficiency was evaluated. The optimal decolorization conditions were temperature 30-35 °C, pH 10.0, incubation time 10 h, and static condition. The kinetic of Congo red decolorization fitted to the Michaelis–Menten model (Vmax = 111.11 mg L-1 h-1 and Km = 448.3 mg L-1). The bacterium was also able to degrade benzidine, a product of azo bond breakage of the Congo red, which contributed to reduce the phytotoxicity. The ability of S. xiamenensis G5-03 for simultaneous decolorization and degradation of Congo red shows its potential application for the biological treatment of wastewaters containing azo dyes.

Literature Review : Effect of Static Conditions on Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)

Musculoskeletal disorders are disorders that occur in one of the skeletal organs or muscles of the body such as congenital abnormalities in the upper and lower extremities, nerve and muscle disorders, inflammatory infections of bones and joints, musculoskeletal metabolic disorders, degenerative musculoskeletal disorders (spine, upper extremities) and below). The study aimed To analyze the static condition of the workers' complaints of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Using literature review with scoping review method. The data was collected through internet searches using Google Scholar and PubMed with the keywords static conditions, complaints of MSDs, ergonomic position, musculoskeletal disorders, the influence of static conditions, with a range of research years is 2015-2020. Results found 83 articles matching the keyword. A review of 9 research articles that met the inclusion criteria found 4 aspects, namely the factor of length of work more than 1 year, age, working hours and using the same extremity for a long period of time will increase the risk of MSDs, Doing work in awkward positions for 5- 8 hours/day increases the risk of MSDs in workers, especially nurses, The emergence of MSDs symptoms is higher in women, namely in the lower back and neck area, The pain felt due to MSDs disorders can be severe, namely in the lower back, shoulders, neck, wrists , knees and ankles. There is a relationship with static positions/non-ergonomic conditions at work, these non-ergonomic conditions do not directly cause complaints but in the long term complaints will arise. The female gender is at high risk of experiencing MSDs, the length of work and length of time working will affect the emergence of MSDs, there are 12 static conditions found in someone when doing work, the main complaint that appears in MSDs is pain.

Study on the leakage of plunger pair under static condition in high-pressure common rail injector considering deformation effect

Plunger pair is the key component of high pressure common rail injector and its sealing performance is very important. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the leakage mechanism of plunger pair. Under static condition, the high-pressure fuel flow in the gap of the plunger pair caused the deformation of the plunger pair structure and the temperature rise of fuel. For a more comprehensive and accurate study, the effect of deformation, including elastic deformation and thermal expansion, the physical properties of fuel, including density, viscosity and specific heat capacity, as well as the influence of plunger posture in the plunger sleeve, including concentric, eccentric, and inclination condition, are considered in this paper. Firstly, the mathematical models including Reynolds equation, film thickness equation, non-isothermal flow equation, parametric equation of fuel physical property, and section velocity equation are established. The numerical analysis based on finite difference method for the solution of these models is given, which can simultaneously solve for the fuel film pressure distribution, temperature distribution, thickness distribution, distribution of fuel physical properties, and leakage rate. The models are validated by comparing the calculated leakage rates with the measurements. The effects under different posture of plunger are discussed too. Some of the conclusions provided good guidance for the design of high-pressure common rail injector.

A study on the mechanical polishing technique by using shear thickening fluids

This paper reported the new polishing technique by using a shear thickening fluid (STF). In experiments, the steel workpiece was immersed into the STF under the static condition. When the workpiece started rotating at a certain speed, the surrounding STF became solidified due to the shear thickening effect. Consequently, the solidified STF held the abrasive particles and polished the surfaces of the workpiece. The surface roughness of the treated surfaces was clearly dependent on the size of the abrasive particles. Owing to the reversible phase transition between liquid and solid status for the STF, the polishing process can be conducted without the use of polishing pads. Moreover, the new polishing technique using the STF can polish some complex structures having the surfaces with different heights and/or orientations, which cannot be achieved by the traditional one-step polishing method.

