Auditory Feedback for Enhanced Sense of Agency in Shared Control.

There is a growing need for robots that can be remotely controlled to perform tasks of one's own choice. However, the SoA (Sense of Agency: the sense of recognizing that the motion of an observed object is caused by oneself) is reduced because the subject of the robot motion is identified as external due to shared control. To address this issue, we aimed to suppress the decline in SoA by presenting auditory feedback that aims to blur the distinction between self and others. We performed the tracking task in a virtual environment under four different auditory feedback conditions, with varying levels of automation to manipulate the virtual robot gripper. Experimental results showed that the proposed auditory feedback suppressed the decrease in the SoA at a medium level of automation. It is suggested that our proposed auditory feedback could blur the distinction between self and others, and that the operator attributes the subject of the motion of the manipulated object to himself.

Differences in pulse rate variability with measurement site.

BACKGROUND: Recently, attempts have been made to use the pulse rate variability (PRV) as a surrogate for heart rate variability (HRV). PRV, however, may be caused by the fluctuations of left ventricular pre-ejection period and pulse transit time besides HRV. We examined whether PRV differs not only from HRV but also depending on the measurement site. RESULTS: In five healthy subjects, pulse waves were measured simultaneously on both wrists and both forearms together with single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in the supine and sitting positions. Although average pulse interval showed no significant difference from average R-R interval in either positions, PRV showed greater power for the low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) components and lower LF/HF than HRV. The deviations of PRV from HRV in the supine and sitting positions were 13.2% and 7.9% for LF power, 24.5% and 18.3% for HF power, and - 15.0% and - 30.2% for LF/HF, respectively. While the average pulse interval showed 0.8% and 0.5% inter-site variations among the four sites in the supine and sitting positions, respectively, the inter-site variations in PRV were 4.0% and 3.6% for LF power, 3.8% and 4.7% for HF power, and 18.0% and 17.5% for LF/HF, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These suggest that PRV shows not only systemic differences from HRV but also considerable inter-site variations.

Detection of dexmedetomidine in human breast milk using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: Application to a study of drug safety in breastfeeding after Cesarean section.

Several analytical methods for dexmedetomidine (DEX) in human plasma have been published, but quantification of DEX in human breast milk has not been described. In this article, we describe a high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method suitable for quantification of DEX in human breast milk. DEX and an internal standard were extracted in a single liquid-liquid extraction step with diethyl ether from 200µL of human breast milk. HPLC was performed on a TSK-gel ODS-100V column with isocratic elution at a flow rate of 0.3mL/min using a mobile phase of 5mM ammonium formate:0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile (60:40, v/v). Detection was performed using an API4000 mass spectrometer with positive electrospray ionization. The method was validated in the concentration range of 10pg/mL (lower limit of quantification) to 2000pg/mL. The intra- and inter-day accuracy were within ±5.8% and precision was <6.31% based on the coefficient of variation. The recoveries of DEX in human breast milk were 82.4-87.9%. Recovery and matrix effects were consistent and reproducible for human breast milk. The method is robust and was successfully used in a study of drug safety in breastfeeding in patients after administration of DEX.

Photostability studies on (±)-tramadol in a liquid formulation.

BACKGROUND: Tramadol ((±)-TRA) is recommended for the treatment of mild to moderate cancer pain by the World Health Organization. An oral liquid formulation of (±)-TRA is preferable for patients with a compromised swallowing function. However, the stability of (±)-TRA in aqueous solution has yet to be determined in a clinical setting. The aim of this study was to evaluate the photostability of (±)-TRA in aqueous solution in a clinical setting. METHODS: We improved high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the enantiomeric separation of (±)-TRA, and then the (±)-TRA concentration was determined using HPLC method. We investigated the photodegradation of (±)-TRA in an aqueous solution irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. We also evaluated the stability of liquid formulations of (±)-TRA in a clinical setting by keeping (±)-TRA aqueous solution in normal dispensing bottles and in light-shading dispensing bottles under conditions of both sunlight and diffused light in a room. Samples were collected sequentially over time. RESULTS: (±)-TRA in aqueous solution was degraded the most rapidly when irradiated with UV-C, but was not affected by irradiation with UV-A. No significant difference was observed in the photodegradation behavior of (+)-TRA and (-)-TRA with UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C irradiation. The residual percentages of (±)-TRA were 94.6-104.3% after 14 days in the presence of either sunlight or diffused light in a room, with or without protection from light. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated the stability of (±)-TRA in aqueous solution to both sunlight and diffused light in a room. Therefore, liquid formulations of TRA are preserved at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, with or without protection from light. Our results provide additional treatment options with tramadol for pain control.

A case of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung that produced granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-6.

A 77-year-old woman visited our institution complaining of general fatigue. Chest radiography revealed masses in the upper and middle lung fields. Pathological findings for an endoscopic biopsy specimen revealed squamous cell carcinoma. High-grade fever developed and blood analyses revealed sustained elevated white blood cell count and C-reactive protein levels. Cytokine production by tumor cells was suspected; both serum granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (117 pg/mL; normal: <57.5 pg/mL) and interleukin-6 (83.5 pg/mL; normal: <2.41 pg/mL) levels were high. Immunohistochemical examination of biopsy specimens showed positive staining with antigranulocyte colony-stimulating factor and anti-interleukin-6 monoclonal antibodies. Diagnosis of a tumor that produced granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-6 was established. The patient was administered best supportive therapy since she was not eligible for surgical treatment because of her poor respiratory function. She died from interstitial pneumonia exacerbation two months after this diagnosis. We present a female with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung that produced granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-6.

Bacillus subtilis EdmS (formerly PgsE) participates in the maintenance of episomes.

Extrachromosomal DNA maintenance (EDM) is an important process in molecular breeding and for various applications in the construction of genetically engineered microbes. Here we describe a novel Bacillus subtilis gene involved in EDM function called edmS (formerly pgsE). Functional gene regions were identified using molecular genetics techniques. We found that EdmS is a membrane-associated protein that is crucial for EDM. We also determined that EdmS can change a plasmid vector with an unstable replicon and worse-than-random segregation into one with better-than-random segregation, suggesting that the protein functions in the declustering and/or partitioning of episomes. EdmS has two distinct domains: an N-terminal membrane-anchoring domain and a C-terminal assembly accelerator-like structure, and mutational analysis of edmS revealed that both domains are essential for EDM. Further studies using cells of Bacillus megaterium and itsedmS (formerly capE) gene implied that EdmS has potential as a molecular probe for exploring novel EDM systems.

Genetic diversity of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene in Lutzomyia spp., with special reference to Lutzomyia peruensis, a main vector of Leishmania (Viannia) peruviana in the Peruvian Andes.

The genetic divergence caused by genetic drift and/or selection is suggested to affect the vectorial capacity and insecticide susceptibility of sand flies, as well as other arthropods. In the present study, cytochrome b (cyt b) gene sequences were determined in 13 species circulating in Peru to establish a basis for analysis of the genetic structure, and the intraspecific genetic diversity was assessed in the Lutzomyia (Lu.) peruensis, a main vector species of Leishmania (Viannia) peruviana in Peruvian Andes. Analysis of intraspecific genetic diversity in the cyt b gene sequences from 36 Lu. peruensis identified 3 highly polymorphic sites in the middle region of the gene. Haplotype and gene network analyses were performed on the cyt b gene sequences of 130 Lu. peruensis in 9 Andean areas from 3 Departments (Ancash, Lima and La Libertad). The results showed that the populations of La Libertad were highly polymorphic and that their haplotypes were distinct from those of Ancash and Lima, where dominant haplotypes were observed, suggesting that a population bottleneck may have occurred in Ancash and Lima, but not in La Libertad. The present study indicated that the middle region of the cyt b gene is useful for the analysis of genetic structure in sand fly populations.

Natural infections of man-biting sand flies by Leishmania and Trypanosoma species in the northern Peruvian Andes.

The natural infection of sand flies by Leishmania species was studied in the Andean areas of Peru where cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Viannia) peruviana is endemic. Sand flies were captured by human bait and Center for Disease Control (CDC) light trap catches at Nambuque and Padregual, Department of La Libertad, Peru, and morphologically identified. Among 377 female sand flies dissected, the two dominant man-biting species were Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) peruensis (211 flies) and Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) caballeroi (151 flies). Another sand fly species captured by light trap was Warileya phlebotomanica (15 flies). The natural infection of sand flies by flagellates was detected in 1.4% of Lu. (H.) peruensis and 2.6% of Lu. (H.) caballeroi, and the parasite species were identified as Le. (V.) peruviana and Trypanosoma avium, respectively, by molecular biological methods. The results indicated that the vector species responsible for the transmission of leishmaniasis in the study areas is Lu. (H.) peruensis. In addition, the presence of Trypanosoma in man-biting sand fly species means that more careful consideration is necessary for vector research in areas of Andean Peru where leishmaniasis is endemic.