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Significance: Globally, infertility affects 10–15% of couples, with Fallopian Tube Obstruction (FTO) being a principal cause. Current therapeutic options are inadequate, prompting a demand for effective, less invasive treatments with lower recurrence. Aim: The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility of employing laser-induced cavitation bubbles (LICB) technology for the treatment of FTO and to experimentally ascertain the optimal laser parameters for this approach. Method: Utilizing an Er:YAG pulsed laser (2.94  μ m, 200  μ s pulse width, 10 Hz), laser energy was transmitted through a 450  μ m sapphire fiber. The study involved 13 rats categorized into control, model, and experimental groups. The laser, with energies of 8.3 mJ, 12.7 mJ, and 15.3 mJ, was applied through the sapphire fibers. The assessment criteria incorporated Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining of the fallopian tubes across all groups, evaluating tubal patency and wall damage to ascertain the most effective laser parameters. Results: In this experiment, the cumulative recanalization success rate in rat models of FTO treated with LICB was observed to be 75%. Specifically, a recanalization rate of 33.3% was achieved with the application of 8 mJ laser energy. The use of 12.7 mJ laser energy resulted in an increased success rate of 85.7%. However, while the application of 15.3 mJ laser energy achieved a 100% recanalization rate, it was accompanied by the formation of hemorrhagic spots on the fallopian tube walls, indicating thermal damage due to the higher energy levels. Optimal treatment parameters were identified as 12.7 mJ laser energy, 10 Hz frequency, and 10-second application. Conclusions: This research suggests that LICB technology can effectively clear fallopian tube obstructions while causing acceptable levels of damage. This indicates its potential as a valuable treatment method worthy of further research for facilitating tubal recanalization.

Natural biomaterials, such as collagen, gelatin, and chitosan, are considered as promising candidates for use in tissue regeneration treatment, given their similarity to natural tissues regarding components and structure. Nevertheless, only receiving a crosslinking process can these biomaterials exhibit sufficient strength to bear high tensile loads for use in skeletal system regeneration. Recently, genipin, a natural chemical compound extracted from gardenia fruits, has shown great potential as a reliable crosslinking reagent, which can reconcile the crosslinking effect and biosafety profile simultaneously. In this review, we briefly summarize the genipin extraction process, biosafety, and crosslinking mechanism. Subsequently, the applications of genipin regarding aiding skeletal system regeneration are discussed in detail, including the advances and technological strategies for reconstructing cartilage, bone, intervertebral disc, tendon, and skeletal muscle tissues. Finally, based on the specific pharmacological functions of genipin, its potential applications, such as its use in bioprinting and serving as an antioxidant and anti-tumor agent, and the challenges of genipin in the clinical applications in skeletal system regeneration are also presented.

Mitochondria are the only organelles regulated by two genomes. The coordinated translation of nuclear DNA (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which together co-encode the subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complex, is critical for determining the metabolic plasticity of tumor cells. RNA-binding protein (RBP) is a post-transcriptional regulatory factor that plays a pivotal role in determining the fate of mRNA. RBP rapidly and effectively reshapes the mitochondrial proteome in response to intracellular and extracellular stressors, mediating the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial translation balance to adjust mitochondrial respiratory capacity and provide energy for tumor cells to adapt to different environmental pressures and growth needs. This review highlights the ability of RBPs to use liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) as a platform for translation regulation, integrating nuclear–mitochondrial positive and retrograde signals to coordinate cross-department translation, reshape mitochondrial energy metabolism, and promote the development and survival of tumor cells.

In this paper, we propose a simple method to generate the uniform illumination using a pyramid prism for Plane Array Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (PA-LiDAR). The principle of the pyramid prism shaping the Gaussian beam to form a uniform beam was analyzed theoretically. By changing the parameters of the pyramid prism and laser beam, the profile distribution of the output beam can be easily adjusted. Based on the operation mode and illumination requirements of PA-LiDAR, we have developed a set of LiDAR prototypes using a pyramid prism and carried out experimental research on these prototypes. The simulation and experimental results demonstrated that this method can achieve a uniform illumination beam with excellent propagation properties for meeting the technical requirements of PA-LiDAR. This method of uniform illumination has the advantages of being simple, flexible, easily adjustable and convenient to operate.

In this paper, a novel data-driven control solution to cooperative output regulation problems is proposed for a class of discrete-time multi-agent systems. Different from existing solutions to cooperative output regulation problems, the dynamics of all the followers are presumed unknown. Based on the combination of the internal model principle and the value iteration technique, a distributed suboptimal controller is learned by means of online input-state data collected from system trajectories. Notably, the developed learning algorithm does not rely on a priori knowledge of a stabilizing control policy. Rigorous theoretical analysis guarantees the convergence of the algorithm and the stability of the closed-loop system. Numerical results validate the effectiveness of the proposed control methodology.