Production of bacterial cellulose films by Gluconoacetobacter xylinus for lipase immobilization

Bacterial cellulose (BC), a microbial polysaccharide, has chemically equivalent structure to plant cellulose with unbranched pellicle structure of only glucose monomers. Due to the unique nanostructure, BC has great potential in enzyme immobilization. In this study, the effects of different cultivation conditions including rotational speed, initial inoculum concentration and medium pH on the film-like cellulosic biomass formation of Gluconacetobacter xylinus JCM 9730 were examined. The resultant BC films were then studied for its feasibility in the immobilization of lipase, a widely used enzyme in biotechnological and industrial processes including food, pharmaceutical, chemical and paper industries. Results showed that increasing in rotational speed from 0 rpm to 200 rpm converted cellulose-producing cells to non-cellulose-producing ones, leading to a significant decline in BC film formation. The increase in initial inoculum size from 0.01 g/L to 0.1 g/L reduced sugar concentration and surface area of the medium, and therefore inhibiting the formation of film-like cellulosic biomass. In addition, the optimum pH range of Acetobacter species from 5.4 – 6.3 was found not optimal for BC film formation. The highest amount of film-like cellulosic biomass of 19.01 g/L was obtained under static condition (0 rpm) with initial cell concentration of 0.04 g/L and initial pH of 4.0. The BC film samples were then acetylated with acetic anhydride/iodine system to convert the hydroxyl groups to less hydrophilic acetyl groups and were used for lipase immobilization. Results showed that lipase immobilized on acetylated BC still maintained its lipid hydrolytic activity. It can be hence concluded that BC films produced by G. xylinus JCM 9730 were potential for lipase immobilization.

Evaluating landslide response in a seismic and rainfall regime: a case study from the SE Carpathians, Romania

There have been many studies exploring rainfall-induced slope failures in earthquake-affected terrain. However, studies evaluating the potential effects of both landslide-triggering factors – rainfall and earthquakes – have been infrequent despite rising global landslide mortality risk. The SE Carpathians, which have been subjected to many large historical earthquakes and changing climate thus resulting in frequent landslides, comprise one such region that has been little explored in this context. Therefore, a massive (∼9.1 Mm2) landslide, situated along the river Bâsca Rozilei, in the Vrancea seismic zone, SE Carpathians, is chosen as a case study area to achieve the aforesaid objective (evaluating the effects of both rainfall and earthquakes on landslides) using slope stability evaluation and runout simulation. The present state of the slope reveals a factor of safety in a range of 1.17–1.32 with a static condition displacement of 0.4–4 m that reaches up to 8–60 m under dynamic (earthquake) conditions. The groundwater (GW) effect further decreases the factor of safety and increases the displacement. Ground motion amplification enhances the possibility of slope surface deformation and displacements. The debris flow prediction, implying the excessive rainfall effect, reveals a flow having a 9.0–26.0 m height and 2.1–3.0 m s−1 velocity along the river channel. The predicted extent of potential debris flow is found to follow the trails possibly created by previous debris flow and/or slide events.

A nonlinear wave coupling algorithm and its programing and application in plasma turbulences

The fully developed turbulence can be regarded as a nonlinear system, with wave coupling inside, which causes the nonlinear energy transfer, and drives the turbulence to develop further or be suppressed. Spectral analysis is one of the most effective methods to study turbulence system. In order to apply it in the study of the nonlinear wave coupling process of edge plasma turbulence, an efficient algorithm based on spectral analysis technology was proposed to solve the nonlinear wave coupling equation. The algorithm is based on a mandatory temporal static condition after separating the nonideal spectra from the ideal spectra. The realization idea and programing flow were given. According to the characteristics of plasma turbulence, the simulation data were constructed and used to verify the algorithm and its implementation program. The simulation results and examples showed the accuracy of the algorithm and the corresponding program, which could play a great role in the study of the energy transfer in edge plasma turbulences. As an application, the energy cascade analysis of typical edge plasma turbulence was carried out using the results of a case calculation. Consequently, a physical image of the energy transfer in a kind of fully developed turbulence was constructed, which confirmed that the energy transfer in this turbulent system was from lower- to higher-frequency regions and from linear growing to damping waves.

Just noticeable differences for elbow joint torque feedback

Joint torque feedback is a new and promising means of kinesthetic feedback imposed by a wearable device. The torque feedback provides the wearer temporal and spatial information during a motion task. Nevertheless, little research has been conducted on quantifying the psychophysical parameters of how well humans can perceive external torques under various joint conditions. This study aims to investigate the just noticeable difference (JND) perceptual ability of the elbow joint to joint torques. The paper focuses on the ability of two primary joint proprioceptors, the Golgi-tendon organ (GTO) and muscle spindle (MS), to detect elbow torques, since touch and pressure sensors were masked. We studied 14 subjects while the arm was isometrically contracted (static condition) and was moving at a constant speed (dynamic condition). In total there were 10 joint conditions investigated, which varied the direction of the arm’s movement and the preload direction as well as torque direction. The JND torques under static conditions ranged from 0.097 Nm with no preload to 0.197 Nm with a preload of 1.28 Nm. The maximum dynamic JND torques were 0.799 Nm and 0.428 Nm, when the arm was flexing and extending at 213 degrees per second, respectively.