A brightness-perceived color appearance model tailored for large gamut display devices, exemplified by laser displays, was investigated. Psychophysical experiments on the brightness matching of 30 color stimuli with achromatic white light were conducted by 16 observers. The analysis compares the performance of a number of existing color appearance models and equivalent luminance models in predicting brightness. None of the models performed acceptably due to a severe underestimation of the Helmholtz–Kohlrausch (H-K) effect. A modified model of perceived brightness based on CAM16, taking into account the H-K effect, is proposed. Evaluated by psychophysical experiments, the proposed model exhibits a superior performance compared to the preceding models, especially within the extensive color gamut range stipulated by BT.2020. The results help to optimize the design of laser displays with a wide color gamut and high perceived brightness.

Pneumatic soft actuators possess relatively fast response, inherent high flexibility, and achieve extraordinary shape morphing under large deformations. Conventionally, the entire body of soft pneumatic robots needs to be designed for specific applications. Herein, a soft pneumatic actuator design with structured fabrics as actuator skins, which has high bending stiffness variation that can accomplish multiple tasks and different deformation modes in a single body, is proposed. By adjusting the structured skin, the developed soft actuator can be tailored to achieve various deformations. It is experimentally shown that the bending stiffness of the actuator can be adjusted from 108 to 5654 N m−1. The blocking force of the actuator in bending is comparable with that of conventional fabric‐reinforced pneumatic actuators, while the actuator skins are reusable and programmable. In application, the actuators are used to construct a bionic soft gripper with multiple degrees of freedom. By switching between three grasping modes, the gripper successfully fulfills a series of tasks including lifting weights up to 1 kg and grasping objects ranging from a grain of grape to a large iron basin. This work opens up an avenue for designing structured skins for pneumatic robots with programmable deformation modes and versatile functions. Herein, a new class of soft pneumatic actuators with tunable bending stiffness, tailored deformation shapes, and considerable output force based on a wearable structured skin is designed, fabricated, and used to construct a soft gripper with multiple degrees of freedom. This work opens up an avenue for designing structured skins for pneumatic robots with programmable deformation modes and versatile functions.

Cardiac mitochondria generate ATP, via oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to sustain continuous and forceful myocardial contraction, thereby meeting systemic metabolic demands. Mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism depend on proteostasis, which can be disrupted by stressors such as hypoxia, leading to impaired cardiac function. As a result, the study of mitochondrial energy metabolism and proteostasis under stress has become a key focus in cardiovascular research. The mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) plays a “double-edged sword” role—either protective or detrimental—depending on the type, intensity, and duration of the stressor. This has sparked interest in strategies aimed at enhancing its adaptive signaling while inhibiting maladaptive pathways. Acting as mediators of intercellular communication, mitokines may transmit local mitochondrial stress signals to mitochondria in distant cells and tissues. This review analyzes and summarizes the role of UPRmt in regulating mitochondrial factors and explores the mechanisms through which fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), secreted by the liver and skeletal muscle, influences protein homeostasis in cardiac myocytes. These insights aim to offer new avenues for the development of targeted UPRmt therapies and rehabilitation strategies for heart diseases.

The dynamics of a robot may vary during operation due to both internal and external factors, such as non-ideal motor characteristics and unmodeled loads, which would lead to control performance deterioration and even instability. In this paper, the adaptive optimal output regulation (AOOR)-based controller is designed for the wheel-legged robot Ollie to deal with the possible model uncertainties and disturbances in a data-driven approach. We test the AOOR-based controller by forcing the robot to stand still, which is a conventional index to judge the balance controller for two-wheel robots. By online training with small data, the resultant AOOR achieves the optimality of the control performance and stabilizes the robot within a small displacement in rich experiments with different working conditions. Finally, the robot further balances a rolling cylindrical bottle on its top with the balance control using the AOOR, but it fails with the initial controller. Experimental results demonstrate that the AOOR-based controller shows the effectiveness and high robustness with model uncertainties and external disturbances.

Among all converters, one of the most prominent technologies employed in multi‐infeed ac/dc (MIACDC) smart grids is the modular multilevel converters (MMCs). The core part of the MIACDC grids is their dc‐voltage power port. All MMC's components in a dc‐voltage power port – which are capable of significantly impacting on the dynamics – are mathematically modelled in the space‐phasor representation using the rotating dq ‐frame. Afterwards, the effects of each submodule capacitors and arm inductors on the dc‐voltage power port's dynamics are investigated and analysed, separately. This paper mathematically shows that the former is affecting the low‐frequency range of the bandwidth, and the latter is impacting on the high‐frequency one. Moreover, this paper demonstrates that a robust, optimal controller synthesized by the µ ‐analysis is a good candidate to induce both robust stability and performance in an MMC‐based dc‐voltage power port. In order to illustrate the contributions of this article, detailed mathematical analyses; comparative results simulated by the switching model of MMC; and experimental results produced by a test rig, which is able to examine the transient performance of an MMC‐based dc‐voltage power port, are provided. For comparison, the results of the PI‐Lead controller and those of another controller optimally synthesized have been provided